More Siberian Facts II

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Those who stepped before me are numerous and rather surprising. Captain John Smith of Pocahontas fame, served as a mercenary in the army of the Holy Roman Emperor before becoming famous in America. John Quincy Adams visited in 1781 as a persona secretary and interpreter for America's minister to Russia. James Buchanan was minister to Russia in 1832 and 1833. Of course, this Presbyterian from Pennsylvania was socked by the lack of religion by the Russians.

Samuel Colt, the gun maker, attended the coronation of Tsar Alexander II. He made several visits to Russia to sell guns. Mark Twain met Alexander II on the Black Sea in 1867. Even Whistler's Mother visited with Whistler's father, an engineer, who helped build docks and railroads. The list goes on, with the likes of Marquis de Custine, Admiral John Paul Jones, Theophile Gautier, Booker T. Washington (not the MG's) and Lewis Carroll.

But the most curious Americans were just normal people who came from the Midwest. Adventurous people from Illinois and Indiana made trips over by land, river, and rail, mostly for business for some for pleasure. The number of travelers from Ohio is "off the charts". Many books were written at this time, including some rather intelligently written. Five people from Ohio visited and wrote about Siberia in a space of 15 years! I wonder what inspired them?

Moving on, the English hated the Bolsheviks. By the end of 1920, American, English, Japanese, and other foreign intervention ended. Siberia fell under Soviet control. During this era, the Trans Siberian Railway became infamous for transporting millions of prisoners east to camps in the gulag. Every story of Siberian punishment begins with the TSR, a long and torturous journey, usually on foot. along the Siberian Trakt. Books written back then did not fully describe what was happening off stage. Even America officials sent there were totally ignorant of the actual situation.

The horror of the gulags fade into the past. Siberia reconnected with the world after the Bolsheviks were removed. But the environment was severely damaged, climate change is around the corner, and something new made rear its ugly head.

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