The October Revolution was a political uprising and insurrection that was part of the Russian Revolution of 1917. It took place with an armed insurrection and helped establish the Soviet Union after the Russian Civil War. Much of the unrest was caused due to a nationwide crisis that had developed affecting social, economic, and political relations within Russia.
On this day October 25th, in 1917, Vladimir Ilyich Lenin and his Bolshevik army seize power in Russia after the Tsar’s fall and overthrew the Russian Provisional Government. The previous day the Bolshevik Red Guards began their takeover on all government buildings. On the 25th they captured the Winter Palace, the seat of power in Russia.
Before the revolution occurred the Russians were practically desperate. Disorder slowed down all aspects of transport and industry, making even basic provisions hard to get. Gross industrial production had decreased over 36% from 1916 to 1917 leaving as much as 50% of enterprises out of business and mass unemployment.