Come join us to hear about the little-known relationship between President Lincoln and Tsar Alexander II!
History books rarely mention an important moment in the U.S. Civil War, when Russia and the U.S. (Union) cooperated with each other to prevent a war with France and Britain in 1863. During the U.S. Civil War, Britain sided with the Confederate States and was prepared to declare war on the Union states. Tsar Alexander II tried to help the Union (U.S.) against Britain during the Civil War, and sent its Baltic fleet to New York harbor and San Francisco in the fall of 1863.
The Tsar also decreed that should a war erupt between the U.S./Russia and Britain and France, the Russian fleets would be under the command of President Lincoln. Fortunately, this move dissuaded Britain and France from declaring war, and the Russian sailors stayed in the U.S. for several months before returning home, setting a friendly tone in Russian-American relations in the 19th century.
It's a fascinating part of history that you rarely hear about – please come tomorrow night (Tuesday, October, 9) to find out more!
This lecture will be given by visiting scholar, Dr. Susanne Sternthal,
who has published her research about this topic in Russia Today and other journals.
Dr. Sternthal received her Ph D. from Columbia University and is both a writer and consultant