Leon Trotsky's vast impact and contribution to Russian-Soviet history can be explained by his strong ideologies, organization and leadership. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”?Get the original essay The successful consolidation of communism in Soviet Russia between 1917 and 1928 can be largely attributed to the masterful orator and intellectual Leon Trotsky. . Throughout this period, he successfully premeditated the rise of the Bolsheviks to power and, thanks to his military genius, defended communist ideology and the roots it had acquired in Russia. One of Trotsky's most significant contributions was his involvement in organizing the 1917 revolution. With Lenin in exile, Trotsky began recruiting, arming, and disciplining the Bolshevik Red Guard, and in October he was elected president of the Petrograd Soviet. Trotsky became the public face of Bolshevism and the key figure in three months of strategically important planning; in preparation for the revolution, Trotsky filled the soviet with as many Bolshevik delegates as possible and organized the Military Revolutionary Committee. Given his role as a central figure in the Committee, Trotsky was primarily responsible for organizing the Red Guard movements and the distribution of weapons, and ultimately for the success of the November Revolution. Scheduled just before the All-Russian Congress of Soviets scheduled to convene on November 7, the MRC and Red Guards laid siege to the Winter Palace and ensured the occupation of other key strategic points in Petrograd; post and telegraph offices, stations, bridges and garrisons. By the end of November 7, Lenin had declared "All power to the Soviets" and the All-Russian Congress of Soviets, composed mostly of Bolshevik delegates, voted in favor of the coup. Another aspect in which Trotsky played an important role was the Brest-Litovsk Peace Treaty. As Commissar for Foreign Affairs, Trotsky led the Russian delegation during the peace negotiations between Russia and Germany in Brest-Litovsk. Having developed his belief in peace without indemnities or annexations during the war, Trotsky remained resolute in this belief at Brest-Litovsk. When the Germans presented their conditions, Trotsky responded that Russia would end the war but would not sign a peace treaty, choosing instead to believe that socialist revolution was imminent in Germany. He simply refused to accept German conditions and left the negotiations. The revolution having not taken place, the Germans resumed the offensive. Trotsky's arrogance backfired on the Bolsheviks and resulted in even harsher conditions. The treaty was signed on March 3, 1918 after many heated debates within the Central Committee. The harsh terms of the treaty caused a division within the Bolshevik leadership, and Trotsky resigned his post. However, the treaty eliminated the Bolsheviks' most dangerous enemy and gave the new Soviet government the freedom from international conflict it needed to consolidate its power. The treaty was canceled when Germany signed the armistice in November 1918. Trotsky's involvement in the civil war against the Whites is another contribution that had a lasting impact on the history of Russia and the Soviet Union. Trotsky transformed the Red Army into a fighting force. By unleashing the “Red Terror” against the whites, he ruthlessly achieved the communist victory in the civil war. As commissar, Trotsky increased the size of the Red Army to three million and attached political commissars to former Tsarist officers.