Russia: aims to be a southern power Anglophobia armed forces discredited by Crimean defeat Austrian Four Points accepted autocracy failure Bessarabia loss a national tragedy Black Sea fleet recommissioned boundary dispute in Bessarabia brink of war with Britain over the Vixen (1836) British plans to break up the Russian Empire calls for war against Turks (1820s) campaigns for return of Crimea from Ukraine ‘conflicting memories of 1812 Congress of Berlin resolutions conquest of khanates in Central Asia corruption and incompetence Cossack traditions Danubian principalities and declares war on Turkey (1828) defences thinly spread demands extradition of Polish refugees from Ottomans demands new Orthodox Church protection treaty dependence on a serf economy diplomatic relations with Britain and France broken (1854) dispute with France over the Holy Land drops France as an ally ecclesiastical mission in Jerusalem economics of serf emancipation expansionist aims see ‘Testament of Peter the Great’; feelings of betrayal by Western Christians forced to give up Kars Foreign Ministry free passage through Dardanelles for shipping and French territorial ambitions (Nice and Savoy) gains from Adrianople Treaty (1829) gains territory in the Far East (1860) gives up privileges vis-à-vis Ottomans (1841) Greeks lobby for help at Tsarist Court and Holy Sepulchre roof dispute humiliation and pride from Sevastopol imperial rivalry with Great Britain importance of cereal exports influence on other Orthodox communities insists on Hatt-i Hümayun clause in Paris Congress invasion and siege of Kars liberal circles critical of war Ministry of Education Ministry of Finance Ministry of the Interior Ministry of War national myth of Sevastopol need for modern infrastucture need to modernize defences an Orthodox Crusade Paris Peace Congress (1856) peace feelers to Austrians and French (1855) perceived threat to India plans for a partisan war and Poland possibility of revolutionary disturbances preparedness for war (1853) pressures Ottomans over French demands railways rapprochement with France reaction to Bulgarian atrocities reactions to the War reformist spirit relations with America religious destiny of resentment against Europe response to defeat at Inkerman response to Franco-Austrian proposals for peace (1855) response to loss of Sevastopol response to 1848 revolutions in Europe rumours about death of Tsar Nicholas rumours about freedom for serfs who enlist rumours of international events and actions San Stefano Treaty seen as enemy of liberty by France serf emancipation serf illiteracy serf uprisings Serpent Island occupied state commemorations of Sevastopol struggle to control buffer zones support for France over Austrian War (1859) support for Ottomans against Egypt (1833) support for Prussia support for Serbia tests the Paris Peace Treaty (1856) thought of as semi-Asiatic uncivilized Three Emperors’ League (1873) tight press censorship trade competition with Britain Treaty with Great Britain and France (1827) Treaty of Unkiar-Skelessi and wars with Muslim neighbours ‘weak neighbour’ policy see also Alexander II, Tsar; Nicholas I, Tsar; pan-Slavism; Soviet Union
Russian army: forced to withdraw from Warsaw (1830) defeats the Poles (1831) army reforms dead and wounded defeats Hungarians (1849) defences thinly spread desertions in Bucharest desertions at Chernaia river desertions from Sevastopol diet in Danube delta drinking entertainments harsh treatment of serf soldiers (Tolstoy) indecisive skirmishes with Ottomans (1853) losses due to disease in campaigns medical help from the USA medical treatment before Pirogov military justice system mobilized to attack Turks (1852) preparedness for war (1853) punishments reinforcements from Danubian front revenge attacks on Bulgarian Muslims rumours about freedom for serfs who enlist Russo-Turkish War (1877 – 8) satirical song a soldiers comment on the death of the Tsar soldiers letters home technologically backward uniforms universal conscription victory in the Caucasus withdrawal from San Stefano to Danube
Russian army, Crimean timeline: transferred from Caucasus to Danubian front Silistria offensive and siege retreat from Silistria and Danube at Alma looting after Alma rearguard escapes Nolan’s Hussars defence of Sevastopol at Balaklava reinforcements from Bessarabia at Inkerman atrocities after Inkerman fails to press home advantage in winter of 1854 – 55 supply problems because of siege night raids on allied trenches fraternization with allied troops allied bombardment of Sevastopol defence of Mamelon and Quarry Pits defence of Malakhov and the Redan rumours of mutiny council of war discusses possible attacks (August 1855) attack on French and Sardinians at Chernaia river Balaklava hand over (July 1856)
