The Assassination of Trotsky with H. Keith Melton
International Spy Museum
3,735 views
The official launch of a groundbreaking new book on the investigation into one of the twentieth century’s most infamous political murders, The Assassination of Leon Trotsky: Espionage, Scandal and the Crime of the Century by H. Keith Melton and Nigel West.
Drawing upon decades of research, rare archival discoveries, intelligence files, and newly uncovered evidence, H. Keith Melton will reveal the complete inside story of Stalin’s relentless secret war against his greatest enemy. Hear how Soviet intelligence planned and executed the operation that culminated in Trotsky’s murder in Mexico City in 1940, including the extraordinary espionage tradecraft behind the plot, the infiltration of Trotsky’s inner circle, and the remarkable story of how GPU operatives selected one of history’s most unusual murder weapons: an ice-climbing axe. (The axe is on view at the Spy Museum thanks to Melton!) Melton also presents startling new conclusions about why Trotsky should have survived, including critical failures in security, medicine, and decision-making during the final hours after the attack.
This presentation was recorded live at the International Spy Museum in Washington, DC, on August 6, 2026.
Spy Museum's upcoming programs: https://www.spymuseum.org/calendar/
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The Spy Museum does not endorse, approve, or support the opinions stated by guest speakers. Statements made by speakers do not represent the position or opinion of the International Spy Museum.
8 Comments
He got an ice pick, that made his ears burn....
The Assassination of Trotsky with H. Keith Melton
International Spy Museum
3,735 views
The official launch of a groundbreaking new book on the investigation into one of the twentieth century’s most infamous political murders, The Assassination of Leon Trotsky: Espionage, Scandal and the Crime of the Century by H. Keith Melton and Nigel West.
Drawing upon decades of research, rare archival discoveries, intelligence files, and newly uncovered evidence, H. Keith Melton will reveal the complete inside story of Stalin’s relentless secret war against his greatest enemy. Hear how Soviet intelligence planned and executed the operation that culminated in Trotsky’s murder in Mexico City in 1940, including the extraordinary espionage tradecraft behind the plot, the infiltration of Trotsky’s inner circle, and the remarkable story of how GPU operatives selected one of history’s most unusual murder weapons: an ice-climbing axe. (The axe is on view at the Spy Museum thanks to Melton!) Melton also presents startling new conclusions about why Trotsky should have survived, including critical failures in security, medicine, and decision-making during the final hours after the attack.
This presentation was recorded live at the International Spy Museum in Washington, DC, on August 6, 2026.
Spy Museum's upcoming programs: https://www.spymuseum.org/calendar/
Follow us:
Facebook: Facebook: IntlSpyMuseum
Twitter: Twitter: intlspymuseum
Instagram: Instagram: spymuseum
SpyCast: https://www.spymuseum.org/podcast/
The Spy Museum does not endorse, approve, or support the opinions stated by guest speakers. Statements made by speakers do not represent the position or opinion of the International Spy Museum.
"Throughout the book, the brutal culture of the Soviet intelligence services comes to life through anecdotes, stories, biographical snippets, and new revelations. The strength of Melton and West’s book lies in its meticulous study of various versions of this history, blended with modern-day revelations and sources unavailable decades ago.
While it contains hundreds of endnotes, the book is written in a very readable style for the generalist, with enough facts and citations to satisfy the curiosity of the most ardent of specialists."
A truly monumental contribution! - Sean Wiswesser, former CIA Senior Operations Officer,
Author of “Tradecraft, Tactics, and Dirty Tricks: Russian Intelligence and Putin's Secret War“