The Congress of Soviets was convened following the end of the main hostilities of the Russian Civil War, when the overwhelming number of White Army forces were defeated. As a result, there was a need to unite the autonomous Bolshevik forces within a single state and government, for which it was decided to convene the All-Union Congress of Soviets, where representatives from all the Soviets of Workers' and Soldiers' Deputies could sign an agreement on the formation of the USSR.