What commanding authority did Leon Trotsky have in the Red Army?
Trotsky’s authority was political not military. In 1917 he was Chairman of the Petrgrad Soviet of Soldier’s and Worker’s deputies – which gave him some political legitimacy in the eyes of the Red Guard; he was also the Chair of the Milrevkom – the Military revolutionary Committee of the Soviet, the body that organised and conducted the events of the October revolution. In 1918 he became the People’s Commissar of Army and Navy Affairs – the head of the Red Army and Navy. It was no different to other political leaders having military authority – such as the President of the USA being the Commander-in-Chief of the US military.
