RISE OF STALIN Trotsky was considered the front-runner. In 1924, no one expected Stalin to become Lenin’s successor. Yet by 1929, Stalin had managed to outwit all his rivals to become the leader of the Soviet Union. How did he do that?

Leon Trotsky

LEON TROTSKY Brilliant and fearless leader with great speaking and writing skills Played a leading role in the October 1917 Revolution Led the Red Army to victory during the Civil War Saw himself as Lenin’s rightful heir Seen as arrogant by his opponents

Trotsky’s handicaps Trotsky was a Jew and very conscious of the fact that this constituted a political handicap. Anti-Semitism was an ingrained feature of Russian society and continued under communist rule. In 1917 he had declined Lenin’s offer to be a commissar on the grounds that his appointment would be an embarrassment to Lenin and the government, he said it would give enemies grounds for claiming that the country was ruled by a Jew.

Biography Born: Yanovka, Ukraine on November 7th, 1879 Died: August 20th, 1940 Parents: David Leont'evich Bronshtein Anna L'vovna Bronshtein A Russian Jewish revolutionary leader Soviet politician 14 years old= introduced to Marxism in Nikolayev 1897= organized the underground South Russian Workers' Union January 1898= Arrested 1890= deported to Siberia & married Alexandra Lvovna (had 2 daughters) 1892= escaped and went to London alone. Joined the Social Democratic Party Met and worked with a group of Marxists producing the journal Iskra.

Biography 1903= Married Natalya Sedova (had two sons: Leon and Sergei Sedov) A part of the Mensheviks from 1903 - 1917 2nd congress of the Social Democratic Party May 1917= he went back to Russia Joined the Bolsheviks in 1917 Founder and first leader of the Red Army A close friend of Lenin

Early Politics Introduced to Marx’s ideas at 14 Joined South Russian Workers’ Union Arrested for revolutionary activity & sent to Siberia Escaped to London Joined Social Democratic Party

Lenin & Martov Lenin – small party professional revolutionaries with supporters Supporters formed the Bolsheviks Martov – large party of activists Supporters formed the Mensheviks Trotsky supported Martove Martov won by small margin

St Petersburg Soviet 1905 challenged Nicholas II Arrested and imprisoned Moved throughout Europe during WWI Lenin tried to get him to join the Bolsheviks

Relationship with Lenin Both against Mensheviks, Provisional Government, and Social Revolutionaries They were in the Bolsheviks together since July 1917 Appointed to be the commissar for foreign affairs by Lenin for the Bolsheviks in November 1917 Appointed Commissar of War by Lenin in 1918 Reached success together (Trotsky was in charge when Lenin was hiding during the July Days)

May 1917 Returned to Russia after overthrow of Tsar Angry at Menshevik support of Provisional government so joined the Bolsheviks Imprisoned by provisional government but freed by Bolsheviks

Military Role Trotsky recruited members for the new Red Army "Show me another man who could have practically created a model army in a year and won respect of the military specialist as well.“ – Lenin Led 5 million man army to success

Relationship with Lenin Won the Civil War because he created a strong force of army with Lenin’s Red Army Won over the White Army (a volunteer army created by Kornilov to fight the Bolsheviks after the Kornilov plot in September 1917)

Kornilov Plot Kerensky was scared that Kornilov would take all the credits for his action with his army Kerensky had to ask the Bolsheviks for help He gave the Bolsheviks weapons The Bolsheviks did what was asked of them, which was to convince the Kornilov’s army to desert him. Held on to the weapons that were given to them and took control of the country.

Stalin Lenin was ill so Stalin appointed as General Secretary Main rival for leadership was Trotsky Stalin removed Trotsky supporters from the Party Congress Lenin feared Stalin and so asked for Trotsky’s support Lenin died before he could have Stalin removed

Relationship with Stalin They are both in rivalry Stalin didn‘t like that Trotsky became leader of Bolsheviks after Lenin’s death Stalin used Trotsky’s past to get him out of the group Gregory Zinoviev and Lev Kamenev Trotsky was removed from power in 1925 because of Stalin

Trotsky & Stalin Trotsky accused Stalin of being a dictator 1925 Stalin removed Trotsky from power 1927 Stalin expelled Trotsky from communist party 1929 Trotsky was exiled and forced from Turkey to France to Mexico… 1940 Stalin had Trotsky assassinated in Mexico City

Relationship with Stalin Stalin caused the deaths of Trotsky’s children (Sergei & Leon Sedov) In April, 1937, Trotsky appeared before a commission of inquiry in New York headed by John Dewey. Trotsky was found not guilty of the charges of treason being made by Stalin. Trotsky was killed by Ramon Mercader who was under Stalin’s order using an ice pick

Contribution to Russia’s History Led the Civil war to a success for the Bolsheviks United Front Permanent Revolution Trotsky’s conception on Marxist

Important Events in His Life Wrote many books, including “The Revolution Betrayed”, “Defense of Terrorism”, “Lenin”, “My Life”, and “The History of the Russian Revolution”. In 1937, Trotsky moved to Mexico where he lived in Frida Kahlo's childhood home. They soon became lovers. She called him “El viejo” (the old man). He slipped her notes in books and she painted him a full-length portrait of herself for him. Their relationship lasted only a year. Frida Kahlo

Death/Exile Trotsky was exiled 4 times 1900 from Russia 1905 from Russia 1917 from France and Spain 1928 from Russia In 1940, while Trotsky was living in Mexico, an agent Stalin sent assassinated him

Time Line 1900: exiled from Russia to Siberia for his revolutionary activity as a Social Democrat 1902: escaped from Siberian exile 1905: exiled for his leadership in the St. Petersburg Soviet

Time Line 1907: escaped from his second exile 1907-1917: was a revolutionary writer in Western Europe 1917: he was expelled from France and Spain and went to New York to become an editor of the Russian socialist paper Novy Mir (New World). Heard of the Czar’s downfall and returned to Russia

Time Line 1917: planned a power seizure with Lenin that made a Bolshevik government 1917: became the 1st Soviet commissar of foreign affairs and was soon the commissar of war 1918-1920: Civil War in Russia

Time Line 1918-1920: was the leader of the triumphant Red Army during the Civil War 1924: Lenin’s death 1924: Trotsky and Stalin’s struggle for leadership 1927: was expelled from the communist party

Time Line 1928: was exiled from Russia to Soviet Central Asia. 1929: deported to Turkey 1940: Trotsky was assassinated in Mexico by an agent Stalin sent