The Bolsheviki and World Peace

Written during the upheaval of 1917, this work sets out Leon Trotsky’s vision of war, revolution, and international socialism. As a leading Bolshevik and later foreign commissar, Trotsky argues that World War One is the product of rival imperialist powers and that real peace can only come through the overthrow of capitalist governments. The book explains the Bolshevik program of exposing secret treaties, calling for an armistice, and encouraging workers across borders to unite. Trotsky combines sharp criticism of diplomatic hypocrisy with confident predictions about the spread of revolution. Though events did not unfold exactly as he expected, his analysis illuminates the mindset and strategy of the Bolshevik leadership at a decisive moment. For readers interested in Marxist theory, Russian history, or the link between war and revolution, this text offers a clear and passionate statement of early Soviet foreign policy and its hopes for a new international order.