Leon Trotsky Biography Essay

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Leon Trotsky effectively and concisely summarized his life’s work in one sentence: “Ideas that enter the mind under fire remain there securely and forever” (“Leon Trotsky Biography”). Trotsky spent much of his life fighting to make his beliefs a reality and gaining many followers along the way. The “fire” that ignited in his mind continued to burn throughout his life as evidenced by the various organizations in existence that stemmed from his beliefs. Leon Trotsky was an activist who stood for communism and who accomplished a multitude of political feats. Leon Trotsky was born Lev Davidovich Bronstein to David and Anna Bronstein on November 7, 1879, in Yanovka, Ukraine (“Leon Trotsky Biography”). The first eight years of his schooling were completed in Odessa with subsequent education in Nikolayev in 1896 (“Leon Trotsky”). It was here that Trotsky was introduced …show more content…

The outbreak of revolution in Russia lured Trotsky back into action, but he was soon arrested. While in jail, Trotsky joined the Bolsheviks (“Leon Trotsky”). After his release, Trotsky allied with Vladimir Lenin as he gained control of the Russian government. Trotsky was made commissar of war and was charged with the formation of the Red Army to defend communism (“Leon Trotsky”). Although the Red Army proved successful in its endeavor, its Red Terror campaign caused “thousands of people, many of whom were only suspected of being anti-communist, [to be] slaughtered in unthinkably cruel ways” (Asnes, Tania. Kissel, Adam ed). Soon after, Lenin's death left Joseph Stalin and Leon Trotsky to battle to be Russia's leader. Although Trotsky had the skills and the intellect that should have made him the clear choice, jealousy among his colleagues prompted them to side with Stalin (“Leon Trotsky”). Soon after Stalin gained power, he exiled Trotsky. His role in Russian history had come to an abrupt

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