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Trotsky: Eternal Revolutionary Media and Communications 49

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Trotsky: Eternal Revolutionary (Media and Communications; 49)

by Fred H. Salter

4.2 out of 5

Language	:	English
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Leon Trotsky was a Russian revolutionary, politician, and military leader. He was a prominent figure in the October Revolution of 1917 and served as the first People's Commissar for Foreign Affairs of the Soviet Union. Trotsky was a brilliant orator and writer, and his works on Marxism and the Russian Revolution remain influential to this day.

Early Life and Career

Leon Trotsky was born Lev Davidovich Bronstein on November 7, 1879, in the village of Yanovka, Ukraine. His father was a wealthy farmer and his mother was a devout Jewish woman. Trotsky was a gifted student and attended the University of Odessa, where he studied law. However, he was soon drawn to revolutionary politics and was expelled from the university for his activities. In 1898, he joined the Russian Social Democratic Labor Party (RSDLP).

Trotsky quickly rose through the ranks of the RSDLP and became a leading figure in the party's Bolshevik faction. In 1905, he played a key role in the failed Russian Revolution of that year. After the revolution's defeat, Trotsky was arrested and exiled to Siberia. He escaped from exile in 1907 and fled to Europe.

In Europe, Trotsky continued to be a leading figure in the Bolshevik movement. He wrote extensively on Marxism and the Russian Revolution, and he also helped to organize the Bolsheviks' international activities. In 1917, he returned to Russia to take part in the October Revolution.

The October Revolution and the Soviet Union

The October Revolution was a success, and the Bolsheviks seized power in Russia. Trotsky played a leading role in the new Soviet government, serving as the first People's Commissar for Foreign Affairs. In this role, he was responsible for negotiating the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk, which ended Russia's involvement in World War I.

Trotsky also played a key role in the Red Army's victory in the Russian Civil War. He was a brilliant military strategist and organizer, and he helped to turn the Red Army into a formidable fighting force. After the Civil War, Trotsky served as the People's Commissar for War and Chairman of the Revolutionary War Council.

The Rise of Stalin

In the early 1920s, Trotsky emerged as the main rival to Joseph Stalin for leadership of the Soviet Union. Stalin was a ruthless and ambitious politician, and he was determined to eliminate Trotsky as a threat to his power. In 1924, Stalin had Trotsky removed from his post as People's Commissar for War. In 1927, he had him expelled from the Communist Party.

Trotsky refused to give up his fight for socialism. He continued to write and speak out against Stalin's dictatorship. In 1929, he was exiled to Turkey. In 1932, he was exiled again, this time to Mexico. In 1940, he was assassinated by a Stalinist agent.

Trotsky's Legacy

Trotsky was a brilliant revolutionary, politician, and military leader. He was also a prolific writer and thinker. His works on Marxism and the Russian Revolution remain influential to this day. Trotsky's legacy is complex and controversial. He was a brilliant and dedicated revolutionary, but he was also a ruthless and ambitious man. He was a major figure in the Russian Revolution and the early Soviet Union, but he was also a victim of Stalin's dictatorship.

Leon Trotsky was a complex and controversial figure. He was a brilliant and dedicated revolutionary, but he was also a ruthless and ambitious man. He was a major figure in the Russian Revolution and the early Soviet Union, but he was also a victim of Stalin's dictatorship. Trotsky's legacy is still being debated today, but there is no doubt that he was one of the most important figures in the history of the Russian Revolution.

Trotsky: Eternal Revolutionary (Media and Communications; 49)

by Fred H. Salter

4.2 out of 5