Timeline: Joseph Stalin and the Soviet Union

The birth of Joseph Stalin in Gori, Georgia.

Stalin is expelled from the Tiflis Theological Seminary for showing disrespect for those in authority.

Stalin, a member of the Social Democratic Labour Party, is arrested after coordinating a strike and is sent to Kutaisi Prison.

Lenin establishes the Bolshevik faction at the SDLP conference in London.

Stalin writes to Lenin explaining his efforts in recruiting revolutionaries to the Bolshevik cause in the Caucasus region.

Stalin goes to Finland to meet Lenin for the first time.

Stalin arrested and deported north-east of Siberia.

Stalin and Lev Kamenev arrive back in St. Petersburg.

A Provisional Government, headed by Prince Georgi Lvov, is formed.

Lenin returns to Russia and announces the April Theses.

Alexander Kerensky, the Minister of War, announces a new war offensive.

Kerensky replaces Prince George Lvov as prime minister.

Kerensky orders the arrest of Bolshevik leaders.

General Lavr Kornilov demands the resignation of Provisional Government and as a result he is recalled to Petrograd.

Alexander Kerensky attempts to recover his left-wing support by forming a new coalition that included more Mensheviks and Socialist Revolutionaries.

Kerensky orders the arrest of the Bolshevik leaders based in the Smolny Institute.

Lenin gives orders for the Bolsheviks to occupy the railway stations, the telephone exchange and the State Bank.

Alexander Kerensky escapes from Petrograd.

The Aurora and the Peter and Paul Fortress open fire on the Winter Palace.

The All-Russian Congress of Soviets hand over power to the Soviet Council of People's Commissars. Lenin is elected chairman and Stalin becomes Commissar of Nationalities.

Stalin makes speech where he claims the Soviet government would grant: "complete freedom for the Finnish people, and for other peoples of Russia, to arrange their own life!"

Elections for the Constituent Assembly begin. A total of 703 candidates were elected. This included Socialist Revolutionaries (299), Bolsheviks (168), Mensheviks (18) and Constitutional Democratic Party (17).

Victor Chernov, the leader of the largest party in the Constituent Assembly, the Socialist Revolutionaries, is elected President.

Lenin closes down the Constituent Assembly.

Moisei Uritsky, chief of the Petrograd Secret Police is assassinated. Stalin calls

Dora Kaplan shoots and severely wounded Lenin. In response Stalin sends a telegram advocating an "open and systematic mass terror" against those responsible.

The Bolshevik newspaper, Krasnaya Gazeta, announces the beginning of the Red Terror.

Lenin announces details of his New Economic Policy (NEP), a policy supported bt Joseph Stalin.

Stalin is appointed General Secretary of the General Secretary of the Central Committee.

Lenin writes a memorandum: "Stalin is too rude, and this fault... becomes unbearable in the office of General Secretary. Therefore, I propose to the comrades to find a way to remove Stalin from that position and appoint to it another man." Three days later Lenin has a stroke and is no longer able to speak or write.

The death of Lenin.

Nadezhda Krupskaya, demands for the publication of Lenin's memorandum on Stalin is rejected.

Stalin arranges for Leon Trotsky to be removed from the government.

Stalin removes Lev Kamenev and replaces him with Sergy Kirov.

Leon Trotsky, Gregory Zinoviev and Lev Kamenev sign a statement admitting to offences against the party.

Trotsky is deported to Alma Ata.

Stalin selects Eugene Lyons, to be the first western journalist to be granted an interview.

Malcolm Muggeridge, becomes the first journalist to report the existence of widespread famine in the Soviet Union.