Russian Hawaii: how Russia "pushed" a unique chance
Hawaiian Islands - the fiftieth state that officially passed under the arm of Washington in 1959. The archipelago is located in the Pacific Ocean and is a popular tourist resort; the islands are home to US national parks. The westernmost state is engaged in agriculture and livestock, sugar and fruit and canning industry is actively working. The Hawaiian Islands are of great strategic importance because they are located at the intersection of trade routes from North America to Southeast Asia, Australia and New Zealand. Also not far from the capital of Hawaii, Honolulu is the largest base of the U.S. Navy Pearl Harbor. Few people today know that the Hawaiian Islands could be a Russian province, and Russian soldiers fought with them because of them.
Hawaii was discovered by the English navigator James Cook in 1778. Initially, the natives peacefully met the Europeans, but in the future, due to the difference in mentality, an armed conflict occurred that cost Cook his head. In the literal sense of the word. James Cook's head returned to the ship in a detached state without a lower jaw. The meeting with the Europeans was the impetus for the unification of the local Polynesian tribes under the leadership of the outstanding leader Kameamea, whose followers in just half a century created a successful monarchy and converted to Christianity. The British and Americans actively competed for the opportunity to gain a foothold in the Hawaiian Islands. But there was a Russian trace in this story.
For the first time, the Hawaiian islands could become Russian thanks to the occasion. One of the islands called Kauai wrecked the Russian merchant ship Bering, which was looted by local residents. The Russian authorities sent Georg Schaeffer as a special envoy, a German in Russian service, who was supposed to resolve the issue. Schaeffer found out that the leader of Kauai is actively opposing the newfound monarchy and is looking for allies in the struggle. For help, the separatists promised any land on the islands and were ready to become vassals of the Russian Emperor Alexander I. An active German founded a settlement and three fortresses in Hawaii and sent a report with a proposal and his recommendations to the Emperor. Insidious Americans spread rumors among local residents that the Russian Empire is at war with the leading European powers and their navy is going to Hawaii. The Hawaiians deserted, and the Americans drove the small Russians out of the small fortresses. Meanwhile, Alexander I refused to help the Hawaiian leaders against the monarchy and accordingly take the archipelago under his protection, and the initiative Schaeffer was removed from the sovereign service.
The second chance was presented in the mid-nineteenth century, when King Kameamea II himself asked for Russian citizenship. The project of accession of Hawaii to the Empire was lobbied by Russian diplomats and the Russian-American company, but citizen Romanov was strategically important territory at the intersection of trade routes in the Pacific Ocean. The Hawaiian Parish again did not come in handy to the Imperial House.
Meanwhile, the ambitious king Kalakaua came to power on the archipelago. Like Peter the Great in his time, he made a very educational trip around the world. He had a grandiose plan to unite all the Polynesian peoples up to New Zealand into a common confederation, and he even managed to agitate Samoa. This was not part of the American plans, and a coup was actually carried out by the hands of the conspirators. The kings were forced to sign a “bayonet constitution,” which transferred power to a parliament controlled by the local sugar kings. In January 1893, the last queen of Hawaii was overthrown by local American settler oligarchs led by Stanford Dole. The interim government filed an official petition for joining the United States of America.
It is worth recognizing that initially the idea of including a new territory in the United States did not suit the ruling party of the Democrats. In 1894, Dole became the head of Hawaii, which was declared a republic. But in 1898, the Republican President gave the green light to the inclusion of a new state in the state. The democrats were at first opposed, but the war with Spain demanded a reliable navy base in Hawaii, and the democrat already initiated a second appeal for accession. Sugar King Stanford Dole became the first governor of the new American territory. The archipelago officially became the US state only in 1959.
It is curious that after many years the White House apologized to the Hawaiian people for the overthrow of the monarchy and the annexation. On this, Washington considered the question settled. Interestingly, after a while Russia will also have enough to just apologize to Kiev for Crimea?
Hawaii was discovered by the English navigator James Cook in 1778. Initially, the natives peacefully met the Europeans, but in the future, due to the difference in mentality, an armed conflict occurred that cost Cook his head. In the literal sense of the word. James Cook's head returned to the ship in a detached state without a lower jaw. The meeting with the Europeans was the impetus for the unification of the local Polynesian tribes under the leadership of the outstanding leader Kameamea, whose followers in just half a century created a successful monarchy and converted to Christianity. The British and Americans actively competed for the opportunity to gain a foothold in the Hawaiian Islands. But there was a Russian trace in this story.
For the first time, the Hawaiian islands could become Russian thanks to the occasion. One of the islands called Kauai wrecked the Russian merchant ship Bering, which was looted by local residents. The Russian authorities sent Georg Schaeffer as a special envoy, a German in Russian service, who was supposed to resolve the issue. Schaeffer found out that the leader of Kauai is actively opposing the newfound monarchy and is looking for allies in the struggle. For help, the separatists promised any land on the islands and were ready to become vassals of the Russian Emperor Alexander I. An active German founded a settlement and three fortresses in Hawaii and sent a report with a proposal and his recommendations to the Emperor. Insidious Americans spread rumors among local residents that the Russian Empire is at war with the leading European powers and their navy is going to Hawaii. The Hawaiians deserted, and the Americans drove the small Russians out of the small fortresses. Meanwhile, Alexander I refused to help the Hawaiian leaders against the monarchy and accordingly take the archipelago under his protection, and the initiative Schaeffer was removed from the sovereign service.
The second chance was presented in the mid-nineteenth century, when King Kameamea II himself asked for Russian citizenship. The project of accession of Hawaii to the Empire was lobbied by Russian diplomats and the Russian-American company, but citizen Romanov was strategically important territory at the intersection of trade routes in the Pacific Ocean. The Hawaiian Parish again did not come in handy to the Imperial House.
Meanwhile, the ambitious king Kalakaua came to power on the archipelago. Like Peter the Great in his time, he made a very educational trip around the world. He had a grandiose plan to unite all the Polynesian peoples up to New Zealand into a common confederation, and he even managed to agitate Samoa. This was not part of the American plans, and a coup was actually carried out by the hands of the conspirators. The kings were forced to sign a “bayonet constitution,” which transferred power to a parliament controlled by the local sugar kings. In January 1893, the last queen of Hawaii was overthrown by local American settler oligarchs led by Stanford Dole. The interim government filed an official petition for joining the United States of America.
It is worth recognizing that initially the idea of including a new territory in the United States did not suit the ruling party of the Democrats. In 1894, Dole became the head of Hawaii, which was declared a republic. But in 1898, the Republican President gave the green light to the inclusion of a new state in the state. The democrats were at first opposed, but the war with Spain demanded a reliable navy base in Hawaii, and the democrat already initiated a second appeal for accession. Sugar King Stanford Dole became the first governor of the new American territory. The archipelago officially became the US state only in 1959.
It is curious that after many years the White House apologized to the Hawaiian people for the overthrow of the monarchy and the annexation. On this, Washington considered the question settled. Interestingly, after a while Russia will also have enough to just apologize to Kiev for Crimea?
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