WI: Trotsky detained in Nova Scotia, misses early phase of Bolshevik revolution

Hendryk

Banned
From Wikipedia:

Trotsky was living in New York City when the February Revolution of 1917 overthrew Tsar Nicholas II. He left New York on March 27, but his ship was intercepted by British naval officials in Halifax, Nova Scotia and he spent a month detained at Amherst, Nova Scotia. After initial hesitation, the Russian foreign minister Pavel Milyukov was forced to demand that Trotsky be released, and the British government freed Trotsky on April 29. He finally made his way back to Russia on May 4.
Does anyone know why Milyukov was "forced" to demand Trotsky's release? Had he dithered a while longer, he would probably have figured out that the Bolsheviks were plenty dangerous enough without one more potential leader, and allowed the British to keep him detention.

This could lead to significant butterflies, considering Trotsky's critical role in the military reorganization of the nascent Soviet regime.
 
From Wikipedia:


Does anyone know why Milyukov was "forced" to demand Trotsky's release? Had he dithered a while longer, he would probably have figured out that the Bolsheviks were plenty dangerous enough without one more potential leader, and allowed the British to keep him detention.

This could lead to significant butterflies, considering Trotsky's critical role in the military reorganization of the nascent Soviet regime.

According to wiki

On April 20, 1917 the government sent a note to Britain and France (which became known as Milyukov's Note) proclaiming that Russia would fulfill its obligation towards the Allies and wage the war as long as it was necessary. Soldiers and citizens of Petrograd demanded Milyukov's resignation, which followed on May 2.

So he had already resigned by the time Trotsky had returned. Interesting...
 

Hendryk

Banned
So he had already resigned by the time Trotsky had returned. Interesting...
Milyukov was succeeded by Mikhail Tereschenko, who like him was a supporter of keeping Russia in the war rather than suing for an armistice with Germany. If Milyukov had resigned before deciding one way or the other about Trotsky, it's certainly possible Tereschenko would have preferred to keep him in British custody. Any input from experts on WW1 and/or the Russian revolution?

I'm also wondering about something. Trotsky travelled from Nova Scotia to Russia in May 1917. Wasn't that the height of unrestricted submarine warfare? What were the odds of a given Allied ship, even a civilian one, being torpedoed by a German sub?
 
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