The Crimean War (1854-1856) is not one of the most famous or important conflicts in history. Very few people have understood the reasons for it, then or now. Even fewer probably care.
It was, however, the biggest conflict among the Great Powers of Europe between the Napoleonic Wars (ended 1815) and World War I (began 1914). And it had some enduring cultural effects.
In 1854, Great Britain, France and the Ottoman Empire allied to stop Russian expansion into the Balkans. In particular, they feared a Russian capture of Constantinople (Istanbul) which would give Russia control of the Bosporus Straits between the Black Sea and the Mediterranean.
The leaders of Catholic France were also determined to prevent the Russian Orthodox Church from gaining control of the religious sites in the Holy Land. No doubt Christ would have approved.
Most of the fighting took place on the Crimean Peninsula. The allies besieged the largest Russian naval base in the Black Sea, Sevastopol. After a protracted campaign marked by incompetence and suffering on both sides, they did eventually capture Sevastopol, after which the war ended.
When it was over lots of folks scratched their heads, wondering what all the carnage was about. The allies gave Sevastopol back to Russia, and went home. In the next big European war, World War I, Britain, France, and Russia were on the same side, and the Ottomans were on the other. Diplomacy is like that.
The Crimean War is remembered for lots of things. The nursing Lady of the Lamp, Florence Nightingale, became an icon, though even she later questioned how effective her work had been. What she did after the war is far more important historically and medically.
It was also the first war covered by professional journalists. Reporters like William Howard Russell and Howard Fenton were the first true war correspondents. They were able to send stories to their newspapers in almost real time due to the advent of railways and the telegraph.
Incompetence, of course, is also high on the list of memorable things about the Crimean War. The British commander, Lord Raglan, kept referring to the enemy as the French, who were his allies. But then his last action had been at Waterloo against Napoleon, 40 years before. [Image: Fitzroy Henry James Somersett, AKA, Lord Raglan]
Lord Raglan died during the middle of the war, but not before issuing a famously confusing order for a direct cavalry attack on a heavily fortified Russian position bristling with artillery.
The almost suicidal attack has become notorious as one of the most gallant blunders in military history. Alfred (Lord) Tennyson wrote a famous poem about it. Films have been made about it. I refer of course to the Charge of the Light Brigade. Onward, into the Valley of Death and all that, as Tennyson put it. [A Victorian painting of the charge by Richard Caton Woodville is at the top of this post.]
Raglan also survived long enough to give his name to a fashion: raglan sleeves. His lordship liked jackets with sleeves that did not end at the shoulders, but continued to the neck, supposedly because he lost an arm at Waterloo. The style soon became fashionable back home, although in pullovers (sweaters), not jackets.
The man who commanded the Light Brigade itself was also a fashion influencer. James Brudenell was a strict disciplinarian with a love for designing fancy uniforms for his men. His competence as a military commander and commitment to the truth have often been questioned.
Better known by his title, Lord Cardigan, Brudenell allegedly liked to lounge in a buttoned sweater or waistcoat without a collar. Merchants back in the UK quickly began promoting such items as "cardigans" and the name stuck. [Image: James Brudenell, Earl of Cardigan, but not in a cardigan]
The Charge of the Light Brigade took place on the same day as another famous action, equally brave and much more useful to the allied side. Five hundred of the 93d Highlanders, supported by a small detachment of marines and some Turkish infantry, repelled Russian cavalry numbering between 2,000 and 3,000.
They were all that stood in the way of the Russian objective: capturing the Allied supply base at Balaclava, or Balaklava (not be confused with the dessert, baklava). The Highlanders' commander, General Sir Colin Campbell, positioned them directly in front of the advancing Russians with the ominous words, "There is no retreat from here, men. You must die where you stand."
As it happened they didn't have to. After three volleys from the Highlanders, the second and third highly effective, the Russians retreated, pursued by the Heavy Brigade.
The British press dubbed the Highlanders' stand "The Thin Red Line." Robert Gibb later produced an iconic if romanticized painting of the event, which hangs in the National Gallery of Scotland.
If you search the words "Thin Red Line" on the internet today, you will be inundated by posts about a film of 1998 by that name, which is about the Battle of Guadalcanal in World War II. But keep looking and you will find others about the original event of 1854, and an ad for a shirt company. The internet is full of surprises.
A controversial term often used by police and their supporters today, "The Thin Blue Line" also derives from the fame of that brief heroic action at Balaclava. The allusion to the original term is based on the notion that the police are the thin line that stands between society and barbaric chaos. Unlike the red-coated Highlanders, the police generally wear blue.
It is unknown when people began using the term "Thin Blue Line," but it has been in use for a century at least. In recent years the "Thin Blue Line" has been appropriated by right-wingers and white nationalists in the USA.
I am not done with Balaclava yet. As you might have guessed by now, the place gave its name to the balaclava hat or cap, which helped protect the face and head from extreme cold. [Image: Balaclava hat]
The winter of 1854-1855 was extremely cold, and British soldiers suffered terribly from the effects, and from disease. Due to an antiquated and incompetent logistics system, cold weather clothing and supplies did not arrive on schedule.
In response, women in the UK took up their needles and knitted thousands of the woolen caps that became known as balaclavas. Terrorists, criminal gangs, and armed police are forever grateful for the anonymity, if not the warmth, of the headgear.
One more little thing before I cease. The first allied victory of the Crimean War, the Battle of the Alma, occurred shortly after they landed their armies on the peninsula, in September 1854. It took its name from a nearby river.
After news of the battle reached the UK, many British families began to name their daughters Alma. The name already existed but was not common. In Latin, it means "nurturing soul." It became much more popular after the battle of that name, but declined in popularity in the 20th century. Some British pubs adopted the name "The Alma" and continue to use it, including the one below in Wandsworth.
I hope you have enjoyed this feeble attempt to show how even a relatively minor war can have major cultural effects.
If you enjoyed this post and would like to become a follower of my blog, just click on the blue "FOLLOW" button on the right side of the first page. Below there you can also find my previous posts. Thanks!
No comments:
Post a Comment