Who was the first leader of the Soviet Union?

The first leader of the Soviet Union was Lenin, who played a crucial role in the Russian Revolution of 1917 and the establishment of a communist government. After the success of the revolution, he became the head of the new state, known as the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic, which later became the USSR in 1922. Lenin's leadership was instrumental in shaping the early policies and direction of the Soviet Union, including efforts to consolidate power and implement socialist reforms.

Stalin, Trotsky, and Gorbachev were prominent figures in Soviet history, but they came to power after Lenin. Stalin succeeded Lenin as the leader and became the General Secretary of the Communist Party, while Trotsky was a key revolutionary leader who fell out of favor and was exiled, ultimately leading to his assassination. Gorbachev was the last leader of the Soviet Union and is known for implementing reforms in the 1980s that aimed to address the country's economic and political issues but had no role in its founding.