Rise of USSR as a Global Power

Introduction

The USSR was a country in Eurasia that existed from 1922 to 1991. The USSR was formed by merging the Russian, Ukrainian, and Byelo Soviet Socialist Republics. The USSR was one of the world's first constitutionally socialist states, with state ownership over the means of production being widespread.

The USSR, commonly known as the Soviet Union, was the world's first and largest communist country. The Soviet Union was the face of communism and, until its dissolution in 1991, was engaged in competition between the Western capitalist forces represented by the United States and NATO.

Beginnings of the USSR

The Soviet Union was born from the fire of the Russian Revolution in 1917. The radical leftist revolutionary group, the Bolsheviks, defeated Russian emperor Nicholas II and ended centuries of monarchist rule. The Bolsheviks took over the territory of the former Russian Empire and established a welfare state.

In the subsequent civil war, the Bolsheviks fought and succeeded in completely liquidating the remnants of the old emperor's order. In 1922, the Soviet Union of Socialist Republics was established by a treaty between Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan. The first chairman of the Soviet Union was Vladimir Il'nin.

Impact of First World War on the USSR

The First World War, also known as the Great War, was a major war in Europe from 1914 to 1918. The world had never seen such destruction and death. It is estimated that more than 9 million people died during this period. This event caused the collapse of many countries, including Russia and Germany. Million people died.

World War I hit the USSR drastically

• Russia had few industries, and Germany dominated the Baltic Sea, so it separated from other manufacturers of industrial products.

• By 1916, railroad lines had begun to collapse, and the entire railway was system about to die at the end of 1916.

• The man was drafted into the war, and USSR faced a huge shortage of workers. A small workshop to produce essentials has been closed.

• A large amount of grain was sent to feed the army. Bread and flour were scarce for the people of the city. In the winter of 1916, the bakery riots were the day's order.

USSR under Joseph Stalin's Leadership

In 1924, Joseph Stalin took the leadership of the Soviet Union after Lenin's death; he successfully ruled as a despot who ruled through fear and passing. At the fetch of taking off millions of his citizens dead, he turned what was an essentially agricultural industry into a military and industrial one.

Force the agriculture sector into collectivization

He enforced collectivization on the entire agriculture sector. Accordingly, the farmers were forced to grant up their agricultural land or farms, and animals were connected to collective farms.

Becoming a Global Power (Cold War Era)

After World War II, the alliance between the Soviet Union and the United States began to weaken as the two nations fought different wars. In the name of liberating Eastern Europe from Nazi control, the USSR acted to install communist-dominated governments in those countries, which in effect were puppet governments beholden to the USSR.

This fear led the Americans and the British to work together to prevent the spread of communism throughout Western Europe and beyond. In response to the fear of war, the United States, Canada, and its Western European allies formed NATO in 1949.

In response to NATO, the Soviet Union formed the Warsaw Pact, a coalition of communist- controlled nations in Eastern Europe, in 1955. The Cold War has begun.

• Green — Non-self-governing possessions of US allies.

• Blue — US and US allies.

• Red — Soviet Union and other communist allies.

• Orange — Communist countries not aligned with the USSR.

• Pink — Non Communist allies of USSR

• Light Blue — Non NATO members of EFTA and OECD.

• Gray — Unknown or non-aligned.

Fall of USSR

The Cold War resulted from the two major wars that pitted the world's two superpowers against each other. The fall of the Soviet Union was inevitable after more than 45 years of conflict. The dissolution of the Soviet Union on December 26, 1991, marks the end of the Cold War, but how did Russia's superpower fall so dramatically? What were the reasons for the weakening and eventual disintegration of the Soviet Communist Empire?

Nuclear Race

The end of World War II came with a spectacular mushroom cloud explosion over Japanese territory, which prompted the Soviet Union to develop its nuclear weapons to maintain its leading position in the international arms race. Creating a Nuclear bomb is not cheap. The Soviet Union spent millions of dollars hoping to win a nuclear war with the United States, which already had the bombs used in Hiroshima and Nagasaki in the summer of 1945. Soviet economy leading to increased population poverty and frustration

Loss of People’s Faith

To save their economy, officials of the Soviets did everything they could, and it worked; it hit a huge rise in their economy, then the economy crashed drastically. The people of the Soviets lost their shelters, starved to death, and sunk into poverty. They were desperately looking for any kind of change that would save them from poverty and starvation. They lost faith in the government which led to the fall of the USSR.

Freedom of Speech

The Soviet officials attempted to reach transparency with their people to gain their trust and faith. So Gorbachev allowed and announced freedom of speech for all people. Now soviet press also started to mention the past incidents. Press started to mention everything that soviet officials and the government did to stay in power which was the beginning of the end of the USSR.

Demolition Berlin Wall

Decades after the end of World War II, the Soviet Union built a wall separating Berlin, pushing the western capitalist side and the eastern communist side. This division separated not only neighbors, friends, and family. But both economies led to a clear vision of the difference between US capitalism and Soviet communism. In 1991, the walls were demolished, and East Berlin was revived. At this point, the Soviet Union was clearly shown to the world as weak and vulnerable, leading to Gorbachev's final speech as leader.

On December 26th,1991, Gorbachev addressed the soviet people and tried to explain what went wrong in Russia. He declared that communism had failed and that the Russian people should lead their country to a much brighter future of democracy. With these words, he resigned as head of state, and the next day, the final dissolution of the Soviet Union continued.

FAQs

What is the origin of the USSR?

Ans. The Soviet Union originated in the fire of the Russian revolution in 1917. The Bolsheviks defeated Russian emperor Nicholas II and ended his emperor-ship. Bolsheviks took over the territory of the former Russian Empire.

How did world war I Impact the USSR?

Ans. There was an impact on the USSR during World War I, including dead railroads, shortage of workers, collectivization of the agriculture sector, and growth of communism.

What were the reasons fall of USSR?

Ans. Reasons for USSR fall −

• Nuclear race

• Loss of people's faith

• Freedom of speech

• Demolition of the Berlin wall. These were reasons for the fall down of the USSR.