The establishment of the Soviet Union in 1922 primarily stemmed from the aftermath of the Russian Revolution of 1917 and the subsequent civil war. The Bolsheviks, led by Vladimir Lenin, sought to create a communist state based on Marxist principles. Following the revolution's success, the Bolsheviks faced opposition from various factions, leading to the civil war that solidified their control. By uniting several former territories of the Russian Empire into a single federation, the USSR aimed to promote socialist governance and manifest Marxist-Leninist ideology across the newly formed state.