Trotsky Outline of Life 1917-1940

Essay by jackal8High School, 12th gradeA+, August 2005

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During the Bolshevik Revolution in 1917, Trotsky significantly contributed to the successes of the Bolshevik Party in overthrowing the Provisional Government and paving the way for a Communist nation. In May of 1917, Trotsky returned from exile and joined the popular Bolshevik Party, playing a significant role in promoting the Party. In July, he was imprisoned following the premature attempt of a Bolshevik insurrection. It was here that Trotsky's authority rose as a Bolshevik as went on hunger strikes, circulated his works and in September, following his release, was elected Chairman of the Petrograd Soviet. Trotsky drafted the detailed schemes of the overthrow of the Provisional government and largely organised and executed the October insurrection. On October 26th Chairman of the Military Revolutionary Committee which was the driving force behind the insurrection. Following the insurrection Trotsky directed counter-measures for the Soviet and broke Kerensky's efforts at the Battle of Pulkovo.

Following the overthrow Trotsky was appointed Commissar of Foreign Affairs where he led the negotiations at Brest Litovsk in March. Trotsky aims of 'peace without annexations or indemnities' and buying time in hope of a World Revolution were not met, after Germans exploited Trotsky's errors in the negotiations. The treaty resulted in a loss of valuable resources, land and population and was one of Trotsky's failures.

In April 1918, Trotsky soon resigned from Foreign Commissar following Brest Litovsk and was appointed Commissar of War. He immediately began rebuilding the Russian "army which would give us powerful strength for the inevitable struggle" being the Civil War. By the end of May Trotsky introduced compulsory military service and mobilized an army from 100,000 in March to 600,000 in August to 5 million in January 1920. He recruited 40,000 ex tsarist officers (or 'military specialists') for their experience; he...