Can you have it so that by 1970, the Soviet Union has territory outside of the Eurasian landmass.
AHC: soviet territory outside of Eurasia
- Thread starter Iudeus Rex britannicus
- Start date
It would have been possible for Tsarist Russia to pick up a Pacific island or two, if it had wanted to do so but why would they? It would be an expensive and largely pointless exercise.
you're all thinking too early. the Soviet Union was actually internationalist and gave scholarships to people from other communist nations (which is where alot of black Russians came from, iirc) so it's not too terribly much of a stretch that they could accept Soviet Republics on other continents into the USSR with the right POD. can you say Soviet Madagascar, Mozambique, Ethiopia, Somalia, Angola, Congo, and Benin? not to mention whatever other communist states could arise just due to butterflies from the POD.
Well, yes it *is* a stretch to say that the USSR would accept Communist states in Africa as member SSR's , given that it did not do so with the east European "people's democracies" or Outer Mongolia or Afghanistan.
True, Lenin did in 1920 envisage a Red Poland and even a Red Germany joining a federation with Russia, but even then Stalin poured cold water on this idea: "If you think you'd ever get Germany to enter a federation with the same rights as Ukraine, you are mistaken. If you think that even Poland, which has been constituted as a bourgeois state with all its attributes, would enter the Union with the same rights as Ukraine you are mistaken." As Robert Service notes, "Lenin was angry. The implication of Stalin's comment was that considerations of national pride would impel Russia and Germany to remain separate states for the foreseeable future. Lenin sent him a ‘threatening letter' which charged him with chauvinism. It was Lenin's objective to set up a Union of Soviet Republics of Europe and Asia. His vision of ‘European socialist revolution' was unchanged since 1917. But Stalin held his ground. The Politburo had to acknowledge the realities of nationhood if the spread of socialism in Europe was to be a success." http://www.rulit.me/books/stalin-a-biography-read-280295-56.html And this would be doubly true of Africa, where Communism owed much of what support it had to its nationalist and "anti-colonial" appeal.
Советская Антарктида
It's actually very easy, USSR joins UK, Australia, Chile etc. and claims a piece of Antarctica (though it's hard to make it in such a way that it does not overlap with someone other's claim). If you are looking for a late POD, it's enough if the Antarctic treaty goes slightly wrong and USSR uses its reserved right to make claims.
It's actually very easy, USSR joins UK, Australia, Chile etc. and claims a piece of Antarctica (though it's hard to make it in such a way that it does not overlap with someone other's claim). If you are looking for a late POD, it's enough if the Antarctic treaty goes slightly wrong and USSR uses its reserved right to make claims.
Nazi Germany claimed a few pieces of Antarctica IIRC,maybe the USSR can claim ownership over them.
True, nothing to stop them asserting a claim like everyone else. I don't recall why they didn't OTL
Because that's supposed something that only 'imperialists' would do?Ideological dogma played some role in how the USSR did things.IIRC,things like building aircraft carriers were actually opposed because they were considered instruments of imperialism.
The Soviets wanted Italian East Africa as a colony at the end of WW2. Maybe they get it, if the Red Army is further West by the VE day (in return for withdrawing back to the agreed borders).
Alcsentre Calanice
Gone Fishin'
A Soviet colony... WTF
How would they explain that? With racism? All men are equal, but some men are more equal than others...A Soviet colony... WTF
They could easily explain it as liberating the natives of imperial oppression and educating them in the ways of socialist egalitarianism (basically the white man’s burden under a pretty, collectivist cloak).
Alcsentre Calanice
Gone Fishin'
Okay. So they are liberated from fascist imperialism and get a real democratic council republic... with the 1936 Stalin constitution and a Big brother police state. This is what I call "progress".
Actually, what the Soviets proposed according to a CIA memorandum was that "each Italian colony be placed under a ten-year joint trusteeship of one of the Big Four powers and Italy." http://www.foia.cia.gov/sites/default/files/document_conversions/89801/DOC_0000256986.pdf I think the memorandum was correct in suggesting that the Soviets did not seriously expect this to be adopted [1]:
"The USSR probably estimates that the US, the UK, and France will not agree to any disposition of the Italian colonies which would permit the USSR a free hand in one of the Italian colonies, for the intrusion in the Mediterranean or Red Sea area of a new major world power would constitute a major threat to the security of all three of these powers. The USSR hopes to use the Italian colonial issue to advance its cause as a champion of the native peoples in non-self—governing territories by placing upon the US, the UK, and France the onus for failure to give independence to the native population, or for failure to permit the realization of Arab League aspirations. Depending on the course of negotiations among the Big Four over the Italian colonies, the USSR also hopes to discredit the present Italian regime by attributing a. Big Four failure to return the colonies to Italy to lack of international confidence in Italy's future under moderate leadership. Furthermore, the USSR must reserve a position favorable to Italian participation in the colonies in order to gain additional popular support for the return of Communists to the Italian Government. Thus the Communists would be quick to claim credit for any agreement under which Italy would be permitted a substantial degree of participation in the future of the colonies, while assuring themselves control of the colonies if Italy becomes a Communist state. On the other hand, should an anti-Communist government survive in Italy, Italian participation in the control of the colonies would provide the Soviet Union with a much desired opportunity to conduct a sub rosa campaign among non self-governing peoples against the 'bourgeois imperialists of the West.'"
[1] They even boycotted the Trusteeship Council, as noted both in the memorandum and https://news.google.com/newspapers?...AIBAJ&sjid=MpkFAAAAIBAJ&pg=3212,3717309&hl=en