alternatehistory.com

In 1920, the last remaining White Russian forces in the western part of the former Russian Empire were evacuated from Crimea after their last line of defense was breached in the narrow Perekop Isthmus.

Known as "Wrangel's Fleet" after its commander, this force consisted of 2 battleships, 2 cruisers, a dozen destroyers, and if we include transports large and small, the total number of ships rises to 126. These carried 145,693 soldiers and civilians, not counting the crews. Many civilians got off in Constantinople, and the rest sailed on to Tunisia, where they languished for 4 years, until France recognized the Soviet Union, and "returned" their ships, which were in such a bad condition at this point that they had to be scrapped.

Also in 1920, the extremely gruesome Nikolayevsk incident took place in the Russian Far East, which prompted a Japanese occupation of northern Sakhalin, which they eventually evacuated in 1926.

On the Siberian mainland, Vladivostok had to be abandoned by the White Russians in September 1921. Anywhere between 100.000 and 200.000 Russians fled to Harbin in Manchuria, but their situation dramatically worsened in 1924 due to the rapprochement between the Chinese and Bolsheviks.

However, let's assume that the French decline to take Wrangel, and he sails east, where Vladivostok is still in White Russian hands. However, as the Japanese announce their withdrawal, the Whites realize that their position on the mainland is untenable. Some flee to Manchuria in China, the rest to Sakhalin.

In June 1923 OTL, the last White Russian forces in the east were defeated in Yakutia. ITTL however, Wrangel, or whoever ends up in charge, continues to dominate northern Sakhalin island. Given their absence of a navy and the high concentration of Whites on the island, the Bolsheviks are unable to dislodge them. Furthermore, given their naval dominance, the White forces would be in a prime position to occupy Kamchatka, and easily keep it supplied and defended in the face of any sort of Bolshevik offensive, given that there were NO ROADS leading there, making any overland advance nigh-impossible. They might even keep the city of Magadan under such conditions (light-pink area). However, at the very least the dark-red bits should be kept.

upload_2018-8-2_14-24-38.png
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1lj-lfwG8WlnLAz1o-8k8dcWttlIPJBaV&usp=sharing

As the years go by, many of the White Russian emigrees stuck in Manchuria would be able to move to this last haven of non-communist Russia, as would others living in parts of Europe.

How long can they last?
Top