The Crimean War was the 
first significant conflict 
between major powers in Europe 
after the Napoleonic Wars, and 
therefore the earlies notable 
contest of the Age of Rifles.  

In a state of decline, the 
Ottoman Empire suffered from 
internal curruption and was 
vulnerable to military actions 
on the part of Russia, it's 
closest and most formidable 
neighbor.  The "Sick Man of 
Europe" was losoing control 
of its perimiter regions in 
Europe, and Rusia felt the 
future of teh Slavic region 
was an issue to be decided by 
heself - without intervention 
by the Western Powers.

England felt preserving the 
Ottomans was essential to 
ensuring the overland route to 
Persia (a route soon to be 
rendered irrelevant with the 
construction of the Suez Canal),
and further did not want Russia 
to become a Mediterranean power.
In France, Napoleon II needed to
court favor and acceptance for 
his government - his friendship 
with the Sultan became a reason 
to help shore up the Ottoman 
Empire.  Austria viewed Russia's
claims of the Bulgars and Serbs 
being the southern branch of the
great Slav race with alarm, as 
this covered the bulk of the 
Astrian Empire.  The final ally,
Sardinia, saw the cause as a 
means of gaining the prestige it
needed to unify Italy under its 
flag.

Thus, Russia found itself alone 
without any allies while Turkey 
found itself with an abundance.  
Without anything in place to 
check his ambitions, Russian 
Czar Nicholas I plunged on.

In 1854, Russia crossed the 
Danube and invaded Ottoman 
territory.  Almost immediately 
England and France declared war 
and dispatched troops to help 
the Turks defend their territory
- but before they could even get
there Russia bowed to Austria's 
demands that they remove their 
forces.  Determined on their 
course of war, England and 
France decided nevertheless to 
teach Russia a lesson.

The allied forces landed on the 
Crimean coast in September 
without opposition with the 
intention of seizing the Russian
naval base at Sebastopol.  On 
the way they encountered a 
Russian army entrenched on the 
heights overlooking the Alma 
River.  The British attacked, 
overwhelming the defenders 
through their superior 
technology - the British rifled
musket allowed them to engage 
the Russians long before the 
Russian's outdated muskets came 
within range.

The allies continued on their 
march to Sebastopol.  An 
immediate assault would likely 
have captured the port, but the 
allies decided to take a 
cautious approach and began 
preparations for a siege.  The 
Russians took advantage of the 
lull and went on the offense, 
making two attempts to break 
through and bring relief to the 
garrison.  

The first attempt was made at 
Balaclava, a battle destined to 
be made famous by the Light 
Brigade.  Through a combination 
of mistakes, the British cavalry
attacked the Russian artillery 
positions at the end of a long 
valley.  The "Charge of the 
Light Brigade" would be added 
to the long list of heroic 
failures, as the situation was 
hopeless . In spite of this 
disaster the allies held the 
field.  The second attempt at 
Inkerman was no more successful 
for the Russians. 

In the end, the outcome was 
determined, as it was at Alma, 
by the Allied troops' rifled 
muskets.  The Russians suffered 
12,000 casualties and the 
allies only 3,000.  It was 
the Russian winter, coupled 
with an inadequate supply and 
medical system that finally 
stalled the British for the 
remainder of 1854.  Early 1855 
found the British troops 
exhausted and their ranks 
decimated, and the fight was 
passed on to the French and 
Sardinian forces.

From April 8-18, 1855, a major 
portion of the Russian defenses
were destroyed during what came
to be known as the Easter 
Bombardment.  The Russian 
army deployed to meet the 
French and Italian forces, 
however, a fully committed 
attack was never made.  The 
Allied field commanders were 
instead forced to debate 
tactics with their home 
governments, and never 
actually launched an all-out, 
frontal assault assault (French
general Canrobert resigned his 
command over the interference).
Still, Russia lost over 6,000 
casualties through the course 
of the battle.

The British army was functional
again by June, and plans were 
made for a renewed assault 
by the Allied forces. The 
objectives were two Russian 
strong points, the French 
would take the Malakoff and 
the British the Redan.  
Unfortunately, the French 
attack was premature, a fatal 
mistake compounded by British 
high command's failure to 
properly support their attack 
arm with artillery, and 
devastating bombardments by 
the Russian navy. The battle 
ended miserably, by 8 a.m., 
with heavy losses for the 
Allied armies.  Lord Raglan, 
commander of all British 
forces, died heartbroken ten 
days later.  

Despite the Allied setback, 
the Russian’s last hope for 
repelling their enemies ended 
with in their defeat on August 
16th at the Battle of the 
Traktir Ridge.  Though Russia 
was still in a precarious 
position, pressure from the 
new Czar, Alexander II, forced
an attempt to break out of the 
siege. Two Russian corps were 
thrown against approximately 
37,000 French and Sardinian 
resulting in over 7,000 
Russian casualties, against 
only 1,700 Allied casualties.

The end came on September 8, 
with the storming of the 
Malakoff. After an intense 
bombardment the French launched 
an assault with Bosquet's entire
corps.  To preserve secrecy, no 
signal to attack was given; 
instead the commanders 
synchronized their watches and 
attacked at the designated time 
(perhaps for the first time in 
history).  By nightfall it was 
over - the cost, 13,000 Russian 
dead, 10,000 allied dead.

All told the Crimean War had 
little impact on world affairs. 
It only temporarily stopped 
Russian involvement in the 
Balkans and served only to 
delay the end of the Ottoman 
Empire.  In the end, the casus 
belli was the power vacuum left 
by the withering of the Ottoman 
Empire.  Politically it started 
the major change in the British 
military system, gave a lift to 
Napoleon III's power base, and 
indirectly played a part in the 
unification of Italy.  
Nevertheless, the Crimean War 
proved to be a watershed for 
the weaponry and evolving 
technology of the Age of Rifles.




