Why was trotsky murdered with an ice axe?

Was this supposed to be symbollic or something? Why not a gun or poison? It seems strange to me that one would bring an ice axe to mexico, but I'm asking as I assume there is more to the story than I know.

It was an Ice axe indeed. The reason is simple. The house that Leon Trotsky bought near Mexico City, in the town of Coyoacan (nowadays it is part of Mexico City) was turn into a fortress.

it is quite easy to read that Stalin had one of his ghouls kill Trotsky, but it was not that simple. Trotsky had strong ties to the Mexican Government, specially to the presindent in office, Lazaro Cardenas. He visited mexico as a representativo of Lenin in the mid-twenties, and as a result when Stalin chased him out of europe, his natural choice was Mexico.

He bought a house, which is still standing on a square piece of land. One of the sides faced a river, Rio Churubusco, the other three faced two streets and an ochard in a very secluded part of a beautiful little town. Many foreigners, and many rich mexicans lived in this area at the time, It was more of a weekend spot, so they kew every person that might be around.

The house was already surrounded by a big wall, being this the custom in mexico for upscale homes, and he transformed it into a fortress. Vigilance towers were built on each corner, four snipers on each one at every time, on 12 hour shifts. the house's walls, built of volcanic stone, were covered with steel plates and then again with brick and mortar, becoming almost 6 feet wide at some points. Four more snipers were perched on the roof at all times, and the garden was attended by two gardeners and 2 assistants, which were in fact bodyguards.

The doors vere bank vault type, made from thick steel plates, and Trotsky's room does not have a window, and the two doors that can open into it, can be shut from the inside with six steel deadbolts each.

Asides from Trotsky's Russian security personnel, Mexican Army's troops patroled arond the block, al day long, non-stop. and the Mexican secret police had the house under surveillance at all times.

Mercader posed as a journalist, he had to gain Trotsky's trust, and he was frisked everytime that he went into the house. At first, the meetings were with Trotsky speaking through a small orifice on his bedroom door, and a bodyguard standing by Mercader on the other side; after several months, and with the intervention of the Mexican Comunist Party, Trotski started to trust in Mercader, and eventually they met for coffee on Trotski's garden every afternoon.

One day Trotsky wanted Mercader to see something he was writing, and invited Mercader to join him in his room, where his working space was set. As Mercader had been frisked and removed of most of his belongings as he came into the house, he looked for a weapon in Trotsky's room, he saw the ice axe, took it from a bookcase, and struck Trotsky's head with it, at least 5 times in the back of the skull.

He tried to flee the scene, only to be shot to death by one of the bodyguards. Leon Trotsky was prompted to a hospital and died almost a week later.

2006-07-29 07:36:21 by corner of the morning | Posted in History

do you know any ice axe for hiking?

Okay, my boyfriend is asking for an ice axe for xmas, he specifically wrote and ice axe for hiking, NOT FOR ICE CLIMBING. i am looking, but all i found is for ice, any advice, or the exact website or store. In nj, please.

Well they don't make ice axes just for hiking, they are used just for that...climbing ice. But for ppl who use them on hikes...say on glaciers or any other icy terrain they usually have a designated "dry tool" used for on rocks and such. If I were you I would go to a major retail store...being in NJ you have Campmor and EMS in Paramus. I would ask an employee there about them and then purchase it on www.backcountry.com This way you get good advice from someone hopefully who uses them and you can actually see the differences. Chances are you wont need anything crazy 9super expensive) since he is using it on hikes. But I would purchase it on Backcountry.com because they have a no questions asked return policy. If he doesnt like it or it breaks years from now or for any reason they will either exchange it or return your money...no questions asked! Good luck

2008-11-20 07:54:59 by deathvirgen | Posted in Other - Outdoor Recreation

Ever flown on an airline with crampons/ice axe?

Has anyone ever tried to fly on a commercial airline with crampons and an ice axe? I'm going on a mountaineering trip in Alaska next month and need to bring these things. I don't really want to let them out of my sight (i.e. unlocked luggage) although I know for sure that I couldn't carry them on. Did your luggage get searched, or did you get pulled out of line at security?
I know I'm going to have to check them, I'm just concerned (1) about theft [that would basically be then end of that trip, as I could not afford to purchase several hundred dollars of mountaineering equipment to replace anything that was stolen, and (2) being hassled by security, as I'm sure many of them haven't ever seen crampons or an ice axe before.

Will have to go into your checked in luggage.
Please put them in the bag, do not attach them to straps or pockets on outside of bag, someone did this and when i walked past the bag fell and i got stabbed in the leg, also may cause damage to other peoples baggage.

2008-06-04 23:58:27 by meegrob | Posted in Air Travel

well people,its going 2 happen,the ice man v/s the axe murderer,who will b triumphant?

we have seen pride fighters come in2 ufc and flop,though chuck has lost 2 in a row

Chuck better win or hes pretty much done like Tito.

2007-10-28 06:34:56 by my_bent_cue | Posted in Martial Arts

Where can I find the Axe Body Spray commercial with the ice cream vendor in the park who goes to the pool?

dude, ever since i saw it i had to find it. just click on the link. it should work..

http://www.dhadm.com/mediaHolder.php?id=1341

2007-03-23 10:55:41 by partblue32 | Posted in Reality Television