How did America buy Alaska?

7.2 million dollars. Less than 5 dollars per square kilometer.

Due to the discovery and investigation of Bering Expedition, the Russian government gained the territorial sovereignty over Alaska 1.52 million square kilometers. But until 1867, the Russian government only regarded Alaska as a territory for acquiring offshore resources and trading leather goods.

However, Seward, then US Secretary of State, had different ideas. He intuitively believes that the potential long-term significance of Alaska is by no means comparable to money. As a politician in a young democratic country, he has shown greater advantages in wisdom and foresight than Russian politicians under the autocratic system. He would rather pay the price of being misunderstood by the people and sacrifice himself, but also seize this fleeting and eternal historical opportunity. With his efforts, 1859, the US government offered Russia $5 million to buy Alaska, which the Russians thought was a good price.

1On March 30th, 867, the U.S. government and the Russian government formally signed an agreement to purchase Alaska's territorial rights. The U.S. side paid 7.2 million U.S. dollars for Alaska, equivalent to 4 dollars and 74 cents per square kilometer. The largest land sale in the modern history of the world was completed, and the territory of the United States increased by 20%. Since then, the United States has become a justified Arctic country. Although the price is so cheap, Seward has been severely criticized for this business. People simply call Alaska Seward's big refrigerator and say that he spent so much money on a useless piece of land. However, Seward insisted that the deal was worthwhile.

Seward's pain lasted only seven years, because someone found gold in Alaska. In 1896, miners can find gold worth $4 in a jar in the rich veins of Klondike region. At that time, I was lucky to find a pot that could sell 5 to 10 cents of gold. As a result, the news spread like wildfire, causing a gold shock. Even Jack London, who later became a great writer, left his hometown with the desire to get rich and lucky, and joined the torrent of "golden guests". By 1906, the local gold production reached its peak, and * * * got 1034000 ounces, worth 2 1365000 dollars, which could buy almost three Alaskans.

However, the more important value of Alaska did not appear until World War II. 194 1 year, Japanese navy general Isoroku Yamamoto commanded the main fleet and attacked Pearl Harbor, the largest naval base of the US Pacific Fleet, with a great victory. Then in 1942, troops were sent to occupy the two islands at the top of the Aleutian Islands. This has further dealt a blow to the self-esteem of Americans who have suffered great humiliation from Pearl Harbor. They suddenly realized that the Japanese might attack the United States from the north through Alaska, so they were furious and turned their anxious eyes to Alaska. At this moment, people realized that the distant land was actually related to the safety of the United States. So, overnight, Alaska is worth a hundred times. It has not only become the "last front line" of Americans, but also become a base to support the anti-fascist war of the former Soviet Union.

In addition to economic and military significance, Alaska also has very important scientific value. Because of Alaska's special geographical position, it provides an excellent natural laboratory for observing and studying geological structures, physical oceanography and marine chemistry, high-altitude physics and chemistry, polar biology and ecological environment.

In addition, without Alaska, the United States would be as far away from the North Pole as China. Now, however, the United States has become a pivotal Arctic country, playing a very important role in more and more international Arctic affairs. The beautiful, rich and vast Alaska has brought so many benefits to the United States, and all this was bought at the lowest price.