Russian Africa
- Thread starter Agentdark
- Start date
Max Sinister
Banned
Difficult. For the beginning, they'd have to take Sweden and Denmark and/or Norway, so they have free access to the Atlantic (Pacific might work too, but that's farther away from Africa. Other ways might be possible too, but that's improbable too). Then, they could start to build up a navy, and acquire colonies. Still difficult, because the other powers won't like it.
I once thought about a Russia-wank (can't be called other than that), where Russia conquers the whole Middle East (incl. destruction of Mecca and Medina), and next makes Ethiopia / Abyssinia their protectorate.
I once thought about a Russia-wank (can't be called other than that), where Russia conquers the whole Middle East (incl. destruction of Mecca and Medina), and next makes Ethiopia / Abyssinia their protectorate.
How about a more successful German Empire in terms of getting colonies pre-WWI, and more stable Russian Empire? WWI proceeds slightly faster, and results in a much worse defeat for the Central Powers. The Entente powers are feeling very vengeful, and impose draconian peace on Germany, with its colonies being divided amongst the victors. Therefore, Russia (in addition to capturing the Straits and now having an outlet into the Mediterranean) will end up with its share of formerly German colonies.
Another way to do it is to have some of the more pro-Soviet African states apply to join the USSR as SSRs. I wonder if perhaps Angola would fit the bill, or maybe a few others, providing the leadership is sufficiently, ah, "persuaded" by the Soviets. Can't be that much worse off than they are in OTL... whatever one says about the Soviets, they managed to keep internecine conflict to a minimum before USSR began to break up.
In the next chapter of my Trastamara TL, the russians, after reaching the Indian Ocean occupying OTL Pakistan they will jump to East Africa...
Perhaps Italy never unites (or unites later or just isn't able to) get their section of Somaliland and the Russians get it. A Russian Mogadishu would be a good port for travel between the Black Sea and the Russian Far East.
Maybe we could do something with Courland?
Assuming they hold St. Andrews Island untill 1795, it would get transfered to Russia together with the Duchy itself.
They already lost it in 1659, but assuming the Dutch let them be, the resulting conquests by the English and French could be butterflied away.
Russia in the late 18th, early 19th century actually had a pretty decent fleet and a base like this would fit nicely with their exploration voyages of around that time (like the one that discovered Antarctica in 1820).
Assuming they hold St. Andrews Island untill 1795, it would get transfered to Russia together with the Duchy itself.
They already lost it in 1659, but assuming the Dutch let them be, the resulting conquests by the English and French could be butterflied away.
Russia in the late 18th, early 19th century actually had a pretty decent fleet and a base like this would fit nicely with their exploration voyages of around that time (like the one that discovered Antarctica in 1820).
What if, in the 1980s, 1990s or 2000s, Russian plutocrats decided to pool their resources in taking political and economic control of some of the more corrupt African countries? The fewer people are in control in a country, the easier it is to get rid of them and put in your own people. Or would the plutocrats end up fighting each other?
Russia needs rights in the Bosphourus. They need a chance to project power, I know its a wank, but Russia will never be a world power if they try to use the Baltic Fleet to take care of thier business. They'd have to steam eleventy-seven thousand miles to make a point, in the Pacific....They're basically doomed. IMO, Russia should've stuck to what they know. Take baby steps from there, be patient.
Max Sinister
Banned
@Smaug: They'd also need the Suez canal in addition, or they're restricted to North Africa.
or be on good terms with the British. In the aftermath of an early victory in an alt-WW I this may be possible.
Alcuin
Banned
How about a PoD some time in the 1750s. While France and Britain are fighting the Seven Years War, Spain joins the French side and Russia joins the British. The war lasts a little longer perhaps but as a result, Britain takes Canada as in OTL and Florida, while Russian America is extended as far South as Baja California.
When the Fourteen Colonies revolt, France and Spain move to support the Colonists but Russia attacks Spain, forcing Spain to withdraw and the War of Independence proceeds much as in OTL. In the South and West though, Russia has taken Mexico and now becomes fully enmeshed in the American continent.
Russia has a different concept of slavery to the West and so, when Britain and the US establish colonies for former slaves in West Africa (ie Liberia and Sierra Leone in OTL), Russia does the same, prefering to use peasants from throughout the Russian Empire, rather than import slaves from Africa. Thus, Russia's first African "colony" is established on the West Coast of Africa in the 1830s.
Meanwhile, Russia finds its famous warm water port when it takes Korea in the 1850s, rapidly followed by Japan in 1865. Further expansion in the pacific, taking Hawaii and such Spanish colonies as the Philippines so that,
when the treaty to divide Africa is drawn up in 1906, Russia gets territories in East Africa (that can easily be reached from the Philippines) and perhaps one or two small colonies in West Africa.
But really. A Russia that size would hardly manage to convince other powers it should have colonies (balance of power and all that).
David S Poepoe
Banned
Exactly where is Russia suppose to attack Spain? Is it going to march overland thru Europe?
Here's an idea: Arguin.
From 1685-1701, Brandenburg, then Prussia held the island of Arguin off the coast of modern-day Mauritania. France and the Netherlands soon competed for control of this island, with France winning out and holding the island for a few years. Suppose that then, or maybe as a result of the Napoleonic Wars, Russia gets Arguin. Then, from there, if Russia bothers to do anything with this colony, it could expand onto the mainland.
From 1685-1701, Brandenburg, then Prussia held the island of Arguin off the coast of modern-day Mauritania. France and the Netherlands soon competed for control of this island, with France winning out and holding the island for a few years. Suppose that then, or maybe as a result of the Napoleonic Wars, Russia gets Arguin. Then, from there, if Russia bothers to do anything with this colony, it could expand onto the mainland.