How prepared were the British to fight in the Crimea?
Introduction
- Russia saw the chance on southern border for territorial gains at expense of Turkey (sick man of Europe).
- To enter the Mediterranean from Black Sea = ships had to pass through the Straits of Dardanelles.
- this was controlled by Turkey + had artillery as protection.
- if Turkey was forced into an alliance with Russia then the Russian Black Sea fleet could pass freely through
the straits.
- British/ French did NOT want Russian Warships in the Mediterranean as threaten naval supremacy/ India.
Outbreak of the Crimean War
- 1853: Russia pressed the Ottoman sultan for allowances regarding their Christian subjects.
- The sultan refused = Russian soldiers invaded Ottoman Danube region.
- October: Turkey declared war on Russia.
- November: Russian navy attacked an Ottoman fleet in the Black Sea port of Sinope (destroyed Turkish).
- March 1854: Britain + France sailed into Black Sea to blockade the Russians.
- Gave France’s new leader Napoleon III chance to demonstrate France's power.
- Allowed British to make sure that the Russians didn’t have any further ambitions for expansion into Indi
Facing the Russian threat
- The new French Minie rifle gave the British/ French an advantage.
- had about 3x the range of the smoothbore muskets used by most Russian soldiers.
- its rifling made it more accurate + fired a Mime ball (large, powerful projectile).
- Didn’t have any iron-clad ships yet (1860).
- British style of war had barely changed since French Wars.
- Battles against poorly armed = reinforced old ways.
- infantry in line firing muskets with artillery support
Support service shortcomings
- The commissariat (arranged food, supplies and transport) = still largely dependent on civilian
contractors = NOT always efficient + sometimes fraudulent.
Introduction
- Russia saw the chance on southern border for territorial gains at expense of Turkey (sick man of Europe).
- To enter the Mediterranean from Black Sea = ships had to pass through the Straits of Dardanelles.
- this was controlled by Turkey + had artillery as protection.
- if Turkey was forced into an alliance with Russia then the Russian Black Sea fleet could pass freely through
the straits.
- British/ French did NOT want Russian Warships in the Mediterranean as threaten naval supremacy/ India.
Outbreak of the Crimean War
- 1853: Russia pressed the Ottoman sultan for allowances regarding their Christian subjects.
- The sultan refused = Russian soldiers invaded Ottoman Danube region.
- October: Turkey declared war on Russia.
- November: Russian navy attacked an Ottoman fleet in the Black Sea port of Sinope (destroyed Turkish).
- March 1854: Britain + France sailed into Black Sea to blockade the Russians.
- Gave France’s new leader Napoleon III chance to demonstrate France's power.
- Allowed British to make sure that the Russians didn’t have any further ambitions for expansion into Indi
Facing the Russian threat
- The new French Minie rifle gave the British/ French an advantage.
- had about 3x the range of the smoothbore muskets used by most Russian soldiers.
- its rifling made it more accurate + fired a Mime ball (large, powerful projectile).
- Didn’t have any iron-clad ships yet (1860).
- British style of war had barely changed since French Wars.
- Battles against poorly armed = reinforced old ways.
- infantry in line firing muskets with artillery support
Support service shortcomings
- The commissariat (arranged food, supplies and transport) = still largely dependent on civilian
contractors = NOT always efficient + sometimes fraudulent.
