The revolution of October was in fact a personification of the masses hatred for the bourgeoisie, the nobility, the suffering and the oppression which had kept the Russian society at primitive levels for a countless number of years. All of these factors combined amounted to an explosive situation in Petrograd, the Russian capitol. During these years riots, terrorism, repression and oppression were the words that defined the time period in the eyes of the working classes. For years the masses were pushed to the brink of collapse leaving the door wide open for a party of well skilled revolutionaries to harness the failures of the government and force them out of power.
2. Trotsky’s Actions That Lead to Revolution From May To October
Each day for numerous weeks Trotsky appeared before sold-out audiences delivering speeches that denounced the halfway measures of the Provisional Government. Communication is where Trotsky excelled far beyond his fellow collaborators. He was able to captivate audiences of any size with his radical ideas and piercing logic. His support gained as he clearly spelled out his platform to the masses to which his ideas appealed. “Trotsky possessed a remarkable prose style…magnificent word play, scathing sarcasm, and brilliant character sketches are the hallmark of his writing and speech.”
Trotsky when he arrived in Russia from his asylum in the United States was still technically aligned with the Menshevik party; he quickly denounced this and became aligned with the Mezhraiontsy. Trotsky met Lenin and they soon came to the realization that their pursued the same goals and Lenin soon invited him to join the Bolsheviks, he cleverly waited to convince the Mezhraiontsy and he brought with him four thousand followers to the cause of the Bolsheviks. In November Lenin and Trotsky assess the situation and decided that the revolution was not ripe enough yet and they would wait until October to rally the people against the government.
3. Trotsky’s Role and Position During the Bolshevik Revolution
Trotsky and Lenin were the two main collaborators of the revolution in Petrograd. Together they could sway any crowd into revolution with Lenin’s leadership and Trotsky’s prose. Lenin however was the clear leader; he tactfully organized the timing of the insurrection, holding out until the last moment.
Lenin’s initial approach to the revolution was to replicate the events of February and bring down the government through street demonstrations with thousands of working class followers. His plan failed bitterly and under the direction of Trotsky the two of them orchestrated the plan to commission troops and seize the nerve centers of the government.
Trotsky’s plan was put into motion when he assumed power of the Military Revolutionary Committee on. The committee paved the way for the revolution by putting a significant force behind their words. All of the physical seizure of power was carried out by the committee which under Trotsky’s discretion. It was Trotsky’s seizure of the Winter Palace on the night of the 25th that finally brought the revolution to an end and the power of Russia into the hands of the Bolsheviks. Afterwards Lenin offered Trotsky the position as leader of the new government.
C. Evaluation of Sources
Deutscher, Isaac. The Prophet Armed: Trotsky, 1879-1921. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1954.
Deutscher's main point is that while Trotsky and Lenin were an ingenious pair together, after Lenin disappeared from the scene Trotsky was alienated by the Bolsheviks and his great ideas and leadership were squandered. Deutscher describes Trotsky as a man who excelled at leading those under him but failed at leading his equals. Deutscher uses both primary and secondary evidence to build his thesis. Deutscher is a prominent English writer who grew up during the period in which the revolution took place and was born in Poland; this might slightly affect his perspective. We also know that he was persecuted for his anti-Stalinist views, this could affect his objectiveness. This document is extremely strong because it pertains directly to my subject. Deutscher devoted an entire chapter to Trotsky in the October Revolution, this is excellent.
Pipes, Richard. A Concise History of the Russian Revolution. New York: Knopf, 1995.
Pipes' definition of concise refers to a 1000 page text but after some digging one can come up with some great information about the 1917 revolution in general. Pipes does not focus specifically on Trotsky which is unfortunate but he accurately describes Trotsky in the context of the other great leaders like Lenin and how they worked together. Pipes uses all types of sources, primary and secondary to build his thesis including direct quotes from past historians and important figures. Pipes is a Baird professor of history at Harvard University, this is assuring that his perspective is both valid and useful. This does build a western perspective and can be somewhat limiting. In evaluation this source is strong and provides a good addition to my research.
D. Analysis
The events that lead to the overthrow of the Provisional Government were not spontaneous but carefully plotted and staged by a tightly organized conspiracy.
The capture of the government was the archetypal model of revolution, carried out, with a show of mass participation, but hardly any mass involvement. Trotsky worked closely with Lenin to engineer an ingenious insurrection in which there were hardly any casualties. Trotsky was clearly not just a great public speaker but a skilled military tactician.
The situation in Russia during and before the Bolshevik revolution provided an opportune environment for revolution against the Provisional Government. Trotsky harnessed this fact and implemented the military plans to take over the key government institutions by force. This plan was lead to the success of the revolution and was far more successful than Lenin’s plan to overthrow the government through large riots.
C. Conclusion
Leon Trotsky’s role in the Bolsheviks revolutions of 1917 was very significant. His expertise as a professional revolutionary added a necessary perspective on the planning and implementation of the revolution. Using his remarkable and persuasive speaking abilities he was able to win over entire crowds of people to the Bolshevik cause. Adding to this Trotsky brought with him 4000 followers from the Mezhraiontsy. These talents gained the much needed support of the oppressed and angered working classes that Lenin was less successful in converting.
Trotsky’s military influences were the defining point of his significance in the revolution. He organized the Military Revolutionary Committee in which he put forth the plan to start the revolution by seizing the government’s infrastructure by force. The committee sought out and deployed forces loyal to the cause which were said to be around 45 000 on the eve of the revolution. This military organization is recognized as the most significant factor that displaced the Provisional Government from power during the revolution.
Without a doubt Trotsky played one of the most significant single roles in the Bolshevik revolution of October 1917. Second only to Lenin, his influences were inherently necessary for the eventual success of the revolution. Utilizing military might Trotsky was able to quickly displace the Provisional Government from power. Through his excellent speeches he was able to rally the common people to the cause of the Bolsheviks giving them the support that they required to make their plans a success.
E. List of Sources
Bibliography:
Deutscher, Isaac. The Prophet Armed: Trotsky, 1879-1921. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1954.
Carr, E.H. The Bolshevik Revolution, 1917-1923 (in three volumes); London: Macmillan, 1953.
Pipes, Richard. A Concise History of the Russian Revolution. New York: Knopf, 1995.
Pipes, Richard, Editor. Revolutionary Russia. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1968.
Rabinowitch, Alexander. The Bolsheviks Come to Power, The Revolution of 1917 in Petrograd. New York. Norton & Company, 1976.
Shapiro, Leonard. The Russian Revolution of 1917. New York. 1908
Trotsky, Leon. The history of the Russian Revolution. 3 vols. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1932.
Trotsky, Leon. In Defense of the Russian Revolution. Speech: Copenhagen, 1932.
Wolf, Bertram. Three Who Made A Revolution. New York: Dell Publishing, 1948.
Words Count: 1555
End Notes:
Trotsky. In Defense of the Russian Revolution.
Deutscher, The Prophet Armed. P 273
Shapiro. The Russian Revolution of 1917. P 134
Deutscher. The Prophet Armed: Trotsky. P 241
Deutscher, The Prophet Armed. P 261
Wolf. Three Who Made A Revolution. P 1
Carr. The Bolshevik Revolution, 1917-1923. P 102
Rabinowitch. The Bolsheviks Come to Power. P 254
Pipes. A Concise History of the Russian Revolution. P 107
Wolf. Three Who Made A Revolution. P 3
Wolf. Three Who Made A Revolution. P 3
Wolf. Three Who Made A Revolution. P 3
Pipes. A Concise History of the Russian Revolution. P 113
