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*The UK, a strategic rival of Russia, seizes it. Like Newfoundland, it eventually joins Canada as a province.
*The U.S., exercising regional hegemony, seizes it. It eventually becomes a state.
*It remains a Russian backwater mostly ignored and exploited merely for fur. In 1898 the Gold Rush happens. and the U.S. (or, but less likely, the UK and/or Canada) seizes it. It eventually becomes an American state or a Canadian province.
*Somehow, Russia manages to hold it. In 1917, it's where the Whites flee. Sitka becomes the seat of the Russian Empire (which by that time is an empire in name only). The isolation of the young USSR is prolonged, as powers recognize the White government instead of the Reds in Moscow. Eventually, World War II rolls around, which necessitates normalized relations with the Soviets. After the war, Alaskan Russia becomes a U.S.-dominated ally, more or less like South Korea has been since the end of the Korean War (less important strategically, more important symbolically), where it serves as a Cold War hotspot. It remains independent today, with several million people - mostly in large cities in the panhandle, the result of waves of refugees fleeing the Bolsheviks - that morphed post-war into a democracy. It has prospered from oil wealth. People occasionally ask what would have happened to Alaska had that crazy American Secretary of State gotten his way in the 1860s. Opinions abound, but most agree that Alaskan statehood would be a very unrealistic eventuality.
Y'all know, they never actually made a payment.....and, as far as I know, "purchase" was more of a term lease. Term expired long time.
It was paid, the US paid in gold drawn on a check paid to Russia's bank of foreign transactions, and there was no "term lease" stipulation.
However the history of payment is interesting, about $200,000 went to, shall we say, "closing costs" (Russia still got it's full asking price).
I think if the sale was not to the US, it would have been to someone, maybe part of Canada.
The "White Russia" is an interesting thought, and a very plausible one. Bunch of factors involved, including the ability of the Whites to even retreat to such area, as in physically get there from mainland Russia, along with the Bolsheviks attacking and probably trying to cut off such route. Aside from the Whites though, perhaps it would have developed enough to break away during the revolution, with the Bolsheviks unable to field enough forces to retake it, or negotiating a break away.
If it stayed with the USSR, I imagine it would have been an SSR, and achieved independence in 1991. There would be a chance of it reuniting with Russia instead of independence of course.
Russia was apparently looking for a buyer. If not us, Britain/Canada seems logical. The other European countries were in too much turmoil. Germany was unifying. France wanted Mexico. I wonder if Russia would have even sold it to Sweden or Norway if they had the money. If we didn't take it I suspect it would be Canadian now. I don't think it would have just sat there on the bargaining table. I suppose it could have been sold in pieces over time to different buyers.
Russia was apparently looking for a buyer. If not us, Britain/Canada seems logical. The other European countries were in too much turmoil. Germany was unifying. France wanted Mexico. I wonder if Russia would have even sold it to Sweden or Norway if they had the money. If we didn't take it I suspect it would be Canadian now. I don't think it would have just sat there on the bargaining table. I suppose it could have been sold in pieces over time to different buyers.
I don't think they would sell it to Britain considering that was the whole point of selling it to the US so that they don't have to worry about defending it from the Brits. Also this was just after the Crimean war so it would be a very humiliating move to sell Alaska to the Brits who they just fought, and they were competing over central Asia. It would be the equivalent of the US selling Alaska to the Soviet Union during the cold war. And I don't know of anyone else in the region who would want it except for the Japanese, but that would also be a humiliating move for them. So if the Americans don't accept then they probably would have to start prospecting for other resources, for instance Gold was first discovered in 1848 so the Russians would've known that Gold existed there, though Siberia had plenty of it's own gold too. Also the Aleutian islands sit right in the middle of the trade routes between northeast Asia and North America so the Russians could've developed unalalaska into a major trading post where ships could stop and restock supplies and seek shelter from storms. However developing Alaska also makes it a bigger target for attack, but perhaps if Alaska becomes reasonably developed they would have an easier time selling to the Americans at a later date.
I don't think they would sell it to Britain considering that was the whole point of selling it to the US so that they don't have to worry about defending it from the Brits. Also this was just after the Crimean war so it would be a very humiliating move to sell Alaska to the Brits who they just fought, and they were competing over central Asia. It would be the equivalent of the US selling Alaska to the Soviet Union during the cold war. And I don't know of anyone else in the region who would want it except for the Japanese, but that would also be a humiliating move for them. So if the Americans don't accept then they probably would have to start prospecting for other resources, for instance Gold was first discovered in 1848 so the Russians would've known that Gold existed there, though Siberia had plenty of it's own gold too. Also the Aleutian islands sit right in the middle of the trade routes between northeast Asia and North America so the Russians could've developed unalalaska into a major trading post where ships could stop and restock supplies and seek shelter from storms. However developing Alaska also makes it a bigger target for attack, but perhaps if Alaska becomes reasonably developed they would have an easier time selling to the Americans at a later date.
Exactly!
One of the prime reasons Russia sold Alaska to USA was to annoy and stick it to GB.
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