he vik ▁Revolution ▁had ▁just ▁started ▁in ▁Russia . ▁Without ▁hes itation , ▁and ▁now here ▁else ▁to ▁go , ▁Nil son ▁went ▁to ▁visit ▁Russia ▁in ▁company ▁with ▁the ▁Swedish ▁commun ist ▁leader ▁T ure ▁N erman . ▁ ▁Anton ▁Nil son ▁decided ▁to ▁join ▁the ▁Red ▁Army , ▁fighting ▁as ▁a ▁pilot ▁in ▁the ▁civil ▁war . ▁Nil son ▁helped ▁organ ize ▁the ▁air ▁defense ▁of ▁Moscow , ▁later ▁taking ▁command ▁of ▁the ▁air ▁force ▁on ▁the ▁Balt ic ▁Front . ▁For ▁his ▁services ▁his ▁com r ades ▁elected ▁him ▁to ▁receive ▁an ▁award ▁from ▁Leon ▁T rot sky . ▁ ▁At ▁the ▁rise ▁of ▁St alin ism , ▁Anton ▁Nil son ▁decided ▁to ▁return ▁to ▁Sweden ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 6 . ▁He ▁would ▁always ▁consider ▁St alin ▁as ▁a ▁tra itor ▁to ▁the ▁revolution , ▁saying : ▁" St alin ▁took ▁the ▁state ▁police , ▁which ▁had ▁been ▁formed ▁against ▁the ▁counter - re volution , ▁and ▁turned ▁it ▁against ▁social ists .... " ▁and ▁an ▁ad her ent ▁to ▁the ▁fasc ist ▁model ▁of ▁a ▁police ▁state . ▁His ▁departure ▁from ▁the ▁Soviet ▁Union ▁may ▁well ▁have ▁saved ▁him ▁from ▁the ▁Great ▁P urg es ▁during ▁the ▁ 1 9 3 0 s . ▁ ▁When ▁Nik ita ▁K hr ush chev ▁took ▁over ▁the ▁leadership ▁of ▁the ▁Soviet ▁Union ▁after ▁the ▁death ▁of ▁Joseph ▁St alin ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 3 , ▁Anton ▁Nil son ▁considered ▁it ▁a ▁positive ▁development . ▁ ▁For ▁the ▁rest