The Leadership Struggle- Stalin vs Trotsky

The Leadership Struggle- Stalin vs Trotsky

1. Stalin

   • Strengths
     • Secretary General of the USSR- chose who to appoint to positions inside Politburo
     • Tricked Trotsky- didn't go to Lenin's funeral
     • Cunning: allied with everyone to kick out everyone
     • Very hardworking
     • Defended well Stalingrad during civil war 1921
     • Wanted to establish "socialism in 1 country" --> popular
     • Underestimated
   • Weaknesses
     • Relatively unknown at first
     • Came from Georgia, not Russia

2. Trotsky

   • Strengths
     • Seen as a hero by communists
       • Brest-litovsk treaty
       • civil war
     • Brilliant speaker+writer
     • Great political thinker
   • Weaknesses
     • Offended other party members
     • Arrogant
     • Didn't take opposition seriously
       • Didn't make many friends
     • Wanted a global communist revolution- many thought it would bring wars
     • Got ill during critical moment when Lenin died
     • Tricked by Stalin- didn't go to Lenin's funeral

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