The Provisional Government, which took power after the February Revolution, made the crucial mistake of continuing Russia's involvement in World War I.

This decision was deeply unpopular and failed to address the people's key demands for 'Peace, Land, and Bread.'

The Bolsheviks, a radical Marxist party led by Vladimir Lenin, gained increasing support by promising to meet these demands.

Lenin returned to Russia from exile in April 1917 and called for 'All power to the soviets!'

On October 25, 1917 (by the old Russian calendar), the Bolsheviks staged a well-organized coup d'état in Petrograd.

The Bolshevik Red Guards seized key government buildings and stormed the Winter Palace, the headquarters of the Provisional Government.

The coup was relatively bloodless in Petrograd, as the Provisional Government had very little military support left.

The Bolsheviks immediately declared that power had been transferred to the soviets and formed a new government.

Lenin's first acts were to issue decrees on peace (calling for an immediate end to the war) and on land (abolishing private land ownership).

The October Revolution marked the beginning of the world's first communist state.