Leon trotsky was one of the leading figures in the communist revolution in russia in 1917 which created a brutal and repressive regime. At the age of eight, bronstein is sent to school at odessa, where he shows intellectual brilliance and literary gifts. Leon trotsky leon trotsky 18791940 was a key leader of the russian revolution. Shortly following trotsky helped organize the october revolution. Second, only to lenin, trotsky was a key figure in the russian civil war and the formative years of the soviet union. On 20 august 1940, trotsky was attacked in his home in mexico with an ice axe by undercover nkvd agent ramon mercader. As snowball was busy making plans for the future, napoleon contributed only to training the new puppies in which he secretly turned them into his military forces. Trotsky becomes chairman of the military revolutionary committee of the petrograd soviet. Bookstore glossary library links news publications timeline virtual israel experience. Leon trotsky, born lev bronstein, was a marxist writer, orator and organiser became a significant leader in the bolshevik party and the soviet republic. When the leader of the soviet was arrested, trotsky.
She is currently the director of the national institute on drug abuse nida, which is part of the national institutes of health nih volkow is the first person from the nih to visit the dalai lama at his residence in dharamshala, himachal pradesh, india. Leon trotsky, a leader of the 1917 russian revolution, had been one of the possible successors to v. He was expelled from the communist party in 1927 and. Trotsky, along with vladimir lenin, gave the move for revolution both drive and organisation. A detailed biography of leon trotsky lev davidovich bronshtein that includes. Transcribed and html markup for the trotsky internet archive, a subarchive of the marxist writers internet archive, by sally ryan in 1996. Leon trotskys death on 24 may 1940, trotsky survived a raid on his home by armed stalinist assassins led by gpu agent losif grigulevich and stalinist david alfaro siqueiros, and vittorio vidale. They are still a threat to the allies though but the allies must face another threat. Trotsky was born lev davidovich bronstein on 7 november 1879 in yanovka, ukraine, then part of russia. Petersburg in 1906, shortly after the 1905 first russian workers revolution, lead in large part by trotsky himself. Trotskys leadership during the russian civil war probably saved the bolshevik revolution of november 1917. Leon trotsky was one of the most prominent leaders of the russian revolution in 1917. Trotsky s theory of permanent revolution can help us to understand the possibilities of the revolution in egypt and elsewhere. Leon trotsky s most popular book is history of the russian revolution.
But later, on august 21, as he was sitting at his desk, ramon mercader punctured trotsky s skull with a mountaineer ice pick. Its easily one of the biggest whatifs in early 20th century history, what if leon trotsky. Trotskys first charge was to implement the bolsheviks program of peace by. A study of some fundamental questions of revolution, with particular reference to georgia london. His father was a farmer of russified jewish background. Second, reznik skews the chronology of the emergence of the opposition, implicitly denying the continuity between the program of the october. Leon trotsky, a leader of the bolshevik revolution and. Leon trotsky was born lev davidovich bronshtein on 7 november 1879, in yanovka in the kherson guberniya of the russian empire todays bereslavka ukrainian. But once joseph gained enough power of the communist party, he exiled trotsky. In 1923 trotsky formed the left opposition and for the ensuing decade battled the reactionary wave of stalinism sweeping through the soviet union. What role did leon trotsky play in the russian revolution. Trotsky did not believe an economic system could exist in isolation.
It is generally agreed among students of the soviet secret services that the principal aim of the ogpu and its sequel, the nkvd, through most of the 1930s was the destruction of leon trotsky, his family, his aides, and other promoters of the fourth international. Leon trotskys essay on vladimir lenin is historically significant not because it is trustworthy in its judgments but because it is unique. Trotsky was expelled from the communist party of the soviet union in 1927 and exiled to turkey in 1929. In this collection trotsky debates stalinists, appreciates tolstoy, essenin, gorky, and jack london, and slamdunks winston churchills pretentious writings.
Lev davidovich bronstein borned in bereslavka, ukraine, in a jewish family. Leon trotsky, in a floorlength black leather jacket, paces back and forth in a carriage of his armoured train, pistol in hand. Exile wasnt enough for stalin, however, and he sent assassins to kill trotsky. Soon after taking command he issued the following order. A timeline of the life of leon trotsky, born lev davidovich bronstein, a marxist member of the communist party in russia at the time of the revolution skip to content totally timelines. Leon trotsky was joseph stalins competitor for power.
There, trotsky writes a pemanent socialist revolution, explaining that a revolution in russia would be followed by many similar revolutions, but in different countries. In vladimir lenins government in the russian revolution, leon trotsky first played the role of commissar for foreign affairs and then the leader of the red army. Leon trotsky s supporters won the 1939 election in a landslide, and he was soon restored to his position as first premier in moscow. Leon trotskys most popular book is history of the russian revolution. In his short biography of leon trotsky, paul le blanc, a longtime scholar and trotskyist activist, emphasizes the aspects of unoriginality in trotskys thought, notably, but not exclusively, his vaunted theory of permanent revolution, his analysis of stalinism, and his prescriptions for defeating hitler. Sep 02, 2010 leon trotsky s life spanned the inspiring highs and tragic lows of the international socialist movement in the 20th centurya leader of the 1917 russian revolution that gave us our first and best. Trotskys attempts to attack stalin thereafter were largely unsuccessful. Born lev davidovich bronshtein on november 7, 1879, leon trotsky s revolutionary activity as a young man spurred his first of several ordered exiles to siberia. Forced into exile in 1928, trotsky devoted the rest of his life to fighting the degeneration of the revolution and rise of a new dictatorial regime. Leon trotsky was a leader of the russian revolution in 1917 and is the author of my life. Although trotsky and his family were home, they all survived.
Leon trotsky he played a significant role in the organisation of the october revolution, led peace negotiations at brestlitovsk and as commissar for war, helped form and shape the red army. Nora volkow born 27 march 1956 is a mexicanamerican psychiatrist. It was first published by macmillan in 2009 and later republished in other languages. Trotsky and his family leave the usa by ship, but are detained by the authorities at halifax, nova scotia. Trotsky helped organize a committee of workers in st petersburg which was called the soviet. Leon trotsky was born in 1879 at ianovka in the ukraine. He developed the theory based on his experience of russias revolution in 1905. Leon trotsky s family leon trotsky s parents were jewish. In december 1936 trotsky, now 56, and natalia were put on a freighter to cross the atlantic to mexico. May 01, 2005 leon trotsky penned this engaging book to elucidate the complex way in which art informs and can alterour understanding of the world. When joseph stalin won the power struggle for soviet leadership, trotsky was exiled from the soviet union. Leon trotsky trotsky, leon, 18791940 online books about this author are available, as is a wikipedia article trotsky, leon, 18791940.
Leon trotsky, october 26, 1879 august 21, november 7, 1940 was a russian revolutionary and political theoretician. Exiled from the soviet union after losing a power struggle. Leon trotsky, communist theorist and agitator who unsuccessfully struggled. Leon davidovich trotsky november 7, 1879 august 21, 1940, born lev davidovich bronstein, was a bolshevik revolutionary and marxist theorist. Publication date 1921 topics kautsky, karl, 18541938, communism russia, revolutions publisher london, labour pub. Providing both economic statistics on the failure of the stalinist lead state but this work also shows the how stalin consolidated his factions hold of the. Leon trotsky trotsky, leon, 18791940 the online books page. It lost some less dedicated members to the harassment by the troika, but it also began formulating a program. Leon trotsky leon davidovich trotsky help info russian. Leon trotsky was a soviet revolutionary, marxist theorist and politician whose particular strain. He escaped and took with him the name of one of his prison guards, trotsky. Leon trotsky, a leader of the bolshevik revolution and early architect of the soviet state 741 words 3 pages most historians agree that throughout his political career trotsky displayed various talents and abilities. Lev davidovich trotsky was, alongside lenin, one of the two greatest marxists of the twentieth century.
A biography is a biography of the marxist theorist and revolutionary leon trotsky written by the english historian robert service, then a professor in russian history at the university of oxford. Thus, in trotskys view, the lasting success of a socialist revolution e. When stalin took this post, trotsky swiftly concluded that the revolution had been undermined. Leon trotsky was a communist with a unique worldview. During his spell in a moscow prison, in spring of 1900, leon trotsky bronshstein and a. So, yes trotsky was detained by british authorities in halifax, ns, in 1917. Leon trotsky was born on 7 november 1879 in ukraine. Leon trotsky, 1920 trotsky was a key figure in the bolshevik seizure of power in russia, second only to vladimir lenin in the early stages of soviet communist. In that lies the fundamental, and you may say the whole, difference between the russian revolution and all those preceding it.
Leon trotsky was born lev davidovich bronstein in yanovka, ukrainein the russian empireon november 7, 1879. Leon trotsky, one of the fathers of the russian revolution, second only to to lenin, was assassinated in mexico 70 years ago today august 21, 1940. May 25, 2015 leon trotsky leon trotsky was one of the foremost figures in the russian revolution. After lenins death, trotsky was outmanoeuvred by stalin, and he was expelled from the communist party and. Leon trotsky was one of the key revolutionaries in the history of russia, who fought, alongside the likes of lenin, for the liberation of the working class from the dominating regime of monarchy. Leon trotsky once a vocal critic of lenin and the bolshevik partyjoined the bolsheviks in august 1917. Lev davidovich trotsky bronstein 1879 1940 genealogy. An influential politician in the early days of the soviet union, trotsky served as the peoples commissar for foreign affairs and the peoples commissar of war and was the founder and commander of. Leon trotsky 18791940 was a russian marxist and leading figure in the russian revolution of 1917. Leon trotsky s name lev bronshtein was exiled to siberia in 1898. His whole life was entirely devoted to the cause of the working class and international socialism.
Russian revolutionary leon trotsky assassinated in mexico. Two potential successors, leon trotsky and joseph stalin, had very different characteristics. It analyses the soviet state and communist party and the rise of bureaucracy up through this period. Often viewed as a likely successor to bolshevik leader vladimir lenin, trotsky was outmanoeuvred by joseph stalin, expelled from the communist party and forced into exile. New york impressed me tremendously because, more than any other city in the world, it is the fullest expression of our modern age. Leon trotsky has 409 books on goodreads with 44660 ratings. Aug 19, 2019 exiled russian revolutionary leon trotsky is fatally wounded by an iceaxwielding assassin at his compound outside mexico city. Trotsky declares boldly in these articles that artistic truth must be based not on any particular literary school or dogma but on the immutable faith of the artist in his own inner self. For the first time in world history the peasant was destined to find a leader in the person of the worker. At the time the russian socialist movement was split between the mensheviks and the bolsheviks. Leon trotsky was a russian politician, a marxist revolutionary and the founder and the first leader of the red army.
He was a man that dedicated his life to the communist revolution, leading the red army to. This army was put to the test during the russian civil war 19181920. Following a power struggle with joseph stalin in the 1920s, trotsky was expelled. Leon trotsky was one of the most important figures of the russian revolution, and of the early years of the soviet union. Leon trotsky and joseph stalin were political rivals. Because leon was active in the revolution he is sent back to siberia for exile. Although he fell out of favour within the soviet elite, and was eventually assassinated, his role was pivotal to the development of the soviet union in many ways. I am fairly certain that someone else has already started a discussion on this topic or wrote a timeline surrounding it but since i couldnt find one ill start my own. In january 1928 trotsky and his principal followers were exiled to remote parts of the soviet union, trotsky himself being assigned to almaata now almaty in central asia. He believed that an economic system must be seen and understood as a world system rather than as a national one. His parents were david leontyevich bronstein 18471922 and his wife.
Communist party of great britain, 1922 page images at hathitrust. Life and death of leon trotsky timeline timetoast timelines. He was initially received by the government of turkey and domiciled on the. During this 20 visit, volkow took part in a dialogue.
In his paris exile in 1903, leon trotsky fell in love with a young exiled russian revolutionary woman who studied arts history at sorbonne, n. After vladimir lenin, the first soviet head of state, suffered a stroke in early 1923, trotsky and stalin engaged in a contest for power. Books by leon trotsky author of history of the russian. Chronology of the life of leon trotsky 18791940 1879. Napoleon used these fiercelytrained grown dogs to drive away snowball and exile him during a regular meeting in the barn.
Leon trotsky lenin appointed leon trotsky as commissar of war and was sent to rally the red army in the volga. Following lenins death 1924, he looked primed to take control of the revolutionary state. Lev davidovich bronstein born in bereslavka lev davidovich bronstein borned in bereslavka, ukraine, in a jewish family. In the bolshevik government, he was second only to lenin and seemed destined to succeed him until joseph stalin outmaneuvered him politically and banished him from the soviet union. Here is one giant figure writing about another who happened to have been his boss at a time when both had beenuntil lenins death in 1924engaged in making. He played an important role in the october revolution, which brought the bolsheviks to power. Stalin makes trotsky have to go out of rusia jan 7, 1940. The opposition was unsuccessful, and trotsky was expelled from the communist party and the comintern, and exiled to turkey in 1927. If trotsky takes over, you change the face of wwii completely.
During the early years of the revolution, trotsky headed up foreign affairs for russia and founded the red army. Trotsky joined the bolshevik party in 1917 and was elected to its central committee. Trotsky quickly rose to a position of power in the party. History of the russian revolution quotes by leon trotsky. Leon trotsky soviet politician minin bio bio youtube. On may 21, 1940, sovietagents machinegunned trotsky s house. He and his wife, natalia sedova, later moved to france and then to norway. Leon trotsky biography childhood, life achievements. They are released a month later at the behest of the russian government. The killerramon mercaderwas a spanish communist and probable. During the revolution, trotsky oversaw soviet military operations in petrograd now st.
The most likely result is the ussr going down in flames due to overstretch in an attempt to spread the global revolution as trotsky wanted to do or said attempts to. A timeline created with timetoasts interactive timeline maker. Written in 1936, the works stands as leon trotskys indictment of stalinism. Exiled russian revolutionary leon trotsky is fatally wounded by an iceaxwielding assassin at his compound outside mexico city.
Trotsky was attacked on august 20, 1940, by an ice pick. A timeline of the life of leon trotsky, born lev davidovich bronstein, a marxist member of the communist party in russia at the time of the. Leon trotsky was born lev davidovich bronstein on 7 november 1879, the fifth child of a ukrainianjewish family of wealthy farmers in yanovka or yanivka, in the kherson governorate of the russian empire now bereslavka, in ukraine, a small village 24 kilometres 15 mi from the nearest post office. His parents, david and anna bronstein, were prosperous jewish farmers. Leon trotsky s death on 24 may 1940, trotsky survived a raid on his home by armed stalinist assassins led by gpu agent losif grigulevich and stalinist david alfaro siqueiros, and vittorio vidale. Dec 26, 20 born lev davidovich bronshtein on november 7, 1879, leon trotsky s revolutionary activity as a young man spurred his first of several ordered exiles to siberia. Leon trotsky, dupe of the nkvd central intelligence agency. Leon trotsky simple english wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. H ere i was in new york, city of prose and fantasy, of capitalist automatism, its streets a triumph of cubism, its moral philosophy that of the dollar.
Leon trotsky was a leading marxist revolutionary of the first half of the 20th century. Leon trotsky was a communist theorist, prolific writer, leader in the 1917 russian revolution, the peoples commissar for foreign affairs under lenin 19171918, and then head of the red army as the peoples commissar of army and navy affairs 19181924. The russian revolutionist leon trotsky 18791940 was a principal leader in the founding of the soviet union. I give warning that if any unit retreats without orders, the first to be shot down will be the commissary of the unit, and next the commander. Trotsky is known as the main rival of stalin in otl. In january 1929 trotsky was banished from the territory of the soviet union. Born lev davidovich bronshtein on november 7, 1879, leon trotskys revolutionary activity as a young man spurred his first of several ordered. Leon trotsky collected writings 19291940 14 volumes. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. Leon davidovich trotsky november 7, 1879 august 21, 1940, born lev. He was one of the primary contenders for the leadership of the bolshevik party in 1922 after the death of lenin.
Lubitz trotskyananet leon trotsky genealogy of the. Intellectual, aloof trotsky shrewd, paranoid stalin stalin maneuvered to strip trotsky of his communist party membership. He is famous for playing leading roles in the russian revolutions of 1905 and 1917, and for organising the red army during the ensuing russian civil war in the 192030s, trotsky was an important figure in the marxist opposition against joseph stalin. William keach is a professor of english at brown university. Appointed the commissar of war, he helped to defeat the forces that were opposed to bolshevik principles. At the second congress of the social democrats in 1903, trotsky sided with the mensheviks against lenin, though he later sought to reconcile the two factions. Leon trotsky as war commissar from march 1918, trotsky was in charge of creating a functional red army to defend the progress of the bolshevik revolution. A heavily madeup woman smoking a cigarette is reading poetry, then.