U.S. Civil War: The US-Russian Alliance that Saved the Union

[liberal cl]

Turning to the conflict of 1861-65, Thomas points out that “in the first two years of the war, when its outcome was still highly uncertain, the attitude of Russia was a potent factor in preventing Great Britain and France from adopting a policy of aggressive intervention.” (Thomas 129) He shows that the proposed British-French interference promoted by Lord Russell, the Foreign Secretary, in October 1862 was “deterred at this time mainly” by the Russian attitude, and cites Russell’s note to Palmerston concluding that Britain “ought not to move at present without Russia.” [5] (Thomas 132)

The critical importance of Russian help in deterring the British and Napoleon III as well is borne out by a closer analysis. As early as 1861, Russia alerted the Lincoln government to the machinations of Napoleon III, who was already scheming to promote a joint UK-France-Russia intervention in favor of the Confederacy.

Russell and Gladstone, now joined by Napoleon III, continued to demand aggressive meddling in US affairs. This outcome was avoided because of British and French fears of what Russia might do if the continued to launch bellicose gestures against the Union. On October 29, 1862 there occurred in St. Petersburg an extremely cordial meeting of Russian Foreign Minister Gortchakov with US chargé d’affaires Bayard Taylor, which was marked by a formal Russian pledge never to move against the US, and to oppose any attempt by other powers to do so."

http://www.voltairenet.org/U-S-Civil-War-The-US-Russian

[Stasi]

I thought that was Bruce Willise's exclusive right to save America

[West Texican]

Russia and the US had very good relations during this time so the article is a little silly, essentially saying Russia saved the Union by not doing what they never intended to do. The truth of the matter is the Union troops and President Lincoln saved the Union.

[JCR]

The US civil war had some strange alliances.
France and Britain were largely pro Confederacy while Russia and Prussia (plus many of the smaller states) were pro Union.
A few german officers served in the Union army, including Ferdinand Graf Zeppelin.
He had his first balloon ride during the US civil war

[[WDW]Megaraptor]

Russia planned to invade Australia if the UK moved against the Union.

[Belisarius]

Russia planned to invade Australia if the UK moved against the Union.

I don't see how that was even possible with the Royal Navy so much bigger and stronger than the Russian Navy.

[Mordoror]

Stopped to read at voltaire.net source
This source is unaccurate as hell and politicaly biased
The whole story needs STRONG confirmation

France and Britain were largely pro Confederacy

Hum not exactly
They were more anti-Union rather than pro-Confederacy
Mainly because the US blockade of CS cotton export was hurting their economies (and also because US fregates came several times in French and UK sovereign waters to stop or sink CS blockade runners)
I think moreover that UK was more unhappy about that than France as they were ahead in term of industrial revolution and were hurt a bit more
Spain was involved too (mainly because of some border skirmishes or incidents with units from both sides but mainly US ones)

[Violet Fashion by Mindy]

I don't see how that was even possible with the Royal Navy so much bigger and stronger than the Russian Navy.

There was two star forts defending Sydney. One at the Opera House and one on the Hill overlooking the Rocks and a few scloops/frigates stationed in the entire colony. Needless to say there was nothing stopping the Russian Pacific Fleet sailing right into Sydney Harbour and taking over the joint.

There was enough crap as it was going on in Europe at the time in any event irrespective of Russia that prevented anything other then token assistance. Italian unification, Prussia and Austria fighting over Germany, Prussia being well Prussia, Bismark being all political. A lot was happening.

[Theodore]

Although its true the Russian alliance "saved" the union, I wouldn't look into it as some noble cause the Russians felt obliged to participate in.

Just ten years prior in 1852, Lincoln denounced Russian despotism. At the time, Russia was conquering smaller Slavic states which were in rebellion. This led to many political movements in the United States such as the "Kossuth Craze". Lincoln took the cause of the "rebels". As Lincoln said during a committee concerning Russia, "That it is the right of any people, sufficiently numerous for national independence, to throw off, to revolutionize, their existing form of government, and to establish such other in its stead as they may choose."

But, of course, some of Lincoln's ideals flip-flopped 10 years later. Anywho, the foreign policy was quite fascinating with Russia. I recommend the book "Lincoln and the Russians", it has a lot of letters from the ambassador in D.C. to the Russian government during the war.