WI: Leon Trotsky executed during the Russian Civil War?


In August 1919, White Russian forces under the command of General Malentov captured the city of Tabov during the Advance on Moscow. They nearly captured Trotsky himself.

What if they had captured Trotsky and executed him?
 

BigBlueBox

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In August 1919, White Russian forces under the command of General Malentov captured the city of Tabov during the Advance on Moscow. They nearly captured Trotsky himself.

What if they had captured Trotsky and executed him?
It isn't enough to bring about a White victory on its own, but maybe with the right PoD beforehand it could be part of a snowball effect that does win the Whites the war. Postwar if the Communists did win anyways, this either makes things harder for Stalin due to a more likable and charismatic figure taking Trotsky's place in the Left of the CPSU or makes things easier because it means there is one less opponent to eliminate.
 
It does make a White victory somewhat more likely or at least a truncated Soviet Union without the Caucasian states and possibly Ukraine. With Trotsky's faults he was still the Bolsheviks best war leader and had the most understanding of military organisation amongst them. Possibly Kaganovitch comes to the fore? He was at least a competent organiser.
 
I disagree that it would make a white victory. By 1919 the worst period was over for the reds, and the black army of Nestor Makhno is tearing the white rearguard apart even as they advanced north, and he would do that no matter what happened to Trotsky.

Perhaps it might delay Stalin's ascent? Without the threat of Trotsky, the great war hero who rubbed every one the wrong way, the other Bolsheviks might turn to another leader.
 
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