The United States was on perfectly good terms with Russia from the early republic through 1917. During the American Civil War, and for that matter during the pe

The United States was on perfectly good terms with Russia from the early republic through 1917. During the American Civil War, and for that matter during the period about 1800-1814, we were on better terms with Russia than with England or France. During the later part of the 19th Century various persons of liberal convictions did complain about the Russian government; they made a persuasive case in the press, but how far this affected the opinions of the governing classes is not clear. To have an opposite to point to does seem to do the national self-esteem good. The national mind might be another matter.