Observance Daily What day is today, and why are we celebrating it?
On November 6, 1917, the Bolsheviks launched their nearly bloodless coup against Russia’s Provisional Government, beginning the October Revolution. The Bolshevik Revolution began in Petrograd with remarkable speed — and it would reshape the politics of the twentieth century.
The revolution of 1917 is one of the great turning points of modern history. From it came the Soviet Union, the withdrawal of Russia from the First World War, and a political order that would shape global affairs for the rest of the century.
What happened on November 6, 1917
Led by Bolshevik Party leader Vladimir Lenin, leftist revolutionaries launched a nearly bloodless coup d’état against Russia’s ineffectual Provisional Government. The takeover began the October Revolution — so called because, in the old Russian calendar still in use at the time, the events fell on October 24–25.
The Provisional Government, which had taken power after the fall of the Tsar earlier that year, was struggling. Russia was exhausted by the First World War, the economy was collapsing, and authority was slipping away. The Bolsheviks moved decisively into that vacuum.
Why the coup succeeded
The Bolshevik Revolution succeeded because the moment was ripe. The Provisional Government was widely seen as ineffectual, unable to end the war or restore order. The Bolsheviks offered clear, simple promises — peace, land, and bread — and they acted with organisation and determination.
The nearly bloodless nature of the initial coup should not obscure its consequences. What began in Petrograd in November 1917 set in motion a transformation of Russia — and of the world — whose effects would last for generations.
What the revolution changed
The Bolshevik Revolution brought the Bolsheviks to power and took Russia out of the First World War. It led to the creation of the Soviet Union, the first communist state — and it reshaped twentieth-century politics, setting the terms of the ideological struggle that would dominate the decades that followed.
The revolution’s effects reached far beyond Russia’s borders. It inspired revolutionary movements around the world, alarmed governments everywhere, and became one of the defining events of the modern era.
How to mark this day in history
Learn about 1917. Russia experienced two revolutions in 1917 — the fall of the Tsar in the spring and the Bolshevik Revolution in the autumn. Understanding both is key to understanding the year that changed the world.
Read about the October Revolution’s calendar quirk. The revolution is dated October 24–25 in the old Russian calendar but November 6–7 in the modern calendar — a good reminder of how history’s dates depend on the calendar used.
Reflect on how moments change history. A nearly bloodless coup in Petrograd led to the Soviet Union and reshaped a century. This anniversary is a day to consider how quickly — and how consequentially — political order can change.
Key facts about the Bolshevik Revolution
On November 6, 1917, the Bolsheviks, led by Vladimir Lenin, launched a nearly bloodless coup against Russia’s Provisional Government, beginning the October Revolution (dated October 24–25 in the old Russian calendar). The revolution brought the Bolsheviks to power, took Russia out of the First World War, and led to the creation of the Soviet Union, reshaping twentieth-century politics.
Frequently asked questions
Why is it called the October Revolution if it began in November? Russia was still using the old Julian calendar in 1917. The events fell on October 24–25 in that calendar, which corresponds to November 6–7 in the modern Gregorian calendar.
Who led the Bolsheviks? The Bolshevik Party was led by Vladimir Lenin, who had returned to Russia earlier in 1917 and pushed for the seizure of power.
What government did the Bolsheviks overthrow? They overthrew Russia’s Provisional Government, which had been in place since the fall of the Tsar earlier in 1917 and was widely regarded as ineffectual.
What were the revolution’s main consequences? The Bolsheviks took power, Russia left the First World War, and the Soviet Union was eventually created — reshaping the politics of the twentieth century.
Why the Bolshevik Revolution matters
November 6, 1917, is one of those dates that divides history into a before and an after. Before it, Russia was an empire in crisis; after it, the Bolsheviks were building the world’s first communist state, and the twentieth century’s great ideological struggles were taking shape.
However one judges the revolution’s legacy, its scale is undeniable. A nearly bloodless coup in Petrograd set in motion events that would shape the lives of billions. That is why this anniversary still matters — and why it is still studied, debated, and remembered.
See all of the day’s observances on November 6 Holidays, Observances and History.