Was Trotsky’s leadership of the Red Army responsible for the survival of the Bolshevik Revolution?

It is undoubtable that Trotsky’s leadership of the Red Army played a significant role in ensuring the Bolshevik Revolution survived the civil war of 1918-1921. However, there are other factors that also contributed to this outcome that must be taken into account. The Red Army was incredibly strong, in numbers, unity and concentration in one area, and the White armies matched this in equal levels of weakness. They were made up of many smaller factions who did not all share the same end goal, and their geographical disadvantages meant that they were significantly worse off in comparison to the Red Army. Lenin’s leadership and the clear aims of the Bolsheviks as well as the Terror that he implemented throughout Russia were also vital to Bolshevik survival. The weaknesses of opposition groups and the organisation and skills of the entire Bolshevik party were key to the survival of the revolution, however, Trotsky’s Red Army and his leadership of it held the same level of importance. Without one of these three key factors, the Bolsheviks would not have succeeded to the heights that they did. It is not possible to give credit to one factor over another when analysing the survival of the Revolution, but rather these factors must be considered in tandem with one another. These three factors all contributed to eventual Bolshevik seizure of power in 1921, and whilst they are equal in importance, without Trotsky’s leadership of the Red army, the Bolshevik Revolution would not have succeeded to the extent it did with his help.