Alaskaball (An Honorable Retelling)

**Alaska** (Russian: Аляска, *Alyaska*), officially the **Empire of Alaska** (Russian: Империя Аляски, *Imperiya Alyaski*) is a sovereign country located in the northwest extremity of Columbia. Bordered by Cabotia in the east and the United States in the south, as well as maritime borders with Russia in the west, Alaska is well known for its abundant natural resources to have one of the highest GDPs per capita in the world, with commercial fishing and oil and natural gas drilling being the centre points of Alaska's economy. Furthermore, tourism plays a big role in the Alaskan economy with half of the Alaskan landmass being owned by the government for tourist purposes.

Alaska has also been known to be a big player in global politics emerging as an independent nation in 1917, Alaska was initially a neutral state forming an alliance with the United States. However, due to Alaska's imperial sentiment, the nation joined the Alliance of Free and Democratic Nations, along with France, India and the Grand Confederation, leading to its defeat in the Fourth Great War.

## History

### Pre-colonization

Numerous indigenous peoples have occupied Alaska thousands of years prior to European ccolonization. Evidence points to settlement of North America via the Bering Land Bridge. The Tlinglit people developed a society with matrimonial kinship system of inheritance in southeast Alaska. They often clashed with the Haida who are well known for their art and the Tsimishan who are from what is now known as Mnogiyeklen. These native tribes would suffer from Smallpox throughout the 18th and 19th centuries nearly wiping out their cultures and causing immense social disruption. On the Aleutian Islands, the Aleut people are known for their seafaring society were the first to be exploited by the Russians. The west is home to the Yup'ik tribe while the Gwich'in people reside in the north of the nation. Both tribes are known for their dependence on caribou.

### Russian Columbia (1741-1917)

#### Discovery and colonization (1741-1743)

In June 1741, explorers Vitus Bering and Alexei Chirikov set sail from Petropavlovsk in an expedition for the Americas. Their ships eventually separated with Chirikov landing on Tyulen Island on July 15th, 1741. The next day Bering landed on the Alaskan mainland near Mt. Ledyanaya. Bering subsequently left and returned to Russia while Chirikov returned in October. Bering would wreck and subsequently die in November on Bering Island with his crew returning in August 1742. Tsarina Elizabeth ordered another expedition led by Chirikov and a Rhomanian explorer named Pavlos Papadapoulos. Chirikov would land on Mnogiyeklen Island while Papadapoulos would land in what is known today as Rajin Noji, coming in contact with the Japanese settlers. Chirikov and Papadapoulos would continue to sail the Pacific coast eventually meeting in what is today known as St. Hermansburg. Both explorers would return to Russia in December 1742 before sending colonizers to Columbia on Christmas Day 1742.

#### Skirmish with Japan and Russo-Japanese War (1743-1756)

Starting with the first contacts with the Japanese in Kosuto, skirmishes would begin between the Russians and the Japanese over control of northern Kosuto. Both the Japanese and the Russians claimed control of what is now known as the region of Northern Kosuto. On February 8th, 1747 a minor border skirmish in Tani would lead to the Evrika Massacre. Following word of the massacre, the Japanese would declare war on Russia officially igniting the Russo-Japanese War. The newly formed Alaskan divisions of the Russian Army would be no match for Japan's superior army, despite Russia having the bigger navy. Russia would win in major naval battles against the Japanese, however it would not be enough and Tsarina Elizabeth would call for a ceasefire in Kosuto. As part of the agreement between Russia and Japan, the boundaries of Kosuto would be drawn to the 39th parallel. However, both sides felt bitter about the treaty. Russia desired all of Kosuto and wished for the forced removal of the Japanese, while the Japanese desired lands north of the 39th parallel and the forced removal of the Russians from Kosuto. These unresolved disagreements would persist until the First Great War