Sylvia Ageloff and the assassination of Leon Trotsky - Q&A with David North and Eric London

Ten key points: (00:24) Who was Leon Trotsky, and why did Stalin seek his death? (12:30) Why was Trotsky’s assassination the “most consequential political assassination of the 20th century?” (20:26) What was the political purpose of Security and the Fourth International? (26:16) Eric London introduces his series detailing the role of Sylvia Ageloff. (30:35) London speaks on the significance of Trotsky’s death and the effort to expose those involved in the assassination and its coverup. (40:12) North explains the political array of forces at the time the investigation began which accounts for the hostility to it. (01:13:10) London reviews how Ramon Mercader received the assignment to kill Trotsky. (01:33:04) North notes that the article series shows we are now in a different period, with powerful forces opening the way for social revolution. (01:44:10) London explains why Security and Fourth International and the fight for historical truth is so critical to the development of the working class movement today. (01:49:03) North concludes by explaining that the most powerful political weapon the working class has is understanding its history. Read the article series on Sylvia Ageloff and the assassination of Leon Trotsky on the WSWS: These findings are part of the decades-long Security and the Fourth International investigation into Trotsky’s assassination by Stalin’s GPU. See the history and findings of the investigation on the WSWS at