Dan Snow's History Hit The Assassination of Trotsky
17 snips
Apr 23, 2026 
Josh Ireland, historian and author of The Death of Trotsky, guides listeners through the Soviet plot that led to Trotsky’s murder. He details Ramon Mercader’s infiltration, the NKVD’s tradecraft, and the dramatic ice axe attack in Mexico City. The conversation maps Stalin’s purge tactics and the betrayal that made the killing possible.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Trotsky Took His Archive Into Exile
- Trotsky was exiled across Europe and kept his archive, which haunted Stalin.
- When Trotsky left Russia, Stalin feared damaging revelations and became obsessed with eliminating him and destroying the archive.
Mexico Offered Political Shelter Through Artists
- Mexico became Trotsky's refuge because of leftist President Cárdenas and cultural figures like Diego Rivera.
- Rivera secured a visa and hosted Trotsky initially in Frida Kahlo's Blue House, creating a protective but social environment.
Personal Life Mixed With Constant Threat
- Trotsky lived amid friends and lovers in Mexico, including an affair with Frida Kahlo.
- He later moved to a more fortified compound with high walls as assassination threats from Stalin’s NKVD intensified.
