Neither theory nor conspiracy, vika
- Lev Davidovich Bronstein took the name Trotsky at some time after he had first been arrested for dissidence (late C19, probably) He really came to prominance in the 1905 near-revolution, when his great powers of organisation were first brought into prominence and he then went on to serve as left-hand man to Lenin through the November (or October, whichever calendar you follow) Revolution.
He went on to form and lead - with great success - the Red Army throughout the Civil War and the was against the western powers that followed.
He fled to Mexico soon after Lenin's death, where he was assassinated in 1947 edit sorry - that should read 1940! - reputedly on the orders of Comrade Djugashvilli!