Alaska was purchased from Russia during the Andrew Johnson administration in 1867. War had left the Russians hungry for cash, and they sold Alaska for the equivalent today of 45 cents an acre. "CBS Evening News" co-anchor John Dickerson explains.

Alaska

Alaska's deep-rooted ties to Russia are being revisited as leaders from both nations meet in Anchorage for diplomatic discussions. The territory, purchased from Russia in 1867 for what would now be considered a modest sum, still bears visible reminders of its Russian past, such as Russian Orthodox churches.

The meeting is taking place at a military base known for intercepting Russian aircraft, underscoring ongoing tensions. Alaska's transformation from a territory once dismissed as 'Seward's folly' to a region of strategic and economic importance highlights the unpredictable outcomes of historical decisions and the enduring impact of geography on international affairs.

Alaska's historic ties to Russia in the spotlight

In the summer of 1923, Warren Harding became the first president to visit Alaska, a grueling journey by train and ship. He died on the way home. Alaska was still a territory then, purchased from Russia in 1867. War had left the Russians hungry for cash. They sold Alaska for the equivalent today of 45 cents an acre. In parts of Alaska, Russian Orthodox churches still stand, their onion domes a reminder of that earlier reach. That might sound like ancient history in the light of the events bringing leaders of those countries to Anchorage, except that Vladimir Putin justifies his invasion of Ukraine by citing the history of the 9th century. The war that bled Russia, leading to the 19th century sale, took place on the Crimean Peninsula, the location of Putin's 2014 start of this war. Diplomacy usually unfolds in the courtyards of capitals, under chandeliers where the marble floors are polished by centuries of careful footwork. In Alaska, the marble is still in the ground, jagged and unworked, like the present diplomacy. Hard-edged, slogging work, little room for ceremony. The chosen venue keeps up the tension. A meeting meant to project cordiality is being held at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, whose fighter squadrons intercept Russian aircraft that regularly test U.S. airspace. For decades after Secretary of State William Seward bought the land, Alaska was derided as Seward's folly, a barren expanse bought on a whim. Then came the gold, the oil, and the strategic advantage. An unexpected payoff that fuels the hope, however slim, behind tomorrow's meeting. That geography might be destiny, and that a gamble against all expectations can yield something that looks like wisdom in hindsight.

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