"The Imperial German Government have used every effort since the beginning of the crisis to bring about a peaceful settlement. In compliance with a wish expressed to him by His Majesty the Emperor of Russia, the German Emperor had undertaken, in concert with Great Britain, the part of mediator between the Cabinets of Vienna and St. Petersburg; but Russia, without waiting for any result, proceeded to a general mobilisation of her forces both on land and sea. In consequence of this threatening step, which was not justified by any military proceedings on the part of Germany, the German Empire was faced by a grave and imminent danger. If the German Government had failed to guard against this peril, they would have compromised the safety and the very existence of Germany. The German Government were, therefore, obliged to make representations to the Government of His Majesty the Emperor of All the Russias and to insist upon a cessation of the aforesaid military acts. Russia having refused to comply with [not having considered it necessary to answer]* this demand, and having shown by this refusal [this attitude]* that her action was directed against Germany, I have the honour, on the instructions of my Government, to inform your Excellency as follows: His Majesty the Emperor, my august Sovereign, in the name of the German Empire, accepts the challenge, and considers himself at war with Russia." -German declaration of war against Russia, 1914
When Germany declared war on Russia, Russia in turn declared war on many other countries.
"Embroiling most of the nations of Europe along with Russia, the United States, the Middle East and other regions, World War One pitted the Central Powers--mainly Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Turkey--against the Allies--mainly France, Great Britain, Russia, Italy, Japan, and, from 1917, the United States. It ended with the defeat of the Central Powers. The war was virtually unprecedented in the slaughter, carnage and destruction it caused." -Otto Dix from Tragic War and Futile Peace: World War 1, 2001 Right: Map of Russia and the Allied Forces' position around the Central Powers in WW1 Source: 20th Century Maps |
During the chaos of WW1, Vladimir Ilyich Lenin fomented revolution in Russia and created the Soviet Union. During WW2, the Soviet Union lost more than twenty-six million people, more than any other country. The cold war dominated the international political stage for half a century, until the Communist Russian government collapsed in 1991.
"On Christmas Day 1991, the Soviet flag flew over the Kremlin in Moscow for the last time. A few days earlier, representatives from 11 Soviet republics (Ukraine, the Russian Federation, Belarus, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan) met in the Kazakh city of Alma-Ata and announced that they would no longer be part of the Soviet Union. Instead, they declared they would establish a Commonwealth of Independent States." -History.com, 2014 Left: A Soviet flag being burned at the fall of the Soviet Union Source: Image Juicy |