Imperial Russia at the postwar peace conference

The historical postwar map is contrasted with one in which the Russian Empire never collapses. Poland and the Baltic states are unlikely to emerge from Versailles in their familiar form, while Russia presses for German territory, industry, and infrastructure as compensation. France and Russia become the hard-line bloc seeking a more complete dismantling of Germany, with Britain and the United States arguing for moderation. At sea, Russia would prioritize modern German cruisers such as Nürnberg, Emden, and Frankfurt and might also claim heavier ships. The scuttling at Scapa Flow could remove much of that naval bargaining problem, but surviving ships would intensify every power's dispute over the settlement.