| abstract | - Known in Russian as the Bering Sea Crisis (Беринговоморский кризис, Beringovomorsky krizis)
* The Red Scare and an atmosphere of McCarthyism would effect all of Alaska during the 1950s. As a consequence, Alaskans favor closer ties with the United States (including military assistance).
* It as during this time that the Alaskan government and military began to expand their nuclear weapons program. Due to a lack of nuclear resources within its borders, the domestic program never developed a nuclear bomb.
* In 1955, Igor Voronov (Earl Warren) is elected to the presidency. His administration focused on improving Alaska's infrastructure as a deterrent against a possible Soviet attack. This also included expanding military relations with the United States.
* Under the Rio Pact, a military agreement is established between Alaska and the United States. Under the provisions, American missiles are allowed to be stationed within Alaska.
* Throughout the deployment of these weapon systems, average Alaskans would be kept in the dark that many of these "defensive" missiles would (in fact) include nuclear warheads.
* The Soviet Union would push itself into the situation by 1960. Unhappy that his country was completely surrounded by enemy missiles (combined with the two incidences of American planes being shot down over the USSR), Nikita Khrushchev opts to make public the evidence (collected by spies and surveillance) of American nuclear weapons being stationed in Alaska.
* Though not acting militarily, the USSR puts pressure on both Alaska and the United States. Japan also places pressures on the two, believing that missiles in Alaska would also threaten their security.
* Following these revelations, Alaskans make it clear that they oppose the stationing of nukes within their nation and the level of secrecy the government took to hide this fact. Though split on the issue, most Alaskans demand the nukes be withdrawn from the country.
* It would be during this national debate that Alaskan leftists and pacifists form a political coalition against the decades of militarization. This coalition would form the basis of the Peace Party.
* The nuclear debate in Alaska is intensified in early 1961, when a B-52 (carrying two nuclear bombs) crashes near Goldsboro, North Carolina, resulting in the accidental detonation of both weapons. Thousands are killed during the incident. Fears of a similar accident possibly occurring in Alaska, the debate shifts completely against anything nuclear within Alaska.
* A few months later, Pacifist and devout socialist, Vasily Kardash, is elected to the presidency. The new Kardash administration pushes for the complete removal of American missiles from Alaska and the reorientation towards neutrality within the Cold War.
* Though continuing to cooperate with the United States on defensive issues, American personal and weaponry would be removed from the nation during the 1960s. Alaska would later withdrawal from the Rio Pact shortly after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Additions
* During the 1950s, Alaska expanded its domestic nuclear weapons program (begun under the Gnatyshin administration). But due to the lack of nuclear material within Alaska's borders, this program was ultimately scrapped.
* Nuclear sharing among NATO members were all done in secret and were all deployed by the late 1950s.[1] With a domestic program being unrealistic, Alaska would conduct similar talks with the United States (potentially under the Rio Treaty?).
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