The Bolshevik head of the Red Army during the Russian Civil War and a subsequent attempted invasion of Europe in 1920, he is frequently idolized by Left fascist ideologues. Was a radical compared to Josef
Stalin - the major issue between them during the 1930's was whether to make a second attempt at conquering Europe (Leon Trotsky wanted to attack them sometime during the 1930s, whereas
Stalin advocated "
socialism in one country" and wanted to build up the industrial power of
Russia first before attempting any new conquests). Trotsky tried to use his leverage in the Red Army to have
Stalin ousted and killed, but
Stalin struck first, slaughtering Trotskyite loyalists in the Soviet armed forces during the "Great Purge" and eventually having Trotsky himself killed.
An altogether nasty, murderous man. His role is similar in Marxist mythology to that of Nathan Bedford Forrest amongst advocates of "The Lost Cause" in the
American South - a romanticised figure that, in life, engaged in horrific atrocities and stood for the worst sorts of totalitarian barbarism. He is an especially appealing figure to those who still try to pretend that the Left is interested in anything resembling social justice, civil rights, etc. or that purport that the ideological mumbo-jumbo that Marxists repeat
like magical formulas has any resemblence to the rigours of science.
