The Rise and Fall of the Soviet Union is perhaps one of the most groundbreaking events in modern history. It is a story and a topic that requires constant analysis and discussion. This lesson will be the first of many that discusses the Soviet Union as a whole, effectively in a nutshell. It will give an overview of the main features of the Soviet Union. It will discuss its divergence from the west and will situate the events occuring in the USSR in a global context. This will be the first of many lessons that I wish to give regarding the Soviet Union.