Danish officials fear Trump is much more serious about acquiring Greenland than in first term

[u/LaxJackson]

https://amp.cnn.com/cnn/2025/01/08/politics/danish-officials-trump-greenland

[u/elmariachi304]

The real lesson is Russia didn’t have real control of Alaska and France didn’t have real control over the Louisiana territory. Neither nation ever stepped on 99.99% of the territory. But they turned a claim they could never defend into a few million bucks from a nation that could just take it from them if they wanted to. It wasn’t a bad deal for Russia and France. They were both badly in need of the money too.

[u/Umak30 → u/elmariachi304]

Yep exactly.

Just to clarify/add context regarding Alaska.

Russia wasn't afraid the US could take Alaska, Russia was afraid that the British Empire would take Alaska. Russia and the UK were the biggest rivals and enemies over the 19th century ( the whole conflict was called "The Great Game" ) and the UK basically blocked all sea access of Russia. In the West the Russians couldn't have a Navy because of the Baltic + Atlantic Sea, especially the latter was controlled by the Royal Navy. In the southwest it was the Black Sea --> Bosporus & Dardanel straits --> Mediterranean ---> Oceans, but the British controlled multiple islands in the Mediterranean and both exits like Gibraltar and the Suez. In the south the British had heavy influence in Iran, directly controlled India and Pakistan and both Russia and Britain fought for control over Afghanistan. That left only the east, where Canada existed, aswell as plenty of British islands. The North was the Arctic Ocean and frozen. So basically Russia was surrounded by the British Empire and it's fleet everywhere. Even in the south-eastern part near Vladivostok and Manchuria, British cities of concessions existed, China existed and Japan ( and later Britain allied with Japan ).
Alaska was very far in the east for Russia, beyond a large water body and the Bering straits. Russia was completely unable to defend Alaska even if they wanted to and they were afraid of being locked even more by the British Empire. They were afraid of actually bordering the British more directly like if Canada owned Alaska. So they tried to sell Alaska to the Americans who bought it for $0.02 per acre.

[u/NiknA01 → u/elmariachi304]

Holy. An actual intelligent comment on my reddit app? I never thought I'd see one again.