Q&A · 1:19:23-1:20:13

An enduring Imperial Russia would balance Baltic and Pacific fleets

A force-distribution answer explains how geography and court politics would shape the fleets of a surviving Russian Empire.

Question

If Imperial Russia survived beyond 1917, what quantity and quality of ships might its principal fleets receive?

Short answer

The Baltic and Pacific fleets would probably receive roughly comparable strength, while the Black Sea fleet would remain tailored to regional needs and a Northern Fleet had not yet been established.

Notes

The Baltic and Pacific were the empire's principal fleets and would probably remain broadly balanced, subject to the tsar's relations with their commanders. The Black Sea fleet would continue receiving ships adapted to its enclosed theater, while a distinct Northern Fleet still lay outside the period's established structure.