The first leader of the Soviet Union was Vladimir Lenin. After the Bolshevik Revolution in 1917, he became the head of the new Soviet state and the leader of the Communist Party. Lenin played a crucial role in establishing a socialist government and the foundational policies of the Soviet Union. His leadership focused on transitioning Russia from the turmoil of World War I to a new socialist order, which included nationalizing land and industries. Lenin's ideologies, encapsulated in Marxism-Leninism, laid the groundwork for the future direction of the Soviet Union, impacting global politics throughout the 20th century.