Part 4/9:
Exploring the question of whether countries can legally be bought, the answer is a qualified "yes." A historical parallel can be drawn to the U.S. purchase of Alaska from Russia in 1867 for $7.2 million—a sum equivalent to roughly $130 million today. At that time, Russia faced significant financial pressures after the Crimean War, and the strategic distance made Alaska a liability. By selling it, Russia alleviated some financial strain while the U.S. found great value in the region as it turned out to be rich in resources.