History Main / RussiaCalledTheyWantAlaskaBack

Ah Alaska, America's 49th state and the Last Frontier. The home of salmon, gold, oil, many kinds of wildlife. And a potential place of origin for WorldWarIII.

In 1867, The Russian Tsar sold The territory of Russian America to the United States. The U.S. named their new territory Alaska, and 94 years later it became the 49th state. But what happens if the RussiansWithRustingRockets decide to renege on the deal?

Fiction has produced no shortage works depicting this scenario. It began gaining popularity during the ColdWar, when there was real fear of the Soviet Union invading. However, it has remained common in the post-Soviet era, usually with a [[MakeTheBearAngryAgain resurgent Russia]], or even some other enemy like China invading. This is because Alaska has so many resources that are important for America and it also occupies a strategic place on the globe so it could be a tempting target for any enemy with the power to go up against the YanksWithTanks. In 1935, General Billy Mitchell testified before Congress about Alaska's (then a Territory) importance, saying: "I believe that in the future, whoever holds Alaska will hold the world. I think it is the most important strategic place in the world."

Fiction has produced no shortage works depicting this scenario. It began gaining popularity during the ColdWar, when there was real fear of the Soviet Union invading. However, it has remained common in the post-Soviet era, usually with a [[MakeTheBearAngryAgain resurgent Russia]], or even some other enemy like China invading. This is because Alaska has so much resources important for America and occupies a strategic place on the globe so it could be a tempting target for any enemy with the power to go up against the YanksWithTanks. In 1935, General Billy Mitchell testified before Congress about Alaska's (then a Territory) importance, saying: "I believe that in the future, whoever holds Alaska will hold the world. I think it is the most important strategic place in the world."

Fiction has produced no shortage works depicting this scenario. It began gaining popularity during the ColdWar, when there was real fear of the Soviet Union invading. However, it has remained common in the post-Soviet era, usually with a resurgent Russia, or even some other enemy like China invading. This is because Alaska has so much resources important for America and occupies a strategic place on the globe so it could be a tempting target for any enemy with the power to go up against teh YanksWithTanks, even if they don't share a border. In 1935, General Billy Mitchell testified before Congress about Alaska's (then a Territory)importance, saying: "I believe that in the future, whoever holds Alaska will hold the world. I think it is the most important strategic place in the world."

Some more humorous works might have two or more sides fighting over some kind the "deed" to Alaska left over from the original purchase. (Note: Such a deed doesn't exist in real life).

* The miniseries ''World War III'' starts with this.

* After the start of the Ukraine crisis, Russian President Vladimir Putin held an annual question and answer television segment in which a woman asked him about taking abck Alaska. Putin dismissed it saying it was "too cold" and that ussia already had enough cold places.

* ''Film/RedDawn'' features an invasion of the United States by the Soviet Union, Cuba, and Nicaragua. Lt. Col. Tanner mentions the Soviets crossed invaded Alaska in an attempt to attack the continental U.S. from the North but were stopped at the Canadian border. The U.S. still has deal with invaders that came up from Mexico however.

* The first episode of ''Series/{{Sliders}}'' had them visiting a parrellel world where The Soviet Union won the Cold War and invaded and occupied ''all of America''. Alaska is home to some nasty gulags used to send political prisoners to.

* ''Videogame/ShatteredUnion'' features an America plunged into a Second Civil War following a nuclear terrorist attack on Washington, D.C. that kills the President and the entire line of succession. Russia, led by a ruthless dictator, invades Alaska and reannexes it claiming that it really belonged to them all along. Once the player reunites the U.S. the final mission involves reclaiming Alaska from the Russians.

* As mentioned above the invasion of the Aleutian Islands of Kiska and Attu by Imperial Japan is the only RealLife example thus far. Japan was hoping to divert attention away from the upcoming Battle of Midway and to create a defense for their northern flank. Unfortunately for the Japanese (but fortunately for the U.S.) The U.S. had cracked the Japanese naval code and knew all about their Midway plans, and that included the Aleutian landings. The Japanese landed on the two islands and bombed Dutch Harbor as well. Because of the remote location and harsh weather conditions, it took a year for the U.S. to mount an attempt to retake them. The Battle of Attu is teh only major land battle to occur on North American Soil during the war. And was the only battle of the Pacific Theatre to take place in winter or artic conditions.

Ah Alaska, America's 49th state and the Last Frontier. The home of salmon, gold, oil, many kinds of wildlife. And a potential place of origin for WorldWarIII......at least in the movies.

When we talk about an Alaskan land rush here, we mean vast armies rushing across the landscape.

* ''Film/RedDawn'' features an invasion of the United States by the Soviet Union, Cuba, and Nicaragua. Lt. Col. Tanner mentions the Soviets crossed the Invaded Alaska in an attempt to attack from the North but were stopped at the Canadian border. The u.S. still has deal with invaders that came up from Mexico however.

* The first episode of ''Series/Sliders'' had them visiting a parrellel world where The Soviet Union won the Cold War and invaded and occupied ''all of America''. Alaska is home to some nasty gulags used to send political prisoners to.

** ''Videogame/Battlefield 2'' features a map depicting a Chinese invasion of Alaska.

* ''Videogame/Battlefield:BadCompany 2'': Some multiplayer maps take place in Alaska. In the single-player campaign, the Russians invade Alaska and use it as a bridge into Canada and the continental U.S.

This is a sister trope to MexicoCalledTheyWantTexas, with Russia in place of Mexico and Alaska in place of Texas and the Southwestern U.S. Like with Texas, this is also a localized version of InvadedStatesOfAmerica.

* After the start of teh Ukraine crisis, Russian President Vladimir Putin held an annual question and answer television segment in which a woman asked him about taking abck Alaska. Putin dismissed it saying it was "too cold" and that ussia already had enough cold places.

* An episode of ''WesternAnimation/GIJoeARealAmericanHero'' had a ''three-way'' fight for Alaska. Cobra discovers a (fictional) provision in the purchase treaty stating that whoever holds an artifact called the Seal of Alaska will legally own it. The Russians were supposed to hand it over but the ship carrying it disappeared. Cobra produces a fake and recruits
a bumbling used car dealer to pretend to be a decendant of teh ship captain so they can use Alaska as a base. The Joes search ofr the real Seal while Russia send in the Oktober Guard (their version of G.I Joe) to recover it in the hopes of getting Alaska back.

* As mentioned above the invasion of the Aleutian Islands of Kiska and Attu by Imperial Japan is the only RealLife example thus far. Japan was hoping to divert attention away from the upcoming Battle of Midway and to create a defense for their northern flank. Unfortunately for the Japanese (but fortunately for the U.S.) The U.S. had cracked the Japanese naval code and knew all about their Midway plans, and that included the Aleutian landings. The Japanese landed on the two islands and bombed Dutch Harbor as well. Because of the remote location and harsh weather conditions, it took a year for the U.S. to mount an attempt to retake them. The Battle of Attu is teh only major land battle to occur on North American Soil during the war. And was the only battle of the Pacific Theatre to take place in winter or artic conditions. The Americans lost 549
troops retaking Attu, while the nearly 3,000 strong Japanese garrison was almost completely wiped out. They were expecting another bloody battle for Kiska as well, but upon landing found the Japanese had evacuated under cover of fog, and that they had been bombing empty positions for weeks.

[[/folder]] Film

[[/folder]] Live-Action TV

[[/folder]] Videogames

[[/folder]] Western Animation

[[/folder]] Real Life

* An episode of ''WesternAnimation/GIJoe:ARealAmericanHero'' had a ''three-way'' fight for Alaska. Cobra discovers a (fictional) provision in the purchase treaty stating that whoever holds an artifact called the Seal of Alaska will legally own it. The Russians were supposed to hand it over but the ship carrying it disappeared. Cobra produces a fake and recruits

[[/folder]]Film

[[/folder]]Live-Action TV

[[/folder]]Videogames

[[/folder]]Western Animation

[[/folder]]Real Life

A Russian assault would be unlikely at present because doing so would almost certainly start WorldWarIII, provoking a response from America's allies as well as the U.S, itself. So such concerns or discussions of this happening in the real world are minor at the moment unless an actual World War III suddenly breaks out.

A Russian assualt would be unlikely at present because doing so would almost certainly start WorldWarIII, provoking a response from America's allies as well as the U.S, itself. So such concerns or discussions of this happening in the real world are minor at the moment unless an actual World War III suddenly breaks out.

1) Genuinely trying to reconquer and reannex the state,
2) They are not actually trying to take Alaska back, but just trying to distract the United States military from a battle taking place elsewhere in the world (and maybe damage/destroy some of the important resources in the state while their at it). Usually happens in WorldWarIII settings.
3) They are using Alaska as a "bridge" to invade the continental U.S. and Canada.

In RealLife, Alaska has only been invaded once, not by Russia, but by Imperial Japan during World War II when they seized two Aleutian Islands as a diversion from their planned attack on Midway in 1942, it didn't work out like they planned.

Fiction has produced no shortage works depicting this scenario. It began gaining popularity during the ColdWar, when there was real fear of the Soviet Union invading. However, it has remained common in the post-Soviet era, usually with a resurgent Russia, or even some other enemy like China invading. This is because Alaska has so much resources important for America and occupies a strategic place on the globe so it could be a tempting target for any enemy with teh power to go up against teh YanksWithTanks, even if they don't share a border. In 1935, General Billy Mitchell testified before Congress about Alaska's (then a Territory)importance, saying: "I believe that in the future, whoever holds Alaska will hold the world. I think it is the most important strategic place in the world."