Recently, Deputy Chairman of the Security Council of the Russian Federation Dmitry Medvedev played an international joke with the United States, declaring that a Russian-American war is inevitable and that everything originates in Alaska.
Here's the thing, recently, there were rumors on the Internet that Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a document declaring that "the sale of Alaska by Tsarist Russia in 1867 was 'illegal'" and that Russia would claim Alaska from the United States.
For this reason, a reporter directly asked the US State Department what the US attitude is towards this matter. A spokesman for the US State Department said: Putin will not take it back.
Dmitry Medvedev, deputy chairman of the Security Council of the Russian Federation, who has always liked to amuse Americans, has come forward this time. "The U.S. State Department says Russia will not take back Alaska, which was sold to the U.S. in the 19th century," he said on social media. But we've been waiting for it to return. Now war is inevitable. At the same time, he added an emoji of "laughing and crying" at the end.
Of course, this matter itself is just a war of words caused by disinformation, according to media verification, Putin has not signed a document to take back Alaska at all, Medvedev is just joking, Russia and the United States are good, it is impossible to go to war for Alaska, everyone should not take it too seriously.
It's just that Tsarist Russia sold Alaska to the United States more than 150 years ago, which is indeed a pain in the hearts of Russians. Now that someone mentions this, the Russians must be uncomfortable in their hearts.
At the end of the 18th century, Tsarist Russia extended its influence to Alaska, turned it into a colony of its own, and established a Russian-American company there to manage this vast and icy world, but this Russian-American company was not profitable and needed subsidies from the Tsarist government.
For Tsarist Russia, its strategic focus has always been in Europe. In 1853, in order to seize the Balkans, Tsarist Russia launched an offensive against Ottoman Turkey, and the Crimean War broke out in full force. After the outbreak of the war, Britain, France and other countries united on the side of Turkey, joined forces to clean up Tsarist Russia, defeated Tsarist Russia to the ground, and even the Tsar died in the palace.
Later, the new Tsar Alexander II succeeded to the throne and signed a treaty acknowledging defeat. At this time, the Tsarist Russian treasury was extremely empty and weak, and it was simply unable to support the operations of Russian-American companies. And, after the war, Tsarist Russia urgently needed to build a new navy, where would the money come from?
Another reason why Tsarist Russia intended to sell Alaska was that the British had gradually expanded their power to the vicinity of Alaska. At that time, Tsarist Russia had just been defeated, and once Britain expanded to Alaska, Tsarist Russia could not stop it at all. Rather than be snatched by the British, it is better to sell to the Americans.
So, Tsarist Russia began negotiations with the Americans. After several tugging, the two countries set the deal price at $7.2 million. In 1867, Tsarist Russia officially sold Alaska to the United States.
Interestingly, the United States bought Alaska for $7.2 million, which is definitely a very good deal now. But in that year, Secretary of State Seward, who led the purchase of Alaska, was scolded by the Americans. Americans believe that Alaska, which is covered with snow and ice all year round, is a big refrigerator and is useless at all. That "stupid" secretary of state is simply wasting taxpayers' money and not getting down to business.
Looking at it now, Seward did see farther than most Americans at the time.