The following extracts are from a French Trotskyist historian, Pierre Broué in his book

”The “Bloc” of the Oppositions against Stalin”. I present the relevant passages with my brief commentary. The footnotes marked with an * are mine. The numbered footnotes are directly taken from Broué’s book although since I didn’t use all of his footnotes the numbers are different.



Note that as a life long Trotskyist Broue doesn’t accept that the bloc was really terrorist in character or guilty of Kirov’s murder despite the fact that members of it either confessed to it or named others who did. He only admits that the bloc indeed existed and indeed included the people tried in the so-called ”show trials” and that it was involved with at least information gathering in the USSR and had members who were legal members of the Bolshevik Party while secretly being Trotskyists and conspirators. He admits these things despite the fact that Trotsky always attested that the bloc was only a fiction and a lie invented by Stalin.



Trotsky and Sedov lied to everyone including their sympathizers, readers of Trotskyist publications and workers they tried to win over to their cause. Only the active conspirators in the bloc knew it’s true character.



”When we re-examine the Moscow Trials in the light of this recently discovered information, we find another problem raised. The indictment dates the conclusion of the bloc in 1932 as the starting point of the “terrorist activity” of the accused. From their side, Trotsky and Sedov denied that the bloc even existed.” ~ Pierre Broué



Riutin, a long time Menshevik Right-winger who had prior to coming under criticism by Stalin and the other Leninists employed terroristic tactics was involved with the bloc with his group. This Riutin ”Right-wing group” involved Bukharin-ites. This would fit with Bukharin’s testimony that he had heard younger followers of his group talk about murdering Stalin.



”Sedov’s letters make it appear that at that time he applied the term, “right-wingers”, to what historians call the “Riutin Group”, a new group which appeared precisely in 1932 … Riutin was an old Menshevik teacher, who joined the Bolshevik Party after October. He had been a pillar of the “Right” and had particularly distinguished himself in the struggle against the Unified Opposition in 1926–27 by organising “strong arm” squads, to terrorise everyone likely to sympathise with it. However, in 1928 he had been one of the first Stalin attacked … It was then that he had formed a group, with P.A. Galkin, the conspiratorial character of which no one denies. In this group were to be found elements from various currents, such as disciples of Bukharin,” ~ Pierre Broué



A united bloc of the Rights, Zinovievites and Trotskyites was very real as indicated by this letter from Trotsky’s secretary to Trotsky’s son.



”The letter from Van Heijenoort* to Sedov*, 3 July 1937



Dear Friend

I am sending you a copy of a letter […] Here are some indications which my uncle has dictated [1]:



… The question of the bloc was considered in the letter on the basis that some of the capitulators were becoming dissatisfied again with the official policy, without also joining the Left Opposition, …” (Library of Harvard College 13905 quoted in Pierre Broué’s ”The “Bloc” of the Oppositions against Stalin”)



*Trotsky’s secretary ~ M-L Theory

*Trotsky’s son ~ M-L Theory

1. “My uncle” meaning Trotsky



This letter from Trotsky to Sedov clearly demonstrates the existence and the conspiratorial character of this bloc and also the involvement of the Rightists. Trotsky says to Sedov that for the moment the bloc will restrict itself to collecting information (i.e. spying) on the internal affairs of the USSR.



”The letter from Trotsky to Leon Sedov



… The proposal for a bloc seems to me to be completely acceptable. I must make quite clear that we are dealing with a bloc and not a fusion …



… The opinion of the allies, according to which we should wait for the rightwingers to involve themselves more deeply, does not have my agreement, as far as our fraction is concerned. One fights repression by means of anonymity and conspiracy, not by silence. Loss of time is impermissible …



… How is the bloc going to express itself? For the moment, principally by the exchange of information. The allies keep us informed about what concerns the Soviet Union, as we do for them about what concerns the Communist International.”

(Library of Harvard College 13905c and 1010 quoted in Pierre Broué’s ”The “Bloc” of the Oppositions against Stalin”)



In this letter Sedov informs Trotsky that the bloc has been organized. It includes among others the Zinoviev group and the Trotskyists who capitulated to the party majority and therefore still remain inside the party. It also makes it clear that Smirnov and Preobrazhensky were in it but that their group has collapsed due to one of their people confessing to the police.



”Letter from Sedov to Trotsky



The (…)[1] is organised it includes the Zinovievists, the Sten–Lominadze Group and the Trotskyists (former ”…”)[2]. The Safar–Tarkhan Group have not yet formally entered they have too extreme a position; they will enter very soon. The declaration of Z. and K.[3]on the very grave mistake which they made in 1927* was made at the time of the negotiations with our people about the bloc, just before Z. and K. were deported.



The collapse of the I.N. (…) [4] Group, Preobrazh.[5] and Uf. [6](these three groups formed part of the centre) was provoked by a sick, partly insane man. They arrested him by chance and he began to talk. They have certainly found no document in the homes of I.N. or the others that could be “Trotskyist literature”. Some days before I.N. was arrested, he told our informant: “X. has betrayed and I am expecting to be arrested from one day to the next.”

(Library of Harvard College 4782, quoted in Pierre Broué’s ”The “Bloc” of the Oppositions against Stalin”)



1. The missing word has been cut out with scissors. It seems to be the word “bloc”

2. The missing word has been carefully erased. It seems to be “capitulators”.

3. Z and K are obviously Zinoviev and Kamenev.

*Capitulated to the Party majority instead of siding with Trotsky

4. The missing word has been carefully erased. It seems to be “Smirnov”

5. Preobrazhensky

6. Ufimtsev



”As far as the illegal organisation of the Bolshevik-Leninists in the USSR is concerned, only the first steps have been taken towards its re-organisation.”(Trotsky, letter of 16 December 1932)

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