Historical Context: Sale of Alaska by Russia to the United States
In a historic meeting set to take place in Anchorage, Alaska on Friday, United States President Donald Trump and Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin will discuss various global issues. This meeting at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska's largest military base, brings to mind the fascinating history of how Alaska came to be a part of the United States.
The roots of this story can be traced back to as early as 1725, when Russian Tsar Peter the Great dispatched the Danish navigator Vitus Bering to explore the Alaskan coast, indicating Russia's high interest in the region. However, it wasn't until the 1860s that Alaska became a part of the United States.
The sale of Alaska, often referred to as the Alaska Purchase, was primarily driven by economic costs and logistical difficulties. After the costly Crimean War (1853-1856), Russia found it increasingly expensive and challenging to supply and defend Alaska. The war left Russia financially weakened, making Alaska more of a liability than an asset.
Furthermore, the post-Crimean War debt and the shift in strategic focus towards Asia played significant roles in Russia's decision. The American drive for westward expansion (Manifest Destiny) and competition from the British Hudson’s Bay Company made Russian retention of Alaska tenuous.
Russia also recognized the inevitability of U.S. control and saw the sale as a way to gain funds while avoiding conflict with the United States. This pragmatic diplomacy reflected both Russia's economic challenges and geopolitical calculations following the Crimean War.
The Alaska Purchase was finalized for $7.2 million in 1867, a price that some critics called "Seward's Folly" or "Seward's Icebox." However, the Klondike Gold Strike in 1896 changed perceptions, transforming Alaska from a ridiculed purchase into a resource-rich state, built on a mix of natural resource extraction, fishing, and tourism.
Today, Alaska has grown to become a significant contributor to the U.S. economy, with tourism playing a prominent role. In fact, when Trump visited the base during his first term, in 2019, he acknowledged the troops there serve as America's first line of defense.
As we look forward to the upcoming meeting between Trump and Putin, it's worth reflecting on the historical context that led to the sale of Alaska. This sale, driven by economic factors and geopolitical calculations, has shaped Alaska into the thriving state it is today.
References:
- "Russia and the United States: A History of Ambivalence." Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved March 24, 2023, from https://www.britannica.com/topic/Russia-and-the-United-States-A-History-of-Ambivalence
- The forthcoming meeting between Trump and Putin in Anchorage, Alaska, brings to mind the historical context that led to the sale of Alaska, a transaction predominantly motivated by economic challenges and geopolitical calculations.
- The sale of Alaska, referred to as the Alaska Purchase, took place in 1867, following Russia's financial weakness and logistical difficulties post the Crimean War (1853-1856).
- In the aftermath of the Crimean War, Russia recognised the inevitability of US control and saw the sale as a means to gather funds while avoiding conflict with the United States, a pragmatic diplomatic move reflecting both economic hardships and geopolitical calculations.
- Today, Alaska, a significant contributor to the US economy, serves as America's first line of defense, with tourism playing a prominent role, a marked contrast from the purchase's initial dismissal as "Seward's Folly."
