A Russian Alaska AU

DieReichsfurher

Posted: November 13th, 2017, 1:26 am

Posts: 14
Joined: March 7th, 2017, 4:59 am

Hello and welcome to my first AU. I created this after I came up with the idea of what would have happened had Russia not sold Alaska to the United States. In this timeline, Russia made a larger effort in colonizing Alaska early on, and gave the charter to more experianced business men, making the colony more profitable than it had been in our time.

Fast forward to the Russo-Japanese war, and naval bases in Western Alaska become an asset and a target. The small force assigned to the defense of Alaska is seen as a possible threat by the Japanease, distracting a part of their navy for raids and attacks against Russian ports in North America and making the Battle of Tsushima less of the outright slaughter it was in our time. With only 2 damaged battleships and 5 smaller vessels surviving the engagement, the Russian naval command and government were forced to begin talks of peace. Accepting president Roosevelts invitation for mediation, Japan was prevented from gaining land in Alaska due to Roosevelts strict adhereance to the Monroe doctrine, (Although the Alaska government had only superficial independence) leading to the peace we know of today. With the loss of Manchuria, Alaska gained even greater importance than previously, snd the surviving ships of the Russian Baltic Fleet was sent to Alaska to bolster its detachment. However, with debts mounting for the Russian government, it was neccessary to sell the southern areas of the Alaskan territory. Offers were made to the United States and Canada, With the United States eventually winning out. With the outbreak of the First World War, Alaska remained mainly untouched aside from some fleet training maneuvers and the rebasing of the Alaskin attachment to the Baltic Sea.

Once the Russian Civil War began, most of Alaska remained loyal to the Tzar, and began to send resources and men to the White Forces in eastern Russia. The war would parallel the one in our own time, up until late 1919. White forces bolstered by a large Alaskan Volunteer Force "Царские аляскинские волонтеры" would hold the Russian Far East for several years, each year getting more and more men and resources from Alaska and International volunteers. Finally, in 1924, the Soviet government agreed to peace talks, and on September 3rd 1924, the Civil War was ended. The Soviet Union recieved all land east of the frontline, while the new "Российская Республика Аляска", or Russian Republic of Alaska, recieved all land East of the frontline, as well as a Guarantee from the Leauge of Nations that their independence would not be infringed, as well as one from the United States (Agreed to only after congress decided not to join). Following this treaty, thousands of loyalist citizens from across the former empire came to Vladivostok and Alaska, seeking refuge from the new Communist powerhouse to the west. A period of massive economic and political reform followed, eventually resulting in Vladivostok being made the Capital of this new nation, as well as the establishment of a two house legislature, the Duma and the Republican council, headed by a single executive, all under a constitutional monarch. The first Premier elected would be Felix Yusupov, one of many from the old Russian elite who brought their wealth and experience to this new nation. Dmitri Pavlovich would be crowned king a year after the Treaty was signed as one of the only surviving members fo the Romanov line left alive. With the large influx of population and money to this previously barren area, the government set up a system giving 150 acres of land to families willing to settle the inner areas of Alaska. New railways, roads, and cities quickly sprang up in the Far East and Alaska, as well as large port expansions in Vladivostok and Novyy Peterburg (New Petersburg, near our Anchorage). With regular shipping and transportation between the two territories, the RRA's navy became hugely important. In 1925 the RRA's navy and army were officially created, consisting of Volunteers and the remnants of the Russian Arctic and Far East fleets. In 1931, the "Shchit Koroley" or Tsar's Shield began construction on the Russo-Soviet border. This would cosist of a massive line of fortifications and trenches, including implacements for AA and AT weapons, ensuring safety from the Soviet Union in case of a land invasion. The Naval Expansion Act of 1932 also began a massive building campaign for the Navy, consisting of 3 large battleships, 5 Battle Cruisers, 8 Light Cruisers, 28 Destroyrts, and 26 Patrol Ships and Mine Sweepers.

This project would be mostly complete by the outbreak of World War II, not being fully completed until 1941. With the fall of France and the Invasion of the Soviet Union, the RRA became worried about the Japanease in the south and joined the Allied powers. Following the attack on Pearl Harbor the RRA would join the United States in declaring war on the Japanease Empire and began to escort supply convoys from the United States and Alaska to Vladivostok where it was then sent to the Soviet Union and the Republic of China. Seeing this threat to thier eastern expansion, Japan would make several attempts to invade from Manchuria, but the strong defenses combined with poor Manchurian infrastructure doomed them all to failure. The RRA fleet would join the United States Navy in supporting the island hopping campaign and protecting US convoys. One of the major R.R.A. operations in the war, was the invasion of Japanease occupied Philippines. Operation Southern Thrust would make use of several techniques to make the invasion both a suprise and a success. Loading several cargo ships with thousands of soldiers, the R.R.A. fleet sailed for the philippines under cover of darkness. A gew hours after seeting sail, a US force attacked the Japanease Occupied Taiwan and surrounding islands in a distractionary maneuver, letting the R.R.A. fleet slip through the Japanease patrols. At the island, US carrier bombers and R.R.A. shore bombardments supported the landing of over 8,500 men who overwhelmed the suprised and unprepared defenders. Following the end of the second world war, the RRA recieved several ships from the IJN, the Carriers Jun'yō and Ryūhō, as well as the Battleship Nagato, along with control of the Northern Philippines. The island would be quickly built up by the R.R.A. government to provide another naval and air base for future pacific operations. The ships would be converted to fit RRA doctrine with some changes to their weapons and layouts. In the early 1950s, several Phillipino strikes and protests showed a growing movement for independence from the locals. After several negotiations, it was agreed to that any and all who wished to leave Russian Luzon would be given free transport as well as financial compensation in return for the recognition of Luzon as a Russian territory. Many locals took this option, and the local government was quick to turn the island into a tourist destination, to attract a population and kick start an economic base. This would work marginally well, with several wealthy Russian families making it their new home, as well as attracting some new Russian settlers from Alaska and Vladivostok. In 1967 the Island would be renamed to Тихоокеанский Pай or Pacific Paradise.

From the End of WWII to the mid 90s the R.R.A. served as a massively valuable member of NATO, with military and airbases becoming vital to NATO war doctrine. Overtime the R.R.A.'s ship design became a unique blend of Soviet and NATO standards, taking characteristics from both. Following the fall of the Soviet Union, money for the military dropped dramatically, with most funds going toward economic development and a planned Bering Strait bridge to begin in the 2020s. (This is my first AU, as well as my first post on shipbucket in a while. I know its still got alot of rough edges, but tell me what you think! I would also greatly appreciate designs or ideas for ships as i'm not very good at making them myself, though I will be trying. Images below show the flag and map of the RRA. Thanks!)

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_________________
“We have known the bitterness of defeat and the exultation of triumph, and from both we have learned there can be no turning back. We must go forward to preserve in peace what we won in war.”
-- Radio broadcast after the surrender of the Japan on the battleship USS Missouri officially ending World War II

Last edited by DieReichsfurher on November 14th, 2017, 12:01 am, edited 3 times in total.

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