Crimean war Essays - Military History By Country, Caucasian War

During the 1800s Russia seemed to be the dominant force compared to its neighbors. A superior country with better economy, army and resources. That was the case until Russia's neighbors decided to take action in 1853, and a series of battles known as the Crimean war broke down; finally crippling Russia and setting new dominance in Europe by 1856. Although Russia seemed to have army superiority due to their sheer numbers, they were proven wrong by an alliance of the British, French, and the Ottoman Empire (Turkey). Russia was defeated in one of the battles merely by the British due to superior strategy. Consequently, Russia's desperate attempts to gain more power finally lead them to their defeat. The Crimean war was essentially a contest between the major European powers for influence over holy territories over the declining Ottoman Empire. As Candan Badem stated in his book The Ottoman Crimean War (1853-1856), ?It wasn't just Russia, or Britain, or the Ottoman Empire: it was a combi nation of the problems between all these forces [...] Needless to say, these tensions were based on very material interests and not on personal matters.? Arguably, the Crimean war could have played an essential role in the Russian Revolution of 1917 due to its consequences. Given the importance of this war, a question to answer is, how did the Crimean war affect Russia? After reading and thoroughly analyzing many articles and books, it is clear that after the war, Russia shifted from being the most powerful Empire, to an insignificant humiliated country for a period of time; as the victorious side took the holy territories they dreamed of and also forbid them from using the black sea. Even so, Russia later on got back on their feet and was once more a world superpower. To be sure to understand the position Russia was in, it's important to know the Russia before the Crimean War and what happened before it. As early as 1850, observers had been predicting the outbreak of a Russo-Turkish War. Russia before the Crimean war of 1853 was a superior, stronger Russia in comparison of its neighboring countries. Russia hoped to expand that power left and right: in Europe and Asia. In his book Imperial Russia 1801-1901, Tim Chapman thoroughly explains Russia's politics and economy before, during, and after the Crimean war. In the 1800s, Russia was an autocracy governed by an emperor who took the name of a ?Tsar?, his name was Nicholas I. ?His main tasks were to defend Russia from foreign attack and to maintain order within the frontiers [?] however, he was not entirely free to do as he chose.? (197) Nicholas I meant to increase Russia's power while keeping peace around and within Russia. Obviously an idea that the Ottoman Empire (or the other countries) wouldn' t agree to. Also important to mention, the Russian Tsars had followed a fairly consistent policy of drawing more political power away from the nobility and into their own hands. The living in Russia was nothing out of the ordinary. Most villages in Russia consisted of wooden homes, a bathhouse , a church and various outbuildings. Furthermore, the great size of Russia was its main weakness politically, then conversely this was its great strength economically. As Chapman stated, ?...the vast expanses of territory were difficult to control but they were inhabited by huge numbers of people. With a population close to forty million in 1800, Russia was by far the largest of the European states.? (202) All the land was used for farming and goods, but it is difficult to control a large country like Russia. The Crimean war was the result of a competition between France, Russia and Britain for influence in the Middle East, especially with the Ottoman Empire. Although that was the immediate cause, it was a ticking bomb that had been built up over the years ready to explode. In 1853 Russia owned territories that had previously been controlled by the Ottoman Empire. Britain and France didn't want Russia to keep expanding and tried to negotiate with them in order to stop them. The Ottomans were unwilling to get into an agreement and, having full back-up from the British, declared war