AHC: Vladivostok a technological hub and sprawling megalopolis

[brekkur]

I recently came across this althistory page: https://althistory.fandom.com/wiki/Russian_Confederated_Union_(Inverse_Spectrum:_Chaos_&_Resolve)
In the post, the creator turned Vladivostok into "the world's most modernized city", and Vladivostok became one of the major tech hubs of the world.

With a POD of 1900, turn Vladivostok from a city with a measly population of ~600k. To a sprawling metropolis of 3-4+ million people, and one of the technological hubs of the world, being able to rival the worlds best.
Be as realistic as you want, or as far-fetched as you'd like. The choice is all yours, anything goes.

 

[James123456]

Not deporting Koreans and Chinese People would probably have helped. Before the First World War, less than half of Vladivostok’s 120,000 people were Russian. A large portion of Vladivostok’s population were Koreans and Chinese.

 

[Monk78]

Soviet economy and society progressively modernize and becomes more capitalist under Khrushchev, by 1980 they are attracting the best talent in tech from all over the world.
Given their improved relations with NATO post Vietnam, west is not overly concerned.
Secondly China US thawing of relations never happens.
Ussr military focus pivots mostly to the east and west is relieved they don’t have to spend insane amounts on conventional military at home.
Vladivostok can also be a constant thorn in the side of China , they renew claims on it and Soviets use that as a pretext to greatly beef up their forces there.
Vladivostok develops its own distinct culture and due to influx of tech talent from all over the world it’s the most westernized city in ussr. A new genre of rock music develops there which captures the musical world by storm by 1985. Hippie trail of 70s gets rerouted through stans to end in the Russian Far East.

 

[Polish Eagle]

Does it have to stay part of a government in Moscow, be it White or Soviet?

Prying it off into the Japanese Empire or a resurgent China would seem to be an effective way to bring it closer to the economic action of the Pacific, rather than a minor distant satellite of Moscow.

 

[brekkur]

Does it have to stay part of a government in Moscow, be it White or Soviet?

Prying it off into the Japanese Empire or a resurgent China would seem to be an effective way to bring it closer to the economic action of the Pacific, rather than a minor distant satellite of Moscow.

Hmmm. Preferably under control of Moscow if you can.
But I have no problem with it being incorporated into Japan or China if your scenario calls for it. 👍

 

[Polish Eagle]

Hmmm. Preferably under control of Moscow if you can.
But I have no problem with it being incorporated into Japan or China if your scenario calls for it. 👍

One of the issues with doing this with Moscow is that, as I said, Vladivostok is a remote provincial town in any Muscovite state. You need to get a lot of people to it if you want to create the intellectual and financial capital to turn it into a real Pacific metropolis. As was said upthread, not expelling the Koreans is a big start (protecting them from criminal exploitation is also necessary--migratory Koreans were favored prey for Cossacks before 1917). Improving educational infrastructure and transportation links is also necessary if this is going to be anything more than a seaport. I don't see a good way to do this with the USSR.

One of the things that helped Japan develop an export-oriented manufacturing sector was the logistical support its economy provided to US efforts in SE Asia and Korea. Maybe, in a No World Wars scenario, have Vladivostok turn into an export and then manufacturing hub for automobile exports to Japan?

 

[Aisha Clan-Clan]

USSR wins battle of warsaw and eventual second and third world wars. Vladvivostok is a major metropolis due to helping act as an economic center for the empire's east asian components of manchuria, korea an Japan.

 

[James123456]

Finding a way to prevent the Russian Civil War would also help. Vladivostok was plundered and looted by the Japanese during the Russian Civil War and a large portion of the Vladivostok’s population fled from Russia during the war. Preventing the First World War would also help as Vladivostok was experiencing rapid economic and population growth until the First World War started.