The Alaskan Question

[PJ Norris]

Just a simple POD, what if Seward never chose or was denied by the U.S. government to purchase Alaska from the Russians?

 

[Wendell]

I've been planning such a timeline for a while now.

Just a simple POD, what if Seward never chose or was denied by the U.S. government to purchase Alaska from the Russians?

The biggest differences will come in the twentieth century, when the Russian civil war results in two rival Russian governments;the Monarchy in Alaska, and the Communists in Moscow.

 

[PJ Norris]

Thanks Wendell. ANYONE ELSE is this gonna be a dead end?

 

[Melvin Loh]

Well, on the native issue, probably cont'd depradations by Russian trappers and soldiers against the local Inuit population, resulting in near-genocide (the Russians' record on treating indig ppl during their tenure in Alaska was quite awful).

 

[Hierophant]

Whose to say the Communists dont end up in Alaska?

 

[Nicole]

Whose to say the Communists dont end up in Alaska?

The British in Canada? The United States?

 

[Wozza]

The British in Canada? The United States?

Maybe it becomes Japanese...

 

[Nicole]

I think the US and Canada likely occupy it during the Russian Civil War (assuming history stays the same up to that point) to prop up some White Regime in New Archanglesk.. I think Japan was more interested in the Far East, and anyway, Monroe Doctrine!

 

[Wozza]

I think the US and Canada likely occupy it during the Russian Civil War (assuming history stays the same up to that point) to prop up some White Regime in New Archanglesk.. I think Japan was more interested in the Far East, and anyway, Monroe Doctrine!

Russo-Japanese War?

Monroe Doctrine - that's a good one, best straight man in the business

 

[Mike Stearns]

The biggest differences will come in the twentieth century, when the Russian civil war results in two rival Russian governments;the Monarchy in Alaska, and the Communists in Moscow.

I think that this scenario is quite likely, at least until World War II when Stalin decides to use the war as an excuse to take out his monarchist enemies, in which case, you'd probably have World War II and World War III going at the same time since the United States would probably view such an incursion against North American soveriegnty as an act of war.

 

[David S Poepoe]

Maybe it becomes Japanese...

Highly unlikely. Aside from the existence of the Monroe Doctrine, it would prove a major stumbling block at the Portsmouth Talks to end the Russo-Japanese War. The US has been regarding the Japanese as a potential rival since the end of the Spanish-American War, so I doubt they will tolerate a Japanese Alaska. It would be easier to exploit Manchuria than develop Alaska for the Japanese.

 

[Wendell]

I think that this scenario is quite likely, at least until World War II when Stalin decides to use the war as an excuse to take out his monarchist enemies, in which case, you'd probably have World War II and World War III going at the same time since the United States would probably view such an incursion against North American soveriegnty as an act of war.

I'm planning such a timeline Expect the end of the Soviet Union, Nazi Germany, and imperial Japan. The postwar era could feature a smaller, or different Cold War?

 

[Max Sinister]

A WW2 with three parties (Western Allies, Axis, Soviets)? A land war between the US and Russia would mean too heavy casualties for the former, I think...

 

[Wendell]

A WW2 with three parties (Western Allies, Axis, Soviets)? A land war between the US and Russia would mean too heavy casualties for the former, I think...

Russia and Hitler are stuck with each other, and there is no allied Lend-lease to Stalin in TTL.