In October 1917, Lenin’s view was that the Bolsheviks should act to try to take power immediately. The planning for the revolt was led by a small group of me on the Petrograd Soviet which was led by Trotsky. Trotsky was a big supporter of Lenin. On the 22nd October, Trotsky spoke at a series of meeting which were very affective causing Lenin’s support to grow. Trotsky set up the Military Revolutionary Committee on 12th October. Soldiers began to obey the MRC rather than the Provisional Government and they were convinced to change sided. Trotsky promised them peace, bread and land. On October 24 Trotsky won the support of the Petrograd garrison, a large group of soldiers who supported the Provisional Government. Trotsky led the takeover of power and seized key building in Petrograd including the Winter Palace. The Provisional Government gave in to the Bolsheviks and Kerensky fled. Trotsky was made chairman of the soviet and made most of the plans. It was almost a bloodless takeover, which enabled Lenin to set up a new soviet government with himself in charge. The Bolsheviks succeeded, as they were well organised and disciplined.
By 1918, the Bolsheviks were in great danger during the 1918-1920’s. There were enemies on all fronts, Russian ‘whites’ supported by foreign armies. The Czech, British, French, American and Japanese. The whites were the supporters of the Tsar, and Trotsky needed to create and army able enough to resist them. A new army was created out of the shambles of the old Russian Army and Trotsky also had to worry about the threats of a civil war and foreign intervention. Trotsky focused on developing a small but professional, able force. The Red Army, as it was known, was brilliantly organised by Trotsky. At first it was untrained and undisciplined but Trotsky turned that around by using ex-tsarist officers to train and lead the soldiers. By including in each unit a political commissar from the Communist Part, he secured the loyalty of the officers. By travelling around the war zone in an armoured train. Trotsky kept up morale by delivering supplies, mainly food and medical necessaries he also gave encouragement. Any indiscipline was severely punished. Trotsky was criticized for recruiting former tsarist officers and putting them to work in the Red Army. However, if the Tsarist soldiers did not cooperate, they were sent to prison. To stop them from deserting, their families were taken as hostages with the threat of death if anything happened. Trotsky’s approach was justified by the success of the Red Army in turning back attacks by the anti-Communist White armies in 1918 and 1919. Trotsky was a very good military leader. The Red Army was an effective and united fighting force and gradually they began to win the Civil War. Thanks to the leadership of Lenin and Trotsky, the Bolsheviks survived and Lenin was able to begin the recovery task in Russia.
There was one problem that occurred during the civil war. In 1918, food shortages led to a collapse of industry in Russia in some Bolshevik areas. Lenin introduced the War Commission. Government took control of industry and agriculture instead of workers and peasant committees. There was strict discipline, food was ration and money became almost worthless. The Cheka, Lenin’s secret police was sent to the countryside to seize grain and food, if none was handed over, the peasant would most likely have been shot. In 1921, the Kronstadt Mutiny became a direct challenge to Lenin. If the armed forces had rebelled against government, Lenin could have been overthrown. However, Trotsky supported Lenin and organised the crushing of the rebellion causing Lenin to stay in power. Again, after Lenin introduced the New Economic Policy after the protests again War Commission in 1921, Trotsky stood by Lenin, even though he disagreed and Lenin remained in power.
Trotsky was very important to the success of the Bolsheviks during 1917-1922. He had supreme skills in organisation and speech making which gained Lenin a lot of support and he kept the belief of the Russian people in the Bolsheviks group. After many problems, Trotsky’s tactics and inspirational leadership kept Lenin and power. Trotsky was a tireless worker, a fantastic public speaker and was good on making plans. He was the key to the Bolshevik success in 1917-1922.
