“Westward expansion seems to have proceeded quite nicely.”
- I wouldn’t call destroying the economy of the Baltic states expanding westwards.
The same thing goes for Finland that was conquered in 1809 thanks to the courteous promises of a certain Corsican.
Russia pushed her borders westwards, yes, but did this involve any economic, military or cultural “expansion” to speak of.
I’d say very little. The game was already over and Russia failed to reached the seven seas.
Sweden lost a Baltic empire, true, but remains the leading economic, military and cultural power in the Baltic area - to a great extent this is thanks to Charles XII and Gustavus III.
They tamed the bear.
Russia did not fail in a war with Napoleon, but did not push westward its borders, using opportunity. May be it had no such plans? There were no such things, as Baltic States, they were Bolshevic’s creation. Native people were farmlabourers of Baltian German barons. You know, after Peter I Russian tsars were Germans by nationality.
Tsar Alexander I annexed to Finland territories, belonged to Russia, so after Bolshevik revolution Russia’s capital Petersburg became borderline town. On the eve of the WWII such position was absolutely unacceptable to Stalin. He proposed twice as big territory in Karelia in exchange for piece of land near Leningrad, but Finland denied.
During WWII Sweden produced 30% bombs, used by Wehrmacht in Eastern front. They tamed bear