Trotsky VS Stalin The leadership struggle began with Stalin's appointment as secretary general. Seen as an unimportant position, party members agreed with his placement. The position of secretary was merely seen as being Lenin's mouthpiece. However when the health of Lenin lost his ability to speak as Lenin's mouthpiece, Stalin had become extremely important. Trotsky was incapacitated by a mystery illness that gave Stalin the opportunity he was waiting for. Trotsky could do nothing as …showed first 75 words of 392 total…

…showed last 75 words of 392 total…him appear unpatriotic, Stalin had told Trotsky that the funeral was on Saturday, not on Sunday. Stalin forced Trotsky to resign as Commissar for War, Trotsky had lost all power. Once Trotsky had been defeated the reasons for the Troika were over. Stalin sides with right wing in 1928 to expel Zinoviev, Kaminev and Trotsky from the party. Trotsky is exiled to Alma Ata before being deported to Turkey in 1929. Stalin had won the Power Struggle.