Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 2:12:57-2:14:37

Alaska as part of Canada after the Crimean War

A territorial counterfactual connects nineteenth-century imperial war to Canadian resources and the later defence of the Aleutian Islands.

AlaskaAleutian Islands CampaignAlternate HistoryCanadaCrimean WarWorld War II
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Question

What if Britain had taken Alaska during the Crimean War?

Short answer

Alaska would likely become part of Canada, strengthening it with territory and resources and producing a Canadian-led Aleutian campaign during the Second World War.

Notes

Seizing Alaska would probably not transform already poor Anglo-Russian relations. The larger consequence is a bigger, more resource-rich Canada that receives Alaska's gold and other wealth. Japan might still occupy islands during the Second World War, but Canada would probably insist on leading the recovery and might fortify the region more heavily in advance. American participation would become supporting rather than automatically dominant.