How Did Leon Trotsky Influence The Russian Revolution

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Leon Davidovich Trotsky, born Lev Davidovich Bronstein, is one of the most well-known revolutionaries in Russian history. He played a major role in the October Revolution and was a Bolshevik who had been influenced by Marxist ideology. He was one of the most dominant political figures in Russia’s history. This dominance, combined with his passion was why Leon Trotsky was an important factor in the Russian Revolution. Early Life and Revolutionary Activity Trotsky became involved with underground activities as a teenager after being sent to Odessa for schooling. Odessa, a primarily German school, was not where he grew a fondness of politics. After going to a different school for his final year of schooling he would gradually become a Marxist, …show more content…

Germany and its allies responded and when peace negotiations were finally spoken of, Trotsky turned the meeting into a propaganda forum. Between Lenin’s position and Bukharin’s call for war Trotsky proposed the formula “No war, No peace.” The Germans resumed their offensive attack in mid-February. Following this Trotsky resigned and was made commissar of war, with the task of rebuilding the Red Army from its ashes. Though his army was small it was a formidable force, however Trotsky was criticized for dropping his beliefs and recruiting previously tsarist officers and putting them to work under communist military supervision. Stalin resisted Trotsky’s policies and the two had a bloody clash over what would be Stalingrad. When the communist forces won the Russian Civil War of 1920, Trotsky focused on economic reconstruction. Most of his ideas were unsuccessful. In the winter of 1920-1921 there was an issue about the future role of trade unions. The crisis came to a head in 1921, and at this point Trotsky sided with Lenin, backing the suppression of open factional activities within the party. Trotsky also accepted Lenin’s retreat from ideal communistic ways in favor of the New Economic Policy. This however didn’t stop Trotsky from losing political influence at the tenth Party Congress in March 1921. (Daniels