Red Ice Box

[BansheeOne]

Junograd, 23 October 1945

 

The official victory celebration by the Cabinet, State Council and Duma on Sunday was a dignified event, though heavy on speeches and with troops only providing the background rather than the main attraction; but they came from Panhandle garrisons anyway, so were largely no actual combat veterans. However, it was nice to see the Homeguard get some recognition.

 

This weekend's parade in Stoyanka will rightfully focus on the frontline forces. 1st Airborne Brigade, 1st Yeger and 4th Marine Regiment will all arrive on schedule tomorrow and somehow get wedged into the course. The bulk will be formed by 5th Division and about half of 4th Division while the rest of their troops is still en route from France; though in fact there will be a brigade's worth of troops from both 1st and 2nd which were exchanged between I and II Corps over the last four weeks, mostly with recent recruits from Europe - both to give the former some public appreciation, and to mix in the latter better throughout the Army. 3rd Division, preparing to leave Hokkaido this week, is getting a bit of the short end for their troubles of going up against the Bolshevists there, but there will be color details from all major formations.

 

US and Canadian contingents will also participate, including in the air display. Of course frost has come, but weather forecast for next Sunday is four to eight below, no precipitation, low wind, good visibility - about the best we can hope for at this time of the year, and certainly nothing that will deter Stoyankites from watching a good parade. Fingers crossed, but I'll be there at any rate, then leave for Germany shortly afterwards, now confirmed to take over European Command in December.

 

This will be an interesting post; we are the only other allied troops in the American zone of occupation, while the British in the North have of course the Canadians, but also Belgian and Polish contingents with their own areas of responsibility; in the French zone, only the Luxembourgians have some forces out near their own border. I don't yet know if and where we will have an area to ourselves or just support the Americans throughout their zone.

 

I suspect my main attention will remain on the simmering DP problem; UNRRA Director General Lehman keeps lobbying to suspend the use of force in repatriations and seems to make some headway due to increasing bad publicity about incidents, including suicides by those trying to avoid handover to the Bolshevists at all cost. Plus the latter have unsurprisingly been not too faithful on implementing the Potsdam agreement when it comes to prompt return and giving US and UK liaison officers access to allied POWs in Soviet-controlled territory, refusing permission to fly in transport aircraft for their collection, etc.

 

The Dutch also found themselves in vast disagreement about numbers of their deported nationals with the Bolshevists soon after making an analogue agreement with them recently; they estimate 340,000 were originally taken by the Germans, of which a little less than 200,000 have been repatriated from the Western zones, few remaining now. The Bolshevists claim they liberated about 28,000, which makes for a rather large discrepancy even if you assume a good proportion of dead and individual "trekkers" trying to go home on their own. Apparently they just continue to make forced laborers work for them.

 

Warned by those experiences, French-Soviet negotiations are stalled over similiar, but even greater disagreements; the French estimate about a million of their 2.3 million DPs have not turned up yet while the Bolshevists pretend to know only of a quarter that number liberated by them. The French want to have their own people looking for them which the Bolshevists refuse; the London Agreement on Allied control institutions in Germany actually makes provision for the establishment of mutual liaison missions in the four zones, but nothing concrete has been enacted yet. Obviously the fact that we are still running our transit camps in France doesn't make resolution any easier, which suits us fine for the moment.

[BansheeOne]

Junograd, 29 October 1945

 

Just returned from the Stoyanka parade. Very impressive event; if some of the recently arrived troops didn't quite manage proper formations, the cheering crowds didn't mind it. I suspect the real festivities only started in the evening when the participants, including the Allied contingents, were turned lose upon the city at large and found it hard to buy their own drinks, but I see Stoyanka is still standing today. For the first time I feel like the war is really over.

 

Work continues, of course. 3rd Division has started redeployment to Urup which will conclude in about two weeks, the same time 4th Division finishes movement from Europe. LONGBOAT is also going on; with Pacific shipping returning to peacetime operations, 6,000 DPs are now arriving per week, with a total of 50,000 after six months. We expect the weekly numbers to hit 8,000 next month, which means the system is finally in continuous flow without new buildups in France, North Africa, Australia or Canada - though stopovers in transit camps will continue as earlier arrivals are moved on first.

 

We have drained the French occupation zone in Germany and are now cutting into the 100,000 encamped in France proper. 110,000 are at various stages of the Australian link, with the North African camps down to 9,000. The numbers are still 15,000 for the Canadian link and 6,000 for the South American route, as both are now in balance from start to finish. Including those already arrived, this means a total of 290,000 are in or have gone through the system.

 

We estimate that about 100,000 of those remaining in the British and American zones who would have been willing to come to Russian America have been forcibly repatriated to the USSR by now, but another 300,000 are still left; we continue to work with UNRRA on having the use of force suspended like in the case of the Domanov Cossacks (an additional 20,000), and there is some hope this will be achieved at the conclusion of the ongoing UNO conference in San Francisco at the latest, as the official installation of the World Organization would give the agency additional authority. However, it is a race as deportations are going on.

 

Meanwhile, I've started turning over business at the Ministry to my designated successor and begun packing for Germany. My currently planned ship-out date is a week from now on 5 November; this circuit will be deactivated afterwards.

[BansheeOne]

Junograd, 5 November 1945

 

We had the official handover ceremony for the plans department at the Ministry on Saturday. Most of my stuff is already en route to Bad Tölz, and I will fly out myself this evening. However, I was advised of good news from Europe as I packed last-minute things in the morning, and dropped in at my old office on the way to the airport; Eisenhower has suspended the use of force in repatriations to the USSR from the US zone of occupation on his own authority and asked Washington for definite guidance. We hope that Montgomery will follow suit.

 

This will not resolve the situation, but at least put a stop to deportations while we continue working on a resolution. There is a continued trickle of DPs from outside official camps - we estimate the total at 40,000 in the American zone alone - but this is mostly in the hands of Signals, as we can't use official means to get them to France without stepping on some allied toes. There are also some more in Austria and Italy, though the overall estimate of remaining cases for LONGBOAT remains at ca. 300,000.

 

I guess the issue will continue to occupy me for some time as I take over European Command, but this is my final message on this circuit. I want to express my gratitude to everybody with whom I have worked in the last six years, first as the War Ministry's deputy plans chief and then, after elevation to generalship, head of the department myself, through the great reforms of the early 40s and the subsequent war years. We could have hardly done all that by ourselves here in the caves of Junograd - the input and experience of those closer to the real world was invaluable.

 

Gentlemen, it has been a honor and a pleasure working with you. I hope to find most of you back and in possibly even more exalted positions when I return from Germany in two years or so. Our duty to Russian America continues.

 

von Sieben, S. W., Gen.-may.

 

+++END MESSAGE+++

[shep854]

Does this mean MCab can have his thread back?

[Simon Tan]

Nyet.....

[shep854]

I will have words with my secretary. Apparently my last memorandum was misdirected; it was intended for a certain physician.

Edited December 30, 2013 by shep854

[Marek Tucan]

Praha, November 15, 1945

 

A SS prisoner informed French authorities that he was a member of special group tasked with burying important cargo close to Prague (on the edge of former SS training area). The cargo consisted of roughly 30 crates, protected by an array of booby traps. His story seemed solid enough to French authorities who sent report to Czechoslovakian authorities. So far there was no further action.

 

It seems the crates may contain important files from the Protectorate archives - especially Gestapo and SD, with hints of some missing factory archives as well. In case Gospodin Tanski is interested, it might be possible to get to the crates - the area is generally deserted now as SS are gone and original inhabitants are not returning yet, the government prefers to offer them settlement in the borderlands.

 

So far our sources do not mention if anyone else knows. Will keep you informed in case anything important happens in this case. Obviously the entire case is rather sensitive, so maybe further invastigation should start in France to find out what exactly do we have to gain here.

 

Tuczek out.

[RETAC21]

There are reports that Tanski has been seen around Lake Toplitz, where the Nazis apparently dumped a huge amount of cash and gold.

[swerve]

I will have words with my secretary. Apparently my last memorandum was misdirected; it was intended for a certain physician.

No, it was not misdirected. But someone else was listening . . .

[Simon Tan]

We are not offering passage to Nazis in return for gold, cash, artworks or intelligence. Thank you.

[Marek Tucan]

Praha, January 15, 1946

 

It appears that the French are surprised by lack of reaction by Czechoslovakian authorities - at least the military attache mentioned it earlier this week during an informal dinner. He considers sending a reminder - he thinks that if there will be no reaction, French side will pass the information to SHAEF as further interrogations seemed to be consistent - though he does not know what was in the boxes, apart from "official papers". Most likely just records of German offices located in Prague.

 

Other than that, it seems that Bolshevists are trying to gain support and positions of power in the army and security. Many officers from the "Western" forces are slowly sidelined, with that we are losing some useful connections. Guess that if the trend continues, our mission will outstay its welcome after some time.

 

Still, some contacts remain. It seems that there are some talks running under the radar at the highest levels regarding small - and bigger - arms sales.

 

Tuczek Out

[shep854]

BTT, so RusAM's history isn't lost.

[RETAC21]

BTT so it can be enriched further

[kyuzoaoi]

During the Greek Civil War, the White government in Zhunograd/Junograd have sent foreign observers for the Royalist side: they found that the Greek communists are divided on their loyalties between Tito and Stalin now that they have started an ideological spat against each other. Ironically, it was Stalin who wanted the communist uprising in Greece to end, while Tito wants the war to continue. Russian America/Alaska might not press for further aid since the US and the UK are doing the bulk of the job; and looks like the Royalists are starting to win anyway so Russian America would limit themselves on ideological support: by then, they are the only non-Communist Orthodox countries left at this point. 

Also, Alaska has received another group of Russian refugees from Harbin, led by Archbishop John Maximovich, whose party have stayed to the Philippines for a while due to some bureaucratic spat between him and Junograd. He was able to prove that he's not beholden to the Bolshevik-controlled Patriarchate in Moscow, the only one among the Russian Orthodox hierarchy in China to do so. A minor inconvenience to the refugees, but the Philippine government is quite generous they gave them a temporary island to settle. Father John Maximovich was known for his simple life and ability to led his flock. If he suddenly passes away, he might be a saint in the future. 

 

 

 

[RETAC21]

Given the events in Ukraine, would it be conceivable that Russia would try to conquer Russian America in the XXI century? paging Bansheee, paging Banshee...

[kyuzoaoi]

Would Russian America/Alaska develop their own nukes ala Israel here as a deterrent?

[kyuzoaoi]

@RETAC21

A world map of Red Ice Box. I request edits on what countries I should add besides Alaska/Russian America and what countries I should remove. I think after RusAm frustrated Soviet attempts on South Sakhalin after World War II, would the USSR make it up by annexing more Chinese territory? Perhaps occupy Xinjiang or Manchuria? 

Edited February 14 by kyuzoaoi

[RETAC21]

2 hours ago, kyuzoaoi said:

@RETAC21

A world map of Red Ice Box. I request edits on what countries I should add besides Alaska/Russian America and what countries I should remove. I think after RusAm frustrated Soviet attempts on South Sakhalin after World War II, would the USSR make it up by annexing more Chinese territory? Perhaps occupy Xinjiang or Manchuria? 

Wow!, that quite the can of worms there... one hand, they were there already, but on the other, they were supporting Mao and he needed both the weapons left behind by the Japanese and a secure base. The fall of Manchuria was the start of the fall of the KMT in 1949. If Manchuria remains in Soviet hands, it's quite possible that the US takes a more proactive approach to providing weapons to the KMT.

[kyuzoaoi]

7 hours ago, RETAC21 said:

Wow!, that quite the can of worms there... one hand, they were there already, but on the other, they were supporting Mao and he needed both the weapons left behind by the Japanese and a secure base. The fall of Manchuria was the start of the fall of the KMT in 1949. If Manchuria remains in Soviet hands, it's quite possible that the US takes a more proactive approach to providing weapons to the KMT.

Though this would be something for another timeline: independent Soviet puppet state of Manchuria. 

BTW, when he will appear?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitchell_WerBell_III

If the stories of him being a son of a White Emigre are true, then he could be a Russian Republic general, arms dealer and manufacturer, and father of RRA Special Forces. I wonder how he could fit on this timeline.

 

[RETAC21]

56 minutes ago, kyuzoaoi said:

Though this would be something for another timeline: independent Soviet puppet state of Manchuria. 

BTW, when he will appear?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitchell_WerBell_III

If the stories of him being a son of a White Emigre are true, then he could be a Russian Republic general, arms dealer and manufacturer, and father of RRA Special Forces. I wonder how he could fit on this timeline.

 

Futon is your man here

[kyuzoaoi]

https://archive.org/details/isbn_0091597005/page/n7/mode/2up

Also something of interest...

Perhaps in this story, instead of Island of Crimea we get the Peninsula of Alaska novel. 

[kyuzoaoi]

@RETAC21

Do we have a tentative list of Alaskan/Russian Republic Presidents?

 

[RETAC21]

6 hours ago, kyuzoaoi said:

@RETAC21

Do we have a tentative list of Alaskan/Russian Republic Presidents?

 

Look at the threads posted by Banshee, I seem to remember there was something, but I don't think it was listed.

[kyuzoaoi]

@RETAC21 I created a rough timeline:

1867: American negotiations to purchase Alaska fails. Russian American Company was nationalized by the Czarist government. 

1887: Russian America merged with Kamchatka Krai to form the American Krai. 

1898: Klondike and Yukon gold strikes spur emigration from Russia, Canada, and the United States.

1905: Capital transfered to Zhunograd (Juneau). 

1921: White Russian remnant government migrate to Alaska. 1,000,000 White emigres go to Alaska. 

1942: Japan attacks Attu islands. White Russian government declares war on Japan and their Nazi German allies; calls for White Russians who did not migrate to Alaska to not fight for the Axis and join the White Russian military effort. 

1945: Victory over the Axis in the Second World War: Kuriles and South Sakhalin were occupied and became oblasts later. Second exodus of anti-Soviet Russian refugees swell the population. 

1952: Sakhalin earthquake kills thousands. 

1955: Russian American governorate's constitution approved. 

1964: Mainland Alaska earthquake; heavy casualties. Reconstruction of Alaskan cities initiated.

1967: Russian American government sends aid to Vietnam and the Greek junta. 

1968: Communist (both pro-Soviet and otherwise) and other left-wing protests erupt in Alaska; government suppressed the revolts and blamed Moscow and Beijing for instigating the riots. 

1970: Agreement signed between the Russian-American government and members of Indigenous tribes about land claims and territorial rights. 

1983: Alaska time zone changed.

1989: Exxon Valdez spill contaminates a significant amount of Alaskan coastline.

1991: The Soviet Union fell. This caused a third exodus of Russians to Alaska. 

1993: Negotiations between Moscow and Zhunograd about the future status of Alaska (joining the Commonwealth of Independent States) became inconclusive. However, sales of Soviet Russian hardware are brisk though limited. 

1994: Stoyanka Winter Olympics held.

1998: Following the precedent of Taiwan, and due to popular demand, the word name Alaska became co-official, already eclipsing Russian America since the 1960s. However, the name is still officially called the Russian Republic.

2002: Lavrenty Leman became the first man of indigenous descent and the first to actually born in Alaskan territory to become the leader of Alaska.

2022: Feofania Zhulkovskaya is the first woman and second person of indigenous descent to become President. She denounced the Russian invasion of Ukraine and increased military preparedness.

2025: Because the Russian government still considers Alaska as part of their territory, Alaska is not on the list of US President Donald Trump's planned expansions to the North.

Edited February 16 by kyuzoaoi