Chapter 2: Trotsky Flashcards
When was Trotsky born
1879
What type of family was Trotsky born into?
Well off Jewish family
When did Trotsky join other Marxists in London whilst escaping from Siberia?
1902
What did Trotsky do in 1902
Joined Lenin and Other Marxists in London whilst escaping from Siberia
Why was Trotsky exiled to Siberia
Joined a revolutionary group
How did Trotsky gain a reputation of a revolutionary?
In St Petersburg Soviet of November in 1905,he organised general strike amongst workers
What did Trotsky do in 1905?
Organised general strike amongst workers for St Petersburg Soviet
How did Trotsky draw in crowds?
Really good speaking skills
What was the impact of Trotskys speaking skills?
Draw crowds towards his point of view
Who was Trotsky more popular with within the party?
Younger and more radical section of the party
When did Trotskys speaking skills do in 1917?
Gained support during the October Revolution
What allowed Trotsky to have a strong power base?
Commissar of Army
What did Trotsky bring the Commissar of Army mean?
Strong power base in the Army
What did Trotsky plan for the Bolsheviks and secure?
Planned Bolsheviks takeover and secured Bolsheviks pain
When did Trotsky restructure the Red Army?
1918-21
What did Trotsky do between 1918-21?
Restructured Red Army
Who was Trotsky sided with in 1903?
Mensheviks
Why did Trotsky and Lenin clash?
Rejected disciplined, secretive and professional political party
In what year was Trotsky sided with the Mensheviks?
1903
What did Lenin and Trotsky see eye to eye about?
Disciplining the Red army
What did Trotsky become in Lenin’s government?
Principal lieutenant
What did Lenin say about Trotsky in His testament?
No better communist
Most able man in The present central Committee
Who described Trotsky as
No better communist
Most able man in The present central Committee
Lenin
What allowed Trotsky to gain support from the young people and loyalty of the Red army
Victory in war and speeches
What did Trotskys time in exile mean?
Most western leader
What made Trotsky the most western leader?
Time in exile, in Paris, New York, London
What was the impact of Trotsky being the most western leader?
Made enemies
In a country that had a strong sense of national pride and was very rural, this opposed Trotskys ideaology
When did Trotsky join the Bolsheviks?
August 1917
What happened to Trotsky in August 1917?
Joined Bolsheviks
What did Lenin say about Trotsky in his testament?
Most able man in the present central committee
No better communist
Who said this about Trotsky Most able man in the present central committee
No better communist
Lenin
Why did many resent Trotsky?
Joined the party later on and still gained Lenin’s trust and previously within the Mensheviks
What was the characteristics of Trotsky?
Dismissive of other leading Bolshevik leaders
Arrogant
What did people think Trotskys views would lead to?
Split in the Party
What did Trotsky not like
Administrative work
When was Trotsky diagnosed with fevers?
From 1923
What happened from 1923?
Trotsky diagnosed with fever
What did Trotsky being sick mean?
unable to handle or control political attacks by his enemies as well as absent from important votes in the Politburo
Strengths of Trotsky:
Formidable political skills Ruthless Organised Theoretician and ideologist Inspiring speech maker Second to Lenin Had the red army at his disposal Successful leadership during civil war and the October revolution
Weakness of Trotsky:
Arrogant
Dismissive of those viewed inferior
Previously a Mensheviks
Made no serious attempt to gain a power base
Didn’t get involved in party administration and therefore a failure to build a base
Made a serious errors of judgment
