Crimean WarHow It Started The Crimean War was a war fought between Russia and Great Britain, France, and the Ottoman Empire between the years 1854 and 1856. In 1853, the Ottoman Turks declared war on Russia, and Russia invaded [Moldavia] and Wallachia. These are regions of the current Romania, but at the time they were loosely a part of the Ottoman Empire. At the Battle of Navarino, Russia mounted a formidable attack on the Ottoman Empire under the leadership of Admiral Nakimhov. The Russians' attack was a result of an argument over who controlled the worship places in the holy cities of Jerusalem and Nazareth. It was also due to the fact that Russia wanted to be the sole protectorate of the Orthodox Christians in the Ottoman Empire. The British caught wind of Russians attacks on the Ottoman Empire. They were unaware of Russia's intentions, but they didn't like the idea of Russian control of Constantinople. Russia and Great Britain were already competing for control of Afghanistan and Central Asia, so the British decided to take pre-emptive action against tsar Nicholas I and the Russians. Britian easily aligned itself with a war-hungry, Russian-loathing Napoleon III of France. Progression of Battles The Russians quickly withdrew from the areas of the Ottoman Empire that they had invaded, and Austria took control of these lands. The allied forces saw an opportunity for a further offensive against Russia, and set their sites on Sevastopol. The British and French met their first opposition at the [Alma River], but quickly defeated the Russian forces there. They marched onward to Sevastopol, a Russian city on the Crimean Peninsula where Nicholas I kept his Black Sea Fleet. Before and during the seige of Sevastopol, there were a number of other battles.... The Battle Of Balaklava The Battleof Inerkman France and Great Britian finally dug in to trenches near the city of Sevastopol. This battle would continue until September of 1855. The Russian city fell shortly after Admiral Nakimhov was killed by a sniper. The year 1855 brought about the reign of Alexander II. Both sides realized that this war of attrition was basically becoming a stalemate. British and French employed superior tactics, but were poorly prepared for the harsh Russian weather. Peace talks began, and the war ended abruptly with the [1856 Treaty Of Paris]. Interesting Facts - The Crimean War was the first war that made extensive use of the telegraph.
- This was also the first time that French and British troops tight-rolled tobacco into cigarettes.
- The British and French were both grossly unprepared for the conditions they were to face in Russia. The Crimean Peninsula's cold weather proved to be a breeding ground for cholera amongst the French troops. The British were very [Poorly Clothed] and fed for the harsh winters they experienced.
- To further complicate matters, the British lost a convoy of 30 ships filled with supplies during a violent storm on the [Black Sea]. The British also made a huge logistical blunder in the Charge Of The Light Brigade.
- Florence Nightingale became famous as a result of the combination of poor conditions for soldiers and the use of the telegraph. Her nursing methods became the standard for wars in years to come.
Parting Shots Before I did this article, I didn't know anything about the Crimean War. It seems to me that the Crimean War was a sort of double pre-emptive attack. The Russians decided to lay claim to part of the Ottoman Empire. Great Britain didn't know Russia's intentions, but they sure didn't like the idea. As a result, they retaliated (on the idea that somehow this would hurt Great Britain in the future). France joined in willingly because Napoleon III just wanted to shoot people up. This war reminds me of the Cold War. The Soviet Union and [United States] both assumed that the other side had some evil scheme (and both probably did). I'm just glad for history's sake that neither side shot the first bullet. There was too much at stake! Acknowledgements: http://www.geocities.com/Broadway/Alley/5443/crimopen.htm http://http://mars.acnet.wnec.edu/~grempel/courses/russia/lectures/19crimeanwar.html http://http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crimean_War http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/timelines/ britain/vic_crimean_war.shtml Back to Andrew's Propaganda. | 