With the War just beginning our grand tour is going to take a bit of a detour. And to a land of a bit warmer weather.
It takes allies to win a war. From the moment the first shot was fired at Fort Leavenworth it was obvious that the new Republic was in over its head. To win the war all that was needed would be to outlast the resolve of the United States. To win the peace they would have to destroy the East's will to fight.
The path to victory in both respects is charted by Rachel Semmes, the niece of Raphael Semmes, Captain of the C.S.S. Alabama. The path is called The Pacific Alliance.
The Capital of the Pacific Alliance was the Kingdom of Hawaii from its founding through the Pineapple War. Once the war was won by the Republic and Hawaii and Queen Liliuokalani's reign was secured, the capital was integrated with Republican government functions at Reno. From 1893 to 1941 only PACCOM was centered at Pearl Harbor Naval Base. In addition to The Republic of Ansdale and The Kingdom of Hawaii, charter members of the alliance included New Zealand, Canada and Russia. As the alliance grew, new members joined, including Australia, China and Japan.
The prime doctrine of the alliance is mutual defense and aid of fellow members, though all members also agree to provide.
- Open Ports of Call for member nations, especially to provide safe haven during times of war and other periods of instability.
- Reciprocity concerning Letters of Marque and Reprisal for all member nations, and the establishing of maritime or admiralty courts in every major port.
- Diplomatic exchange among the member nations.
The three requirements benefit the Republic almost exclusively, however, they alone, with some small help from Russia bear the military side of the agreement. There is no Hawaiian or New Zealand navy at present.
Despite its diverse membership, the alliance survives. There have been challenges however. The Russian Revolution of 1917 resulted in its expulsion from the alliance, however, it was readmitted when Japan attacked Pearl Harbor Naval Base, at the time jointly manned by the Republic of Ansdale and The United States of America and followed it up with an invasion of China and Australia. Japan was expelled at that time and was not readmitted until sometime after the wars end.
Next time we will talk with the architect of the Pacific Alliance, Rachel Semmes.
Today we will be beginning a new feature, a Grand Tour of The Republic of Ansdale. Every week at this time we will introduce you to one of the "States" of the R.O.A. We will progress in the order of their original secession.
It is fitting that both in the order of secession and importance we begin with Alaska. The birthplace of The Republic of Ansdale is no stranger to dreams of empire, it having its former life as part of Tsarist Russia. Russia only was interested in Beaver Pelts, and the supply was rapidly diminishing. Possibly even faster than the Russian Treasury. Since Tsar Alexander II wanted to finance a war into the Amur River to get more access to the fur trade, he willingly sold Russian America to the United States for the paltry sum of $7,200,000 (that's 111 Million dollars, give or take, in today's money). Still, If Alexander could have known about the Gold Rush (1896-1899), or the Discovery of Oil (1968). That knocking sound is the Ghost of Alexander II banging his head against the wall.
Once the territory was safely in American hands it was promptly ignored. Though the title "Seward's Folly" didn't originate right away, those on the continent didn't see its value. Congress made sure they collected tax revenue from it, but didn't provide for even the minimum of Civil Laws, like birth marriage and death. The only law was martial law. In a moment of Supreme Irony, the United States choice of military commander, Jefferson Davis. The people of Alaska weren't laughing.
After eight long years, neither was the United States, for the Republic of Ansdale was born in the remote city of Sitka. In retrospect, the choice was fairly obvious, for though they currently reside in the Dakotas, the Ansdale were originally an Inuit nation from Alaska, driven out by much stronger tribes long before. They see the "Blue Tribe", as Anderson's Federals are originally called, as their solution to reclaiming their ancestral land.
Alaska is divided for organizational purposes into four Military Districts. Originally its Headquarters resides at Fort Sitka, a reconverted Russian American Company post in the Territorial Capital, but it is soon decided that the site is unsuitable and a permanent headquarters is constructed by the Name of Fort Republic at Anchorage. It quickly becomes the Northern Command (NORCOM) of the Republic. Ironically, the fact that Alaska is virtually cut off from the rest of the world has allowed the Western Independence Movement to become extremely organized without attracting any attention in Washington, if they even cared.
Two Republics, the Republic of Alaska and the Republic of Ansdale born on the Same Day, May 1, 1875. The North Star Rises.
The Republic of Ansdale has, at its heart, the land of the North Star, Alaska. Really, without Alaska there would be no Republic. The spark which led to Western Secession was the refusal by Washington to grant their new acquisition any semblance of a Civil Law.
Maybe the Russians should have seen it coming. The signs were about even on the day of the Official Transfer, October 18, 1867. It was an unusually windy day, and the Russian Flag just refused to come down. Trying to save the ceremony from failure, a Russian sailor climbs the flagpole at Baranov's Castle and remove the flag himself.
Once at the top he pulls out his knife and cuts the flag from the halyard. Once freed from the halyard, the Russian Imperial Flag flutters down on the breeze and lands on the fixed bayonets of the American Army. The symbolism, though unintentional, is too much for the already emotionally high-strung Princess Maksutova. As soon as she sees the flag come to rest on the bayonets of the Americans, she faints.
"The Princess has collapsed" Peshurov shouts out, alarmed. "Someone help the Princess."
What will become of Princess Maksutova, or of American Russian relations. Only time will tell.
