Military situation]
The Russian army in 1868 continued to integrate the Chassepots rifles into its armies, it had become much more standard (that is, much more normal within the Russian army, there were approximately 1 Chassepots for every 2 soldiers). But the military reform in this regard continued.
Institutionalizing the new uniforms was much simpler, their practicality and simplicity made them much easier to produce by state industries.
Hiram Berdan had helped modify some rifles, improving their performance slightly.
Hiram Berdan's main function at the moment was still managing the manufacture of the Chassepots, and in that Russia was continually growing.
Imperial Russia saved a few rubles on the production of its new uniforms, and made a few more on the sale of old military equipment (somewhat dated weapons and artillery).
The equipment was mainly sold to some Latin American countries and Romania. Russia tried to sell some weaponry to Korea's Joseon dynasty, but it was obvious that the nation's isolationist policy (still led by its ruler) would prevent this.
For Emperor Alexander III it was more a message that Russia was willing to try to repair its relations with Korea, despite the war there were certain individuals in Korea who could see the evil of isolationism or how Russia could be of use to Korea (and Korea useful for Russia ...).
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The Russians were moving towards the conquest of the Khanate of Khiva, with the construction of some border forts to increase the logistics of the region at the time of the 1869 campaign.
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[Internal situation]
Between the ministries there was a lot of work and preparation, Emperor Alexander III met the State Council almost every month to make sure of the preparations.
The Zemstvos were sometimes called in to provide input and help, but they were obviously only advisory, without any real power or influence.
"How are we doing financially?" Emperor Alexander III asks his minister Nikolai von Bunge.
"Well ... better than before. Our industry is growing, we have a more favorable trade balance and we have successful businesses. Our neutrality in the European wars has made us money in various ways. We are selling various resources and some products abroad .. .but we could do better "Nikolai von Bunge sentences.
"We could always be doing better" The Tsar mentions. "But will this work for now?"
"The Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Transport and Railways, the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of War have discussed the given budget and expenses. Yes, we will be fine" Minister Nikolai von Bunge is happy to confirm.
With the financial growth of Russia, the government had accepted a remarkable budget for the various reforms that Tsar Alexander III and various ministers had in mind.
As such the Great Reforms of Alexander III began in 1867, but it was simply a small military reform compared to what would come later.
The government had planned reforms and projects for the period 1870-1872, the bulk of these reforms would be in 1870.
The reforms were aimed at improving education, the army, the Russian system of measures, the economy and some economic projects (the Trans-Siberian).
So 1869 was obviously a year of various preparations to sustain all the growth of Russia in the 1870s.
A big difference between Russia and the rest of the European countries, was that the expansion of Russia in its majority was not towards overseas colonies, Russia expanded towards the east. Civilizations that move sideways are luckier in this regard, and Russia, which occupies practically all of North Asia, proved it.
The Russian Empire had a huge amount of resources that allowed it to industrialize, they only needed technical improvement and a lot of work.
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[Culture: Sport]
When children were not working in factories (at that time until 1872 it was legal), studying (if they could) or doing something related to the family field, many in some way played a sport.
The Russia of Alexander III began to facilitate public places for young people, these first places were in Moscow, Saint Petersburg, Helsinki, Kiev and Nizhny Novgorod.
If a child proved to be extremely talented in one of these establishments, the family could be offered a scholarship and assistance for studies (facilitating access to studies in the case of poor families).
The first sports promoted from 1868 onwards during the reign of Alexander III were football (soccer according to some), chess, boxing, hockey, bandy (or Russian hockey, русский хоккей), rugby, gymnastics, biatlon, and fencing.
Tsar Alexander III seemed to have a particular interest in ice sports and soccer.
Russia during this time modernized and stipulated the Bandy rules officially, years before the first British attempt to establish the rules of the sport (in 1882).
Speaking of the separation between social classes, the popular masses (the majority, peasants) preferred and were motivated to soccer, rugby, biathlon, bandy and hockey.
There was a growing population of different strata interested in gymnastics and boxing.
On the other hand, the nobility who attended these sites preferred fencing, ice skating and chess.
In a sense this promoted a feeling of unity among the Russian population (the Slavs practiced mostly during the early years, but Caucasus peoples, Christians and Jews, etc., were soon added).
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During this period Emperor Alexander III bought one of the first Safety model bikes, developed by the British engineer Thomas Humber.
Tsar Alexander III invested in the Humber Cycles company, the Safety model soon arrived in Russia, although with the roads and the winter and mud seasons of Russia, it was only a small fashion in some of the cities with the best infrastructure of that moment.
Rurality remained mostly free of cycling.
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[The Jews]
Emperor Alexander III met with his interior minister, Aleksandr (or Alexander) Yegorovich Timashev (replacement of the previous minister, Pyotr Aleksandrovich Valuev).
"We have a matter to resolve ... the Jews and the Pale of Settlement" Emperor Alexander III began.
In 1856 the recruitment of Jewish children was stopped (Russian recruitment of Jews could start at age 12).
In 1859, Emperor Alexander II allowed Jews with the professions of: merchants, craftsmen, doctors, lawyers, university graduates, their families and service personnel, as well as people of free professions (a rather ambiguous term) the right to settle freely. .
In 1864 Jews were allowed to participate in Zemstvos.
The minister and the emperor discussed the anti-Semitism of Russia, by 1880 even with the migration abroad, the Russian Empire had 67% of the world's Jewish population.
"So. How can we solve this?" It was the interior minister who actually asked the emperor.
"... We will not be able to solve anti-Semitism, we can reduce it but never eliminate it completely, technology and government advance much faster than the mentality of the population." Tsar Alexander III began.
"Abolishing the Pale of Settlement will seriously damage the government's position among conservatives." Minister Timashev added, to which his emperor nodded.
"... Can we avoid the Progroms with security measures to Jewish property? You know, get the police to intervene, for example" Emperor Alexander III proposed.
"In theory yes, but in practice it may not work." Interior Minister Timashev responds, and it was true. "I understand that we cannot ignore the problem, but we speak of a problem perhaps too great to solve the majesty of him."
"Not if we start small" Emperor Alexander III mentioned.
Minister Aleksandr Yegorovich Timashev was not the best friend of minorities, in fact he openly fought against terrorism and independence movements of Baltic and Polish origin.
However under his rule and the reign of Emperor Alexander III, timid reforms began for the Russian Jewish community (communities that encompassed the Jews of central-eastern Europe, from Poland to Ukraine and other western parts of Russia, Jews from Georgia and others. parts of the Caucasus, and Jews from Central Asia).
Such as the protection of their properties (by law), and their rights to buy, lease or rent agricultural land. They were also allowed to attend Russian gymnasium and universities.
All this caused a schism in the Jewish community of Russia, they were a growing group. In 1872 the Jewish families of the Gintsburgs and Polyakovs formed important private banks.
The Zaitsev and Brodsky families quickly became the titans of the Russian sugar industry (which was constantly growing during the government of Alexander III).
Agriculture in Malorossiya and commercial ports like Odessa grew considerably, partly thanks to the Jewish community in the areas. In fact, the Odessa community was one of the most important in Russia.
Culturally, various Jews began to contribute to Russia. Landscape painter Isaak Levitan, sculptor Mark Antokolsky, pianist and composer Anton Rubinstein became famous throughout Russia.
While some conservatives were outraged by the Jewish presence in Russian educational institutions (inside the Pale of Settlement and Saint Petersburg), Jews there were prohibited from forming political groups, assemblies for political purposes, or being part of them (since they were illegal from 1870 onwards to begin with) .
At the governmental level, Jews were prohibited from forming more than 1/3 of the government of a city council (seriously limiting Jewish participation in cities with large communities).
For others like Alexander III it was actually positive, because it had generated a generational schism. On one side were the older generation Jews who wanted to isolate themselves from the Russians, and the younger generations, who wanted to integrate into the Russian community.
Some simply converted to another faith (Orthodox Christianity) to stop having the disadvantages of the Jewish faith within the Russian legal system.
Technically the Emperor Alexander III did not quite solve the problem of the Jews in the Russian Empire, but it is obvious that he made attempts to improve their situation.
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[International]
On November 3, the presidential elections of the United States take place, Ulysses S. Grant defeats Horatio Seymour for the presidency of the country.
About 5 days later, on November 7, the leader of the Maori of the Taranaki region, Riwha Tītokowaru, defeats the British in Morutoa.
In December, the world's first traffic lights are installed on Great George Street and Bridge Street.
King George I of Greece creates a royal guard for his safety.
On December 25, an unconditional pardon is given to all rebels of the American Civil War.
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In mid-November the Franco-Prussian war continues with the advance of the German armies to the west.
The bulk of the Prussian-German armies (in which the Crown Prince of Prussia, Frederick participated) turned towards Paris, while the Bavarian army advanced towards the south.
The Parisian force was made up of some tens of thousands of people who survived the victory against Prussia by the northern army.
The Prussian-German high command was divided into two positions, the position of General von Blumenthal and the position of the Minister President Otto von Bismarck.
Bismarck insisted that a bombardment of the city would cause its quick surrender, on the other hand Karl Konstantin Albrecht Leonhard Graf von Blumenthal insisted that this would not be good for several reasons: It would allow the survival of French armies, it would turn third parties against Prussia, it would violate the rules of engagement, etc.
King Wilhelm I accepted von Blumenthal's position.
The argument of Bismarck and others was that too long a war (as this war proved to be at the moment) would put a lot of pressure on the German economy.
Eventually von Blumenthal's position remained. But there was another problem with the Siege of Paris, Emperor Napoleon III in southern France was intensively working on recruiting a new force to fight the Germans.
The Bavarian army rushed to try to defeat him, but in early December the news was received that Napoleon III defeated one of the two Bavarian armies, forcing the second to fall back.
Napoleon III sadly lost precious momentum with his victory over the Bavarians, his new army was still green (and over-trusting his abilities was a bad idea).
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More pressure was put on the siege of Paris, especially with the possibility of illness and food difficulties for the Prussian army.
This forced General von Molkte (the Elder) to approve of Otto von Bismarck's plan for a bombardment of Paris. At the end of December the city of Paris was bombed, severely damaging its defenses, part of its infrastructure and complicating the food situation.
But Paris held out a little longer.
The Prussian-Germans were unable to occupy the city in 1868.