An ice axe, a bloody study in Mexico City, and a betrayal years in the making. In this episode, we uncover the true story behind the brutal assassination of Leon Trotsky. At its centre is Ramón Mercader, a Soviet-trained agent who infiltrated Trotsky’s inner circle and killed him. But this was more than a simple murder - it was the result of Stalin’s ruthless drive to eliminate all rivals and consolidate power. With us is Josh Ireland, author of "The Death of Trotsky: The True Story of the Plot to Kill Stalin's Greatest Enemy". He explains the shadowy politics of Stalin's Kremlin, and how manipulation and conviction put Mercader on a path to Mexico City... 0:00 Introduction 1:53 The Origins of a Bitter Rivalry 5:15 Trotsky: The Voice of the Revolution 7:30 Exile and the Return of the Bolsheviks 14:15 Seizing Power: The 1917 Coup 16:25 Commander of the Red Army 19:55 The Death of Lenin & Succession Struggle 21:50 How Stalin Built a Bureaucratic Empire 28:30 Hunted: Trotsky’s Flight to Mexico 40:10 The Assassin: Recruiting Ramon Mercader 47:45 The First Failed Raid & The Ice Axe Plot 55:35 The Final Blow: August 20, 1940 1:00:40 Aftermath: The Fate of the Assassin Produced by Mariana Des Forges, James Hickmann and McKenna Fernandez, edited by Matthew Wilson & the channel manager is Vilde Øksnes. You can find more Dan Snow's History Hit on the audio podcast here: https://podfollow.com/dan-snows-history-hit/view Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe. All music from Epidemic Sounds. #DanSnowsHistoryHit #HistoryPodcast #Trotsky