Russia from 1865 - an alternative timeline

[Grey Wolf]

Russia, 1865 and there is great relief as Tsesarevitch Nikolai, eldest son of Tsar Aleksandr II, survives a severe chest infection. He goes on to marry Princess Dagmar of Denmark

Tsesarevtich Nikolai has an increasing role in state affairs and it is often attributed to his influence that the great Ferdinand de Lesseps embarks upon the titanic undertaking of the Calais-to-Calcutta Railway which will take him the rest of his working life to see completed.

During the 1880s the USA embarks upon the construction of the Nicaragua Canal

The completion of the Calais-to-Calcutta Railway is only the first part of increaded Russian railway construction within Asia, and is followed by lines across the Far East. This leads to an increasing regionalism, with the communities of these areas becoming more able to supply their needs without having to rely on Saint Petersburg.

Clemenceau becomes premier of France in the late 1890s

Witte's policy on China is followed more closely in Saint Petersburg, and the sexagenarian Tsar Nicholas II is happy to adopt more of a waiting policy in the early twentieth century. Witte's maxim that most of China will eventually fall to Russian ownership, if the issue is not pushed, seems to be fully on track when in 1911 Mongolia secedes from the splintering Chinese state, and concludes an alliance of necessity with the Russian Empire

The death of Emperor Franz Josef of Austria-Hungary in 1916 brings the nations of Europe close to war as his successor, Franz Ferdinand institutes reforms which at one go alienate the Hungarians and get the backs up of the pan-Slavist movement who see a Triple Monarchy as the end of their dreams of splintering the Habsburg state for their own ends. The ageing Nicholas II is prevailed upon to grant more powers to his son and heir, the Tsesarevitch Nikolai and this individual, flexing his diplomatic muscles on the big scene for the first time, precipitates by his actions the Great War of 1917-1922

With the collapse of Russian arms in 1921, Britain and Japan elect to continue the war by forming a new front at the Urals. The twin railway systems of the Far East and of Calcutta to Orenburg aid this endeavour, and Allied troops engage the revolutionary armies in the Ural Mountains.

With the collapse of the Central Powers in 1922, Allied intervention in the Urals is scaled down. As a battered Revolutionary regime consolidates power in Moscow, much of Central Asia is federated into a system of sovereign but dependent states under British overall control, modelled upon India, whilst the Far Eastern Republic is proclaimed as a Japanese vassal. Mongolia becomes an independent constitutional monarchy.

Grey Wolf

[David S Poepoe]

So the British are fine with the Franco-Russian 'Calais to Calcutta Line'?

[Grey Wolf]

Originally Posted by David S Poepoe

So the British are fine with the Franco-Russian 'Calais to Calcutta Line'?

Well, I imagine that its an international consortium, with de Lesseps as chief engineer and CEO. I would assume there is a lot of British investment, and Britain of course is getting a railway line INTO Central Asia as well as one from it.

This is a historical proposal by de Lesseps - I just decided it would have interesting side effects and ran with it.

As for the 1916 spark of war, I'm glad you didn't obsess on that as its really irrelevant as to what exactly starts the war, it just needs a spark, any spark etc.

Grey Wolf

[benedict XVII]

Originally Posted by David S Poepoe

So the British are fine with the Franco-Russian 'Calais to Calcutta Line'?

If they were OK with Suez, why not with Calais-Calcutta?

[jolo]

Though railways taking others their possibilities for control or making money were not always popular, they were never a reason for real fighting, afaik. And with the railway connection between the border and the Indian rail system - if the British had refused to do that, the Russians would have gotten a big trading city close to the Indian Border. Usually, the British shouldn't mind to connect India and Russia, as it gives them a possibility to get support or give support in any war or rebellion.

[Ben Matthews UK]

Wouldn't a rail line from Russia into India increase the threat of Russian invasion?

[Wendell]

Does the United States still get Alaska?

[David S Poepoe]

Originally Posted by Grey Wolf

As for the 1916 spark of war, I'm glad you didn't obsess on that as its really irrelevant as to what exactly starts the war, it just needs a spark, any spark etc.

Grey Wolf

Well, since you mentioned it...

[Chengar Qordath]

Originally Posted by Wendell

Does the United States still get Alaska?

I would think so, the PoD is only two years before the sale, and Alaska is still going to be undeveloped and have little clear economic value, and Russia will probably still need the money. Given that, Russia will still probably want to sell it, and the only two states interested in buying it would be the US and the UK, and Russia is much friendlier with the US.

[Wendell]

Originally Posted by Chengar Qordath

I would think so, the PoD is only two years before the sale, and Alaska is still going to be undeveloped and have little clear economic value, and Russia will probably still need the money. Given that, Russia will still probably want to sell it, and the only two states interested in buying it would be the US and the UK, and Russia is much friendlier with the US.

It's just that I've planned a timeline where the fate of Alaska is different.

[jolo]

Originally Posted by Ben Matthews UK

Wouldn't a rail line from Russia into India increase the threat of Russian invasion?

The British build rail lines in India, the Russians in Russia. A few (hundred?) kilometers inbetween doesn't make much difference and could be changed easily. The only danger for GB is, that India might become less dependend on GB.

[Grey Wolf]

Originally Posted by Wendell

Does the United States still get Alaska?

Yes, there's nothing happened to change that

I was looking for the least possible butterflies so that the sequence of events regarding Russia could occur. I realise that one event could prevent a later one from occurring at all, howver.

As for the Great War spark, have it be whatever you want, I really don't care. I just needed something to stick in the timeline !

Grey Wolf