On November 7, 1917, the October Revolution transformed Russia and sparked a seismic ideological shift that echoed worldwide. Led by Vladimir Lenin and the Bolshevik Party, this revolution was the second Russian upheaval of that year, following the February Revolution that ended Tsarist rule and ushered in a provisional government. However, despite initial hopes, this provisional government, led by Alexander Kerensky, failed to address the pressing needs of a war-weary, impoverished population. Its continued involvement in World War I, coupled with economic instability, left the people disillusioned, paving the way for the Bolsheviks to seize power in Petrograd (now Saint Petersburg).
The October Revolution marked a bold, unprecedented attempt to establish a socialist state. It began with a decisive, relatively bloodless uprising as Bolshevik powers captured government buildings and overran the Winter Palace. While the Bolsheviks promised peace, land, and bread, their victory ultimately plunged the country into civil war, a brutal conflict that lasted until 1922 and birthed the Soviet Union. This moment cemented the rise of communism and introduced a potent ideological alternative to Western capitalism, sparking decades of global ideological battles and inspiring workers' movements worldwide.
