Years of the existence of the USSR - 1922-1991. However, the history of the world's largest state began with the February Revolution, or more precisely, with the crisis of Tsarist Russia. From the beginning of the 20th century, opposition sentiments roamed the country, which now and then resulted in bloodshed.
The words spoken by Pushkin in the thirties of the XIX century were applicable in the past, do not lose their relevance today. Russian rebellion is always merciless. Especially when it leads to the overthrow of the old regime. Let's remember the most important and tragic events that took place during the years of the existence of the USSR.
Backstory
In 1916, the royal family was discredited by scandals around an odious personality, the secret of which has not been fully solved to date. We are talking about Grigory Rasputin. Nicholas II made several mistakes, the first in the year of his coronation. But we will not talk about this today, but recall the events that preceded the creation of the Soviet state.
So, World War Ithe war is in full swing. Rumors are circulating in Petersburg. Rumor has it that the empress divorces her husband, goes to a monastery, and from time to time is engaged in espionage. Formed opposition to the Russian Tsar. Its participants, among whom were the closest relatives of the king, demanded the removal of Rasputin from government.
While the princes were arguing with the king, a revolution was being prepared that was supposed to change the course of world history. Armed rallies continued for several days in February. They ended with a coup d'état. The Provisional Government was formed and did not last long.
Then there was the October Revolution, the Civil War. Historians divide the years of the existence of the USSR into several periods. During the first, which lasted until 1953, a former revolutionary was in power, known in narrow circles under the nickname Koba.
Stalin years (1922-1941)
By the end of 1922, six politicians were in power: Stalin, Trotsky, Zinoviev, Rykov, Kamenev, Tomsky. But one person should govern the state. A struggle has begun between the former revolutionaries.
Neither Kamenev, nor Zinoviev, nor Tomsky felt sympathy for Trotsky. Stalin especially did not like the people's commissar for military affairs. Dzhugashvili had a negative attitude towards him since the time of the Civil War. They say that he did not like the education, erudition of Leon Trotsky, who used to read French classics in the original at political meetings. But, of course, that's not the point. In the political struggle there is no place for mere human sympathies anddislikes. The clash between the revolutionaries ended in Stalin's victory. In subsequent years, he methodically eliminated his other associates.
The Stalin years were marked by repressions. First there was forced collectivization, then arrests. How many people in this terrible time turned into camp dust, how many were shot? Hundreds of thousands of people. Stalin's repression peaked in 1937-1938.
The Great Patriotic War
During the years of the existence of the USSR there were many tragic events. In 1941, the war began, which claimed about 25 million lives. These losses are incomparable. Before Yuri Levitan announced on the radio about the attack of the German armed forces on the Soviet Union, no one believed that there was a ruler in the world who would not be afraid to direct his aggression towards the USSR.
WWII historians divide into three periods. The first begins on June 22, 1941 and ends with the battle for Moscow, in which the Germans were defeated. The second one ends with the Battle of Stalingrad. The third period is the expulsion of enemy troops from the USSR, the liberation from the occupation of European countries and the surrender of Germany.
Stalinism (1945-1953)
The Soviet Union was not ready for war. When it started, it turned out that many military leaders were shot, and those who were alive were far away, in camps. They were immediately released, brought back to normal and sent to the front. The war is over. Several years passed, and a new wave of repression began, now amongsenior officers.
Arrested were major military leaders close to Marshal Zhukov. Among them are Lieutenant General Telegin and Air Marshal Novikov. Zhukov himself was slightly harassed, but not particularly touched. His authority was too great. For the victims of the last wave of repressions, for those who survived in the camps, March 5, 1953 was the happiest day. The “leader” died, and with him the camp for political prisoners went down in history.
Thaw
In 1956, Khrushchev debunked Stalin's personality cult. He was supported at the top of the party. After all, over the years, even the most prominent political figure could at any moment find himself in disgrace, which means being shot or sent to a camp. During the existence of the USSR, the years of the thaw were marked by the softening of the totalitarian regime. People went to bed and were not afraid that in the middle of the night they would be picked up by state security officers and taken to Lubyanka, where they would have to confess to espionage, an attempt to assassinate Stalin, and other fictitious crimes. But denunciations and provocations still took place.
During the years of the thaw, the word "chekist" had a pronounced negative connotation. In fact, distrust of the special services originated much earlier, back in the thirties. But the term "chekist" lost official approval after the report made by Khrushchev in 1956.
Age of Stagnation
The period of stagnation is not a historical term, but a propaganda and literary cliché. Appeared after Gorbachev's speech, in which he notedthe emergence of stagnation in the economy and social life. The era of stagnation conditionally begins with the coming to power of Brezhnev and ends with the beginning of perestroika. One of the main problems of this period was the growing shortage of goods. In the world of culture, censorship rules. During the years of stagnation, the first terrorist acts took place in the USSR. During this period, there are several high-profile cases of hijacking passenger aircraft.
Afghan war
In 1979, a war broke out that lasted ten years. Over the years, more than thirteen thousand Soviet soldiers died. But these data were made public only in 1989. The biggest losses came in 1984. Soviet dissidents actively opposed the Afghan war. Andrei Sakharov was sent into exile for his pacifist speeches. The burial of zinc coffins was a secret matter. At least until 1987. On the grave of a soldier it was impossible to indicate that he died in Afghanistan. The official date for the end of the war is February 15, 1989.
The last years of the USSR (1985-1991)
This period in the history of the Soviet Union is called perestroika. The last years of the existence of the USSR (1985-1991) can be briefly described as follows: a sharp change in ideology, political and economic life.
In May 1985, Mikhail Gorbachev, who by that time had held the post of General Secretary of the Central Committee of the CPSU for just over two months, uttered a significant phrase: "To all of us,Comrades, it's time to rebuild." Hence the term. The media actively started talking about perestroika, a dangerous desire for change arose in the minds of ordinary citizens. Historians divide the last years of the existence of the USSR into four stages:
- 1985-1987. The beginning of the reform of the economic system.
- 1987-1989. An attempt to rebuild the system in the spirit of socialism.
- 1989-1991. Destabilization of the situation in the country.
- September-December 1991. The end of perestroika, the collapse of the USSR.
The list of events that took place from 1989 to 1991 will chronicle the collapse of the USSR.
Acceleration of socio-economic development
On the need to reform the system, Gorbachev said at the plenum of the Central Committee of the CPSU in April 1985. This meant the active use of the achievements of scientific and technological progress, a change in the planning procedure. Democratization, glasnost and the socialist market have not yet been discussed. Although today the term "perestroika" is associated with freedom of speech, which was first discussed several years before the end of the USSR.
The years of Gorbachev's rule, especially at the first stage, were marked by the hopes of Soviet citizens for change, for long-awaited changes for the better. Gradually, however, the inhabitants of a vast country began to become disillusioned with the politician, who was destined to become the last general secretary. The anti-alcohol campaign drew particular criticism.
Prohibition
History shows that attempts to wean the citizens of our country from drinking alcohol do not bear any fruit. The first anti-alcohol campaign was carried out by the Bolsheviks back in 1917. The second attempt was made eight years later. They tried to fight against drunkenness and alcoholism in the early seventies, and in a very peculiar way: they banned the production of alcoholic beverages, but expanded the production of wines.
The alcohol campaign of the eighties was called "Gorbachev's", although the initiators were Ligachev and Solomentsev. This time, the authorities tackled the issue of drunkenness more radically. The production of alcoholic beverages was significantly reduced, a huge number of shops were closed, the prices for vodka were raised more than once. But Soviet citizens did not give up so easily. Some purchased alcohol at an inflated price. Others were engaged in the preparation of drinks according to dubious recipes (V. Erofeev spoke about such a method of combating dry law in his book “Moscow - Petushki”), and still others used the simplest method, that is, they drank cologne, which could be purchased at any department store.
Gorbachev's popularity, meanwhile, was declining. Not only due to the prohibition of alcoholic beverages. He was verbose, while his speeches were of little substance. At every official meeting he appeared with his wife, who caused particular irritation among the Soviet people. Finally, perestroika did not bring long-awaited changes to the lives of Soviet citizens.
Democratic socialism
By the end of 1986, Gorbachev and his aides realized that the situation in the country could not be changed so easily. And they decided to reform the system in a different direction, namely in the spirit of democratic socialism. This decision was facilitated by a blow to the economy caused by many factors, including the accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant. Meanwhile, in some regions of the Soviet Union, separatist sentiments began to appear, interethnic clashes broke out.
Destabilization in the country
In what year did the USSR end its existence? In 1991 At the final stage of "perestroika" there was a sharp destabilization of the situation. Economic difficulties have developed into a large-scale crisis. There was a catastrophic collapse in the living standards of Soviet citizens. They learned about unemployment. The shelves in the stores were empty, if something suddenly appeared on them, endless lines instantly formed. Irritation and dissatisfaction with the government grew among the masses.
The collapse of the USSR
In what year the Soviet Union ceased to exist, we figured it out. The official date is December 26, 1991. On this day, Mikhail Gorbachev announced that he would cease his activities as president. With the collapse of the huge state, 15 former republics of the USSR gained independence. There are a lot of reasons that led to the collapse of the Soviet Union. This is the economic crisis, and the degradation of the ruling elites, and national conflicts, and even the anti-alcohol campaign.
Summarize. Above are the main events that took place during the existence of the USSR. From what year to what year did this state attendworld map? From 1922 to 1991. The collapse of the USSR was perceived by the population in different ways. Someone rejoiced at the abolition of censorship, the opportunity to engage in entrepreneurial activities. The events that took place in 1991 shocked someone. After all, it was a tragic collapse of the ideals on which more than one generation grew up.
