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The Crimean War
War Name : The Crimean War
Date(s) : 1853 - 1856
Summary
A disagreement between Russian Orthodox and Roman Catholic priests in Jerusalem was Russia's excuse for claiming the right to protect all Christians in the Ottoman empire. Turkey refused this 'right' and, when Russia invaded the Dunubian principalities, Turkey declared war on Russia on the 4th October 1853. Both Britain and France were concerned about Russian expansionism and declared war on Russia in March 1854.
Early allied concentration was at Varna on the west coast of the Black Sea but Russian withdrawal from the seige of Silistria left them without a clear target. Allied Government decision was to attack the Russian naval base at Sebastapol.
Sebastapol was evacuated by the Russians on the 9th September 1855 only 5 days less than a year after the allies landed in the Crimea.
In addition to the military campaign on the Crimean peninsular fighting also occurred in the lower Danube basin and in the foothills of the Caucasus mountains. At sea, naval actions took place in the Baltic Sea, on Russia's Pacific coast and elsewhere.
The importance of the Crimean War was largely in its consequences. The appalling failure to support troops in the field with even the basic necessities of life was highlighted. Of the 18,058 deaths only 1761 were killed by enemy action, the other 16,297 died from wounds or disease. Some units lost as much as 60 per cent of their men to disease in the first nine months of the campaign.
The long lasting psychological effects on the nation of the 'glorious events' which have passed into folklore cannot be over-estimated. The effects are seen in terms of recruitment and fighting spirit of people brought up to belive in 'The Thin Red Line' and the 'Charge of the Light Brigade'.
