THE RUSSIAN CIVIL WAR WAS A CONFLICT BETWEEN THE RED AND WHITE ARMY IN

WHICH THE RED ARMY SUCCESSFULLY DEFENDED THE NEWLY FORMED

BOLSHEVIK ARMY AGAINST VARIOUS RUSSIAN AND INTERVENTIONIST ANTIBOLSHEVIK ARMIES.
IT HELPED BECAUSE IT HELPED GET RID OF THE PROVISIONAL GOVERNMENT AND
START THE USSR.

 THE POLITBURO IN RUSSIA AND SOVIET HISTORY, THE SUPREME POLICY-MAKING

BODY OF THE COMMUNIST PARTY OF THE SOVIET UNION. THE POLITBURO WAS
CREATED BY THE BOLSHEVIK PARTY CENTRAL COMMITTEE IN LATE OCTOBER 1917
TO PROVIDE CONTINUES FLEXIBLE LEADERSHIP IN THAT YEARS UPRISING.
THE POLITBURO HELPED THE SOVIET UNION BECAUSE IT KEPT ORGANIZATION TO
MAKE SURE THINGS RUN SMOOTHLY.

 STALINS AIM WAS TO EXPAND INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION.

FOR THIS HE DEVELOPED THREE 5 YEAR PLANS BETWEEN
1928 AND 1938. THE GOVERNMENT CONTROLLED
AGRICULTURAL POLICES, ART & RELIGION , AND
EDUCATION. STALIN USED CONTROL METHODS AND
PROPAGANDA METHODS TO FORCE SOCIETY TO LISTEN AND
OBEY HIM.
STALINS 5 YEAR PLAN HELPED THE SOVIET UNION BECAUSE
IT CAUSED RAPID INDUSTRIALIZATION ON THE SOVIET
UNION AND PLACED A MAJOR FOCUS ON HEAVY INDUSTRY.

 WORLD WAR 2 WAS THE MOST WIDE SPREAD AND DEADLIEST WARS IN HISTORY,
INVOLVING MORE THAN 30 COUNTRIES AND RESULTING IN MORE THEN 50 MILLION
MILITARY AND CIVIL DEATHS.
WWII DID HURT THE SOVIET UNION BECAUSE THE GERMANS ATTACKED THE SOVIET
UNION. HOWEVER, THE SOVIET UNION WAS PREPARED AND DID ATTACK BACK, SO
THEY WERE NOT COMPLETELY DESTROYED.

 THE SOVIET UNIONS NUCLEAR TEST, CODE NAMED

FIRST LIGHTNING DETONATED A PLUTONIUM
BOMB. THE WHOLE FOCUS OF THE SOVIET
PROGRAM WAS TO SET OFF A SOVIET ATOMIC
BLAST AT THE EARLIEST POSSIBLE TIME, WHAT
EVER THE COAST.
THIS HELPED THE SOVIET UNION BECAUSE IT WAS A
VERY IMPORTANT NUCLEAR TEST AND HELPED THE
NATIONS BOMBING PROGRESSION.

The hydrogen bomb was the first thermonuclear

weapon tested in the world. The US claimed it
was over 1000 times more powerful than any
nuclear weapon.
This did not help the USSR in any way because
their enemy, the US, had a powerful more
modern device for warfare.

 THE WARSAW PACT IS A DEFENSE ORGANIZATION THAT

PUT THE SOVIETS IN COMMAND OF THE ARMED FORCES
OF THE MEMBER STATES. THE TREATY WAS NAMED IN
WARSAW AND INCLUDED THE SOVIET UNION, ALBANIA,
POLAND, ROMANIA, HUNGARY, EAST GERMANY, ECT.
THE SOVIET UNION AND SEVEN OF ITS EUROPEAN
SATELLITES SIGN A TREATY ESTABLISHING THE
WARSAW PACT WHICH HELPED THE SOVIET UNION.

 THE SOVIET UNION LAUNCHED THEIR FIRST EARTH

ORBITING SATELLITE TO SUPPORT THE SCIENTIFIC
RESEARCH UNDERTAKEN BY SEVERAL NATIONS
DURING THE 1957-1958 INTERNATIONAL
GEOPHYSICAL FIELD.
THIS WAS A HUGE ACCOMPLISHMENT FOR THE
SOVIET UNION BECAUSE THEY WERE IN CONTROL OF
THE LAUNCHING OF SPUTNIK.

 ON NOVEMBER 3RD 1957 LAIKA, A DOG BECAME THE FIRST LIVING ORGANISM TO
ENTER ORBIT. HOWEVER, SINCE THE SOVIETS DID NOT CREATE A RE-ENTRY PLAN,
LAIKA DIED IN SPACE.
THIS WAS BAD FOR THE SOVIET UNION BECAUSE SINCE LAIKA DIED IN SPACE IT
STIRRED UP A LOT OF DEBATES ABOUT ANIMAL RIGHTS.

This event occurred on April 26th in

1986 which was a catastrophic
incident at the Chernobyl Nuclear
Power Plant in the Ukraine, which
was under direct control of the
Soviet Union at the time.
This did not help the USSR because
it showed that they could not
handle there nuclear devices.
When having nuclear devices,
control is the most important
aspect to have while testing.

 ON AUGUST 13TH, 1961 THE COMMUNIST GOVERNMENT OF THE GERMAN

DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC BEGAN TO BUILD A BARBERED WIRE AND CONCRETE WALL.
THE PURPOSE OF THE WALL WAS TO KEEP WESTERN FASCIST FROM ENTERING
EAST GERMANY.
THE SOVIET UNION PUT THE BERLIN WALL UP TO KEEP THEIR PEOPLE FROM BEING
ABLE TO LEAVE, THIS WAS GOOD FOR THEM BECAUSE THE SOVIETS HAD POWER
OVER THEIR PEOPLE.

 ON AUGUST 20TH 1968 THE SOVIET UNION LEAD WARSAW PACT TROOPS IN AN
INVASION OF CZECHOSLOVAKIA TO CRACK DOWN ON THE REFORMIST TRENDS IN
PRAGUE. THIS CAUSES CONSEQUENCES FOR THE UNITY OF COMMUNIST BLOC.
THE SOVIET UNION SUCCESSFULLY HALTED THE PACE OF REFORM IN
CZECHOSLOVAKIA, AND OBTAINED THEIR GOAL. WHICH HELPED THEM, HOWEVER
THEIR WERE CONSEQUENCES. AFTER MUCH ACTION AND DEBATE THE COMMUNIST
PARTY LEADERSHIP IN MOSCOW DECIDED TO INTERVENE AND ESTABLISH A MORE
CONSERVATIVE AND PRO-SOVIET GOVERNMENT IN PARAGUE.

 SALT 1 WAS THE FIRST SERIES OF TRAGIC ARMS LIMITATION TALKS FROM
NOVEMBER OF 1969 UNTIL MAY OF 1972. DURING THAT PERIOD OF TIME THE US AND
SOVIET UNION ESTABLISHED THE FIRST AGREEMENTS TO PLACE LIMITS ON SOME
OF THEIR MOST IMPORTANT ARRANGEMENTS.
THIS HELPED THE SOVIET UNION BECAUSE THEY WERE ABLE TO COME TO
AGREEMENTS WITH THE US AND MADE THINGS BETWEEN THE TWO RUN MORE
SMOOTHLY, SO THAT LESS CONFLICT ARISES.

 SALT II WAS THE PRIMARY GOAL TO REPLACE THE

INTERIM AGREEMENT WITH A LONG TERM
COMPREHENSIVE TREATY PROVIDING BROAD LIMITS
ON TRAGIC OFFENSIVE WEAPON SYSTEMS.
THE SOVIET PROPOSAL TO INCLUDE THE UNITED
STATES FORWARD BASED SYSTEMS ON THE
AGREEMENT AND DISAGREEMENTS ON SPECIFIC
WEAPONS. THIS HELPED THE SOVIET UNION BECAUSE
THEY CAME TO SOME NEUTRAL GROUNDS WITH THE
US.

 AT THE END OF DECMBER IN 1969 THE SOVIET UNION SENT THOUSANDS OF

TROOPS INTO AFGANISTAN AND ASSUMED COMPLETE MILITARY AND POLITICAL
CONTROL ON LARGE PARTS OF THE COUNTY.
THIS HELPED THE SOVIET UNION BECAUSE IT CAUSED THEM TO HAVE MORE
POWER AND CONTROL LIKE THEY HAVE ALWAYS STRIVED FOR.

 MIKHAIL GORBACHEV WAS THE LAST GENERAL SECRETARY OF THE

SOVIET UNION. HE BROUGHT MASSIVE SOCIAL, ECONOMIC, AND
POLITICAL CHANGES. GORBACHEV ALSO HELPED BRING AN END
TO THE SOVIET UNION AND COLD WAR.
GORBACHEV BEING IN POWER DID A LOT OF GREAT THINGS LIKE
IMPROVE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL POWER, WITH ALSO BRINGING
AN END TO MAJOR WARS. HOWEVER, WHEN HE RESIGNED FROM
POWER HE WAS THE LAST LEADER OF THE SOVIET UNION WHICH
CAUSED THINGS TO FALL IN THE SOVIET UNION.

 GORBACHEV INTRODUCED THE IDEA OF

PERESTROIKA, OR ECONOMIC RECONSTRUCTION.
IN 1986 HE MADE CHANGES TO REVIVE THE SOVIET
ECONOMY. HIS GOAL OF THIS WAS NOT TO THROW
OUT COMMUNISM BUT TO MAKE THE ECONOMIC
SYSTEM MORE PRODUCTIVE.
THIS HELPED THE SOVIET UNION BECAUSE IT
CAUSES MANY CHANGES FOR THE BETTER. FOR
EXAMPLE, THIS CAUSED LOCAL MANAGERS TO
GAIN GREATER AUTHORITY OVER THEIR FARMS
AND FACTORIES, PEOPLE WERE ALSO ALLOWED TO
OPEN THEIR OWN PRIVATE BUSINESSES.

 GORBACHEV REALIZED THAT ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL

REFORMS COULD NOT OCCUR WITH OUT A FREE FLOW OF
IDEAS AND INFORMATION. THIS CAUSED HIM TO ANNOUNCE
THE GLASNOST POLICY. THIS BROUGHT INCREDIBLE
CHANGES IN GOVERNMENT, WHICH ALLOWED CHURCHES
TO OPEN AND MANY OTHER THINGS!
THIS HELPED THE SOVIET UNION BECAUSE IT CAUSED A
NEW WAY OF DOING THINGS IN THE SOVIET ECONOMY AND
EVEN THE SOVIET SOCIETY ALL TOGETHER.

 GORBACHEV KNEW THAT FOR THE ECONOMY TO IMPROVE,

THE COMMUNIST PARTY WOULD HAVE TO BE MORE LENIENT
WITH THE SOVIET SOCIETY AND POLITICS. IN 1987 HE
REVEALED HIS NEW POLICY CALLED DEMOCRATIZATION.
THIS PLAN CALLED FOR THE ELECTION OF THE NEW
LEGISLATIVE BODY.
THE SOVIET UNION WAS NOT HAPPY ABOUT THIS BECAUSE
IN THE PAST VOTERS HAD MERELY APPROVED CANDIDATES
WHO WERE HANDPICKED BY THE COMMUNIST PARTY,
BECAUSE THEY WERE IN CONTROL. NOW VOTERS WOULD
CHOOSE FROM A LIST OF CANDIDATES FOR EACH OFFICE
AND THEY WERE NOT HAPPY ABOUT IT.

 TENS OF THOUSANDS OF LITHUANIA'S AND LATVIA'S FORMED HUMAN CHAINS

ALONG THE BALTIC SEACOAST SATURDAY IN ANTI-POLLUTION PROTESTS
DEMONSTRATING ENVIRONMENT AWARENESS IN THE SOVIET UNION.
THE SOVIET ATTACKED UNARMED CIVILIANS IN LITHUANIAS CAPITAL, THE ARMY
KILLED 14 AND WOUNDED 100. ALTHOUGH GORBACHEV WAS RELUCTANT TO USE
STRONGER MEASURES HE FEARED THAT LITHUANIAS EXAMPLE MIGHT
ENCOURAGE OTHER REPUBLICS TO SECEDE.

 THE FALL OF THE BERLIN WALL TOOK UP TO THREE

CENTURIES TO BE COMPLETELY TOWARD DOWN. THIS TOOK
SO LONG BECAUSE SEVERAL TIMES PEOPLE TRIED TO RISE
ABOVE THE COMMUNIST PARTY AND FAILED. ON NOVEMBER
1989 THE SPOKESMAN FOR EAST BERLINS COMMUNIST PARTY
ANNOUNCED THAT A CHANGE IN HIS CITY'S RELATIONS WITH
THE WEST, AND PEOPLE WERE ALLOWED TO CROSS THE
COUNTRIES BOARDERS.
THE SOVIET UNION WAS VERY ANGRY BECAUSE THEY DID NOT
HAVE CONTROL OVER THEIR PEOPLES LOCATION ANYMORE,
HOWEVER THE RELATIONSHIP DID CHANGE. THE PEOPLE
WERE SO OVERJOYED THAT THEY WERE ABLE TO CROSS THE
BORDER.

IN DECEMBER 1989 GORBACHEV ANNOUNCED IN A SPEECH TO THE UNITED NATIONS

GENERAL ASSEMBLY THAT HIS INTENTIONS WERE TO PULL SOVIET TANKS AND TROOPS
OUT OF EAST GERMANY, HUNGARY, AND CZECHOSLOVAKIA BY 1991.
THE SOVIET UNION WAS EFFECTED BY THIS BECAUSE IT WAS A GREAT
ACCOMPLISHMENT OF GORBACHEV, FOR HUNGARIANS THIS WAS ENCOURAGING
NEWS. DUE TO THIS THE HUNGARIANS DEMONSTRATED FOR THE FREEDOM TO CREATE
POLITICAL PARTIES, INDEPENDENT OF HUNGARYS COMMUNIST PARTY.

GORBACHEV, THE SOVIET LEADER FOR ALMOST SEVEN

YEARS RESIGNED FROM POWER. HE ANNOUNCED HIS
RESIGNATION ON T.V BY A TEN MINUTE SPEECH. HE
RESIGNED ON A MATTER OF PRINCIPLE.
THIS HURT THE SOVIET UNION BECAUSE IT CAUSED THE
ECONOMY TO GO DOWN BY A A LOT AND CAUSED A
LOT OF PROBLEMS AND DIFFICULTIES, HIS
RESIGNATION WAS A BIG PART OF THE COLLAPSE OF
THE SOVIET UNION.

ON JUNE 13TH, 1991 MILLIONS OF RUSSIANS WENT TO POLLS FOR THE FIRST TIME IN AN
OPEN ELECTION TO CHOOSE A PRESIDENT. THE WINNER WAS 60 YEAR OLD BORIS
YELTSIN.
BORIS YELTSIN BECOMING PRESIDENT HELPED THE SOVIET UNION AFTER GORBACHEV
LET THE SOVIET UNION DOWN. HE WAS SO GREAT IN CERTAIN WAYS, THAT HE WAS
REELECTED IN THE YEAR OF 1991.

THE SOVIET UNION HAD FALLEN, LARGELY DUE TO A GREAT NUMBER OF

RADICAL REFORMS THAT THE SOVIET PRESIDENT MIKHAIL GORBACHEV HAD
IMPLEMENTED DURING HIS SIX YEARS AS THE LEADER IN THE U.S.S.R.
HOWEVER, GORBACHEV WAS DISAPPOINTED WITH THE DISSOLUTION OF HIS
JOB AND RESIGNED DUE TO THAT. GORBACHEV RESIGNED IN A PEACEFUL
WELL MANNERED WAY, AND HE SHOULD BE PROUD OF THE WORK THAT HE
DID ACCOMPLISH. I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT THE SOVIET UNION COULD HAVE
SURVIVED I THINK THIS BECAUSE THERE WAS TOO MUCH TRAGEDY AND TOO
MANY CONSTANT ARISING CONFLICTS. ALSO, NO MATTER WHAT WAS DONE,
NO MATTER WHAT WAR WAS FOUGHT AND WHO WON NOTHING SEEMED TO
BE COMING TO AN END.

"Soviet Union Timeline." Real USSR. N.p., n.d. Web. 13

Nov. 2014.
"Events Timeline." Russian-civil-war -. N.p., n.d. Web. 14
Nov. 2014.
"The Cold War Museum." Cold War Museum. N.p., n.d.
Web. 11 Nov. 2014.
Bio.com. A&E Networks Television, n.d. Web. 14 Nov.
2014.