Writings of Leon Trotsky [1939-40]

Currently unavailable

£23.00
Price incl. VAT, excl delivery

This volume contains pamphlets, interviews, articles, letters, and statements to the press written by Leon Trotsky in his Mexican exile during the last thirteen months of his life - from July 1939 to August 1940, when he was assassinated by a Stalinist agent. Fourteen of them are translated into English in this edition for the first time.

The major event of this thirteen-month period was the outbreak of World War II in September, a few days after the signing of the Stalin-Hitler pact. Trotsky closely followed and explained all of the principal stages of the first year of the war - from Hitler's invasion of Poland after his hands had been freed by his pact with Stalin; the Soviet seizure of portions of Eastern Poland, with Hitler's approval; Stalin's attack on Finland - to the Nazi breakthrough in the Spring of 1940 and the downfall of France.

A second concern of Trotsky during this period was the political crisis that threatened to destroy the Fourth International after the war began. Most of his writings on this subject are collected in the book In Defense of Marxism, but there are several in this volume too, including the manifesto adopted at an emergency conference of the Fourth International in May 1940.

Another dramatic attempt that month was an unsuccesful attempt to assassinate him and his family. The investigation of this case compelled him to put aside other work so he could uncover the role of the Stalinists in the attempt. The present volume contains all his articles on this subject published in any language, including a long study completed three days before his assassination.

Additional product information

Author Trotsky, Leon
Editor Allen, Naomi & Breitman, George
Binding Paperback
No. of Pages 554
Publisher Pathfinder
Date of Publication 1973
ISBN 9780873483131

We also recommend

* Prices incl. VAT, excl delivery

Browse these categories as well: Complete List, Non-Fiction, Leon Trotsky