Leon Trotsky's Impact On The Bolshevik Revolution

Leon Trotsky, to a large extent, made a meaningful impact in the early stages of his life, through to the Bolshevik consolidation period. However, after Stalin’s rise to power, Trotsky’s failed to continue to have a meaningful impact on his time. Trotsky was instrumental with the engagement and spread of socialist ideas prior to and in 1917 which had the most meaningful impact on his time due to the establishment of the first socialist state in the world. During the Bolshevik consolidation period, Trotsky continued to have a meaningful impact on his time as Commissar of Foreign affairs and Commissar of War, as it sustained the first socialist revolution. Although, upon his exile, despite continuing revolutionary activities Trotsky did not

Trotsky impact on his time after the revolution began when he was instated as Commissar of Foreign affairs in the Bolshevik party. It was his duty to implement the peace decree, essential for the Bolshevik’s to consolidate their power. However, Trotsky had adopted the policy, ‘no peace no war’, in relation to the peace negotiations with Germany. This led to more punitive conditions after his initial refusal to sign the decree. This had a significant impact for Russia at the time as it saw the loss of large amounts of territory including Latvia, Estonia and the Ukraine. The Bolsheviks faced resistance to the conditions of the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk due to Trotsky’s actions, which had a meaningful, although negative, impact on the times as it led to the outbreak of the Civil war. However, Trotsky continued to have a meaningful impact on his time during the civil war as he was appointed. This had an impact as he transformed the Red Militia into an effective army re-appointing Tsarist officers to provide training and organisation, re-introducing conscription, salutes and ranks within the army. Trotsky had transformed the militia of 300 000 in 1918 into an effective army of 5 million in 1920. This army was used to swiftly combat the revolt at Kronstadt naval base, ending the civil war. This suggests Trotsky’s leadership allowed for Bolshevik victory which eliminated internal oppositions allowing the consolidation of Bolshevik power. This had a very meaningful impact on the time as it allowed for the continuation of the first socialist state in the world. Therefore, Trotsky’s contribution as commissar of foreign affairs, and commissar of war to a large extent made a meaningful impact on his