• 1917: October Revolution occurs in Russia, under the leadership of the Bolsheviks and Lenin.
• 1919–1921: Creation and consolidation of the Soviet Union. Poland and the Baltic states (Finland, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania) escape from Russian/Soviet control.
• 1924: Lenin dies.
• 1928: Stalin imposes the "Stalinist development model" based upon comprehensive five year plans, rapid economic growth, forced industrialization, the liquidation of the private sector, and the forced collectivization of agriculture.
• 1939: Nazi Germany and the USSR invade Poland, "starting" World War II.
• 1945: World War II ends with Soviet troops occupying Eastern and Central Europe.
• 1948–1953: Establishment of Soviet system in Eastern Europe, Warsaw Pact, CMEA.
• 1949: People's Republic established in China. Tito breaks with Stalin; Yugoslavia leaves the Soviet bloc, and begins the "Yugoslav road to socialism" based on worker and regional self-management.
• 1953–1956: Destalinization follows Stalin's death (1953); Khrushchev comes to power in the USSR in 1955.
• 1956: Anti-Soviet movements take hold in Poland and Hungary; the Hungarian revolution is suppressed by Soviet troops.
• 1957: Treaty of Rome founds the European Union (then the European Communities).
• 1958–1961: Great Leap Forward in China leads to untold numbers of starvation.
• 1960: Sino–Soviet split.
• 1961: Berlin Wall constructed.
• 1968:
- New Economic Mechanism introduced in Hungary, based on abolition of obligatory output plans for enterprises, and increased importance of financial planning.
- Warsaw Pact armies intervene in Czechoslovakia to stop the Prague Spring.
• 1974: US withdrawal from Vietnam.
• 1975: USSR and Eastern European governments sign Helsinki accords guaranteeing basic human rights to their populations.
• 1976: Mao Zedong dies following the Cultural Revolution that decimates the Chinese intelligentsia.
• 1978: More pragmatic communist leadership, led by Deng Xiaoping, assumes control in China and begin economic reforms. Chinese economy begins period of rapid growth.
• 1979–1982: Economic crisis hits Eastern Europe. Poland, Romania, and Yugoslavia reschedule foreign debts. Economic reforms introduced in Poland, and accelerated in Hungary.
• 1980: Solidarity trade union opposition movement is formed in Poland and recognized by the Polish (communist) government. Ronald Reagan elected US President.
• 1981: Martial law declared in Poland; Solidarity is driven underground.
• 1983: Polish Solidarity leader Lech Wa´sa is awarded Noble Peace Prize.
1984: Creation of Enterprise Councils in Hungary giving "self managment" rights to many enterpises.
• 1985: Mikhail Gorbachev comes to power in USSR and promises political and economic "restructuring" (perestroika).
• 1986: Nuclear disaster occurs at Chernobyl atomic power plant in Ukraine.
• 1987: Gorbachev defines perestroika as "radical political and economic reform".
• 1988: Polish government legalizes and begins to negotiate with Solidarity.
• 1989:
• 1990: East and West Germany are unified. Non-communist governments come to power in Hungary and Czechoslovakia. "Big bang" economic reform program introduced in Poland. Lech Wa´sa wins Polish presidential elections.
• 1991:
- Yeltsin elected President in Russia.
- Failure of the August putsch in Moscow leads to Gorbachev's deposal, collapse of the USSR, and creation of the CIS.
- Slovenia and Croatia declare independence;
- wars of secession begin in Yugoslavia.
- Czechoslovak economic transformation program begins.
- Poland, Czechoslovakia, and Hungary sign agreements of association with the European Community.
- EU concludes Maastricht Treaty on Economic and Monetary Union.
• 1992: Gaidar's "shock therapy" program introduced in Russia, and prices are partly liberalized throughout much of the former USSR. National currencies are introduced in Estonia and Latvia. Economic recovery begins in Poland. Warfare breaks out or intensifies in former Soviet republics of Moldova, Georgia, Tajikistan, Azerbaijan, and Armenia. Ex-communists win Lithuanian parliamentary elections and form government. Deng Xiaoping restores reform course in China.
• 1993:
• 1994: Economic recovery begins in Armenia, Croatia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Slovakia. Ex-communists win Hungarian parliamentary elections and form government. Parliamentary elections in Slovakia return Vladimir Meãiar to power. Russia "invades" Chechnya.
• 1995: Dayton peace plan ends fighting in Bosnia–Herzegovina. Economic recovery takes hold across Eastern Europe.Communists and nationalists win parliamentary elections in Russia. Former communist Aleksander KwaÊniewski defeats Lech Wa´sa in Polish presidential elections. Economic recovery begins in Georgia. Latvia, Lithuanian shaken by banking scandals.
• 1996: Yeltsin is re-elected as President of Russia. "Union" treaty signed between Russia and Belarus. Inflation rates fall dramatically in CIS economies. Economic crisis returns to Albania, Bulgaria, Romania, and rump Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro). Economic recovery begins in Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan. NATO's eastward expansion becomes contentious. Ex-communists lose Lithuanian parliamentary elections. Polish, Hungarian, Russian stock markets boom. Czech Republic shaken by financial scandals.
• 1997: Deng Xiaoping dies. China regains sovereignty over Hong Kong. Economic recovery takes hold in much of CIS, although not in Russia or Ukraine. Poland, Hungary, Czech Republic invited to join NATO; Poland, Hungary, Czech Republic, Estonia, and Slovenia invited to begin accession negotiations with the EU. Solidarity-led government returns to power in Poland.