• Took Russia out of WW1 “and Europe” to create communist state
• Impact was as large as French Revolution in terms of consequences
• New communist ideology was anticapitalist and atheistic
  • Western governments feared and distrusted it
  • US refused to recognize new Russian government until 1933
• Politically, Russia in 1900 had similarities to France in 1780
• Tsar Alexander II (1855-1881) launched liberalizing reforms
  • Most importantly, emancipated serfs in 1861
  • Caused widespread social and economic changes in Russia
• Certain groups believed future was more tied with West or East