The term refers to the series of uprisings in Russia in 1917 that dismantled the Tsarist autocracy and led to the rise of the Soviet Union. It encompasses two distinct phases: the February Revolution, which resulted in the abdication of Tsar Nicholas II and the establishment of a provisional government, and the October Revolution, which saw the Bolsheviks, led by Vladimir Lenin, seize power from the provisional government.
Understanding these events is crucial for students studying United States history because they significantly impacted global politics and shaped the Cold War era. The Bolshevik Revolution served as a model for communist movements worldwide, influencing American foreign policy, domestic anti-communist sentiments (the Red Scare), and military interventions, such as the Korean and Vietnam Wars. The ideological conflict between the United States and the Soviet Union, rooted in the aftermath of this period of upheaval, profoundly influenced the trajectory of the 20th century.
