WI: Different Alaska Buyers

TFSmith121

Banned
The Russians didn't want to sell to the British; despite the

mutual non-aggression pact between the HBC and the RAC in 1854-56, the Russians knew they could not hold it against the British in the event of a future war.

In the late 1860s, the French and Spanish had both just been kicked out of the Americas yet again (French from Mexico and Spanish on Hispaniola/Dominican Republic and the Chincha Islands); neither of them would have had any interest, and both had far more reasonable places to the spend their money closer to home.

The Japanese also had more important things to do, and places to spend their money, closer to home...like the Home Islands themselves.

None of the other European nations had any interest; none of the other American (north and south) nations had the resources.

The US had the resources and the strategic need, and the Russians saw the shared interests with the US in this period; positing anything else but the historical results is really a stretch...

It's like arguing the British would not have picked up the Suez Canal concession when it came up for sale. They had the means and the motive; all they needed was the opportunity.

Same for the US and Alaska.

Best,
 
True and

mutual non-aggression pact between the HBC and the RAC in 1854-56, the Russians knew they could not hold it against the British in the event of a future war.

In the late 1860s, the French and Spanish had both just been kicked out of the Americas yet again (French from Mexico and Spanish on Hispaniola/Dominican Republic and the Chincha Islands); neither of them would have had any interest, and both had far more reasonable places to the spend their money closer to home.

The Japanese also had more important things to do, and places to spend their money, closer to home...like the Home Islands themselves.

None of the other European nations had any interest; none of the other American (north and south) nations had the resources.

The US had the resources and the strategic need, and the Russians saw the shared interests with the US in this period; positing anything else but the historical results is really a stretch...

It's like arguing the British would not have picked up the Suez Canal concession when it came up for sale. They had the means and the motive; all they needed was the opportunity.

Same for the US and Alaska.

Best,

Lets say Russia sells Alaska to Spain or France instead of the US? How would this affect Russian-American Relations? Would it be severe or minor?
 

TFSmith121

Banned
Emperor Maximillian, the natives are restless...

And exactly what will the Americans be able to do? Nothing.

Aside from the Russians not having any desire to sell it to the British, you mean? And its not like the British didn't already have several million miles of ice-bound wasteland under their flag anyway...;)

Presumably something like what the US did in Mexico in 1865-67 would be an option...

Best,
 

TFSmith121

Banned
After the results of 1862-67, why in the world would

Lets say Russia sells Alaska to Spain or France instead of the US? How would this affect Russian-American Relations? Would it be severe or minor?

After the results of 1862-67, why in the world would either nation want to get involved in North America yet again?

I mean, NIII may not have been the sharpest sabre in the rack, but even he gave up on Max's excellent adventure, and the Spanish gave up on the Dominican Republic and the Chile-Peru confrontation...

After 1866, the French certainly have more important things to worry about (Alsace and Lorraine, for example) and the Spanish have just been defeated by Santo Domingo...

The definition of insanity is what, again?

I just don't see any other power being a) offered, and b) capable of buying Alaska from the Russians, other than the US.

Best,
 
The only other nation with the resources and strategic reason to purchase Alaska is the British Empire. It would get Russia out of North America and away from British North America, while preventing the USA from flanking same.
 
Top