What Were the Short-Term Significances

What were the short-term significances of the Crimean War of 1854-1856 in footing of foreign policy? The Crimean War was a momentous event in the amendment of foreign policy. Sev periodl short-term significances stemmed from the contend shaping Britains global position, alongside initiating a new aggressive policy take by Palmerston1 and creating the world military force ideology. Faults in the military mismanagement, and the failure of Aberdeens government led to the realization of the need for reform.Depicted as having caused the array to intensify more than in those twain years than in the previous devil hundred,2 it is clear that the Crimea enamourd a series of short-term significances in the successive twenty years. The change from Aberdeens3 diplomaticalal government to Palmerstons aggressive ministry burdened from growing patriotism in the Crimea. Aberdeens cautious mental attitude to state of struggleds fight was highlighting and became more and more un touri sty as it lacked Palmerstons manly vigour. 4 Aberdeen distaste for war was punctuate when he wrote to Peel5 war in coordinate to preserve relaxation is entirely inapplicable to the Great Powers. 6 His involvement in the Napoleonic Wars7 influenced this attitude as he was less naive to war conditions than early(a)s. Sourced from a earn between Aberdeen and Peel, he was defend his anti-war stance. His belief that peace was not achieved in this way was frequented by the Congress System which had held peace without war for 30years. Peels attitude differed, believing in Bellum para, pacem habebis, 8 that peace was obtained through with(predicate) war readiness. Peel compared how equipped France9 was making Aberdeen seem unprepared. much(prenominal)over, Aberdeen was denounced for issues increase in Rus give aways10 war reports such as the military mismanagement and insalubrious conditions11. This negative publicity influenced John Roebuck12 to enquire into the management of war. Public cerebration contrasted Aberdeens approach which John Lowe described as a yielding disposition to the point of whimpishness. 13 Instead, they supported Palmerstons zealous defence of British interests. Palmerston, unlike Aberdeen did not start out the support Queen Victoria14, and thitherfore gained support through co-operation with the public.Stuart confirmed his popularity saying, Wherever I go virtuoso stamp has been pronounced in a single word Palmerston. 15 Said in the throes of war, it was a current, credible description and being a politician, Stuart was able to gage public opinion on Palmerston so was competent to make judgements. so far reliability is affected as Stuart was likely to show support towards the popular government at that cartridge clip, in this case, Palmerston. The Crimean had highlighted flaws in Aberdeens hesitant fragility and brought the significance of a new confrontational approach.Under Palmerstons governance, Britain was presented with a sounder attend than it ever had been under Aberdeen. Gunboat dainty16 allowed him to create the delusion that Britain was the world advocate. reason of his aggressive gunboat diplomacy was the Indian Mutiny 17 in which he forcefully suppressed mutinies to insure British power was not threatened. Palmerstons illusion was further supported when the diplomatic place in Europe was agitate by the lay down it of the Congress of Vienna18 a consequence of the Crimean war.For British foreign policy, this was vastly significant because the suppression of Russian influence19 in the expanse out-of-pocket to the Treaty of genus Paris20 allowed Britain to temporarily become the dominant power on the continent, projecting their power and reinforcing Palmerstons illusion. Media became a new phenomenon in the Crimea and Rus carrys reporting effectively caused legion(predicate) alterations to foreign policy. As the first on-the-scene(prenominal) reporter, he exposed the true con ditions of war to a naive frontry21.Although, legion(predicate) aspects of foreign policy were in need of much change, the war reporting brought them to light, pushing them to hap create verbally quicker. A sketch from the unique perception of thrust magazine highlights the lack of supplies the British military faced. Dialogue between two soldiers says Well Jack Good news from home, were to have a medal, Thats very kind. Maybe one of these days well have a coat to stick it on. 22 Being a issue magazine, Punch wanted to capture the attention of readers and does so by sarcastically highlighting the problems in the Crimea.The fact that it calls the soldiers, patient heroes suggests they are not placing blame on military officers for the lack of supplies and they are rather taunting the Government instead. The limitation however is that the motive was to sell as many copies of Punch as possible, at that placefore dramatisation on elements occurred. The Times composition exploited the poor conditions in order to shock the public gaining publicity. Russell reported, there is not the least attention paid to decency or cleanliness. 23 On one hand, Russell had a first-hand account of the war and gained excess to entropy that was unavailable to differents and indite at the time of war it viable and current. But there is see as to how truthful these reports were. Prince Albert, who took an interest in foreign policy, said that the pen and ink of one miserable scribbler is despoiling the country. Proof of this despoil was the collapse of Aberdeens government who were exposed as weak through the media. By reporting such in-depth details about the military, Russell took the risk of revealing information about the military that could be useful to the enemy.Russells agenda was to sell newspapers and make himself as well-known as possible, and reporting the negative conditions of war was much more likely to cause a public hangover that any positive news, therefore it is not unlikely that he emphasised his reports in order to gain more publicity. The high impact of war reporting is discussed by Chamberlain there was no censorship (no country make this mistake in any future),24 thus proving the high impact and influence the media had back home and in the government. The role of women had huge significances in the Crimea, socially, medical examinationly and in foreign policy.Florence nightingale25 imprinted her name throughout history through her close to reform the British military health-care. When nightingale along with 38 other nurses26 arrived at Scutari 27 they were met by patients grimed with dirt, and infested with vermin. 28 The account of her personal experience validates the atrocious conditions. However, compose towards the end of war Nightingale may have over-emphasised the severity of these conditions so that people saw her as the saviour and driving force throne the improvements.Nightingale make a considerable difference to t he military conditions, producing Coxcombes29 as a way of displaying her improvements. Statistically they showed that in the first 4 months of fighting 1,619 soldiers died of wounds against 16,273 whom died of disease, but under her service, the death rate reduced from 42% to 2%. Her be given at Scutari became highly recognised and medical reports from the time described it as extremely valuable. 30 However, there is a limit as to how truthful her coxcombs were as it has been suggested that she dramatised the improvements in order to promote herself.Being a female of the Victoria era meant that people thought she would not be capable of making a significant difference in war as it was not the product line of a woman. Therefore Nightingale would have felt the need to frame up emphasis on her wee to get noticed. Part of the reason in which Nightingale became so well-known was due to her connection with war newspaperman Russell. The two pretended together to benefit their own ag endas Nightingale gained publicity for her work and Russell benefitted from selling Nightingales stories in newspapers crossways the country.Mary Seacole was another authoritative woman of the Crimea, who perhaps had a more modest agenda. Seacole stepped forward unconquerable to offer her services after Russell made his passionate plea 31 asking for devoted women willing to go forth to minister to the sick and distress soldiers of the East in the hospitals of Scutari? Yet Nightingale refused to work alongside Seacole due to her ethnicity, as her blood flowed beneath a somewhat duskier skin than theirs. 32 taken from Seacoles biography published the year after the Crimea, it showed the bitterness towards Nightingale and was written to illustrate to people the prejudice she faced. Seacole funded her own trip to the Crimea, panorama up a shop on the front line to make up the expenses. 33 Iveson argued that Seacole played a more significant role in the Crimea than Nightingale I n many ways she stands head and shoulders above Nightingale, for whereas Florence performed only an administrative role, Seacole was in the thick of things and did not hesitate to go to the battlefield itself. 34 This weighs up the work of both nurses and concludes that Seacole was in fact the more important of the two, in spite of Nightingale being more recognised. He praises her self-funding and determination to put herself on the battlefield. Overall, both Seacoles and Nightingales role in the Crimea resulted in significant improvements to the nursing profession, which from that point on began to gain respect and importance. In terms of foreign policy, it brought a new era of nursing into the military. More medical care was developed including the first hospital train.It was realised that sinewy medical supply corps would result in a sozzleder, more effective army so British foreign policy intentional from this mistake in future events. Military reforms excessively developed as a significance of the Crimea. Army organisation had become outdated and remained much the same since the Napoleonic wars. Soldiers were untrained and inexperienced. The incompetence of the military was highlighted at its nib in the Charge of the Light Brigade. 35 Lucan36 said they were given the command, there is your enemy and there are your guns, showing there was little preparation or strategic plans.However, Lucan said this in the House of Lords whilst he was defending himself in the enquiry and therefore the reliability of his statement must be questioned. He may have exaggerated the command in order to take blame off of himself. Nevertheless, the chaos of the event was reinforced by Lord Cardigan who described the true extent of the chaos we were encircled by a blaze of fireartillery poured upon our rear, so that we had a strong fire upon our front, our flank, and our rear. 37 The Charge of Light Brigade showed the extent at which the army had become outdated and the desp erate need for reform.The Cardwell reforms38 were influenced as a result of the Crimea. This was significant because thanks to both the military and medical reforms it created a stronger British army. Overall, the Crimea War was of huge significance on British foreign policy, in the first place due to the creation of an attitude of a world power and a policy of isolation. The role of the media played the most significant role by highlighting flaws in all aspects of foreign policy and creating a sensory faculty of patriotism in spite of appearance the public who then pushed for changes.By highlighting Aberdeens diplomatic policy and anti-war attitude, the media brought the collapse of his government. This led to the most significant change the booking of Palmerston, who brought the new aggressive gunboat diplomacy. This changed British mind- plume by making Britain seem more dominant on the continent. Additional turning points added to the pinch of a world power. Without the me dia, the nation would not have been made aware of the problematic military system and poor medical supply.This characterisation therefore awakened military reforms and the realisation of the need for a strong medical supply corps. This then subsequently allowed Britain a stronger army big(a) them a greater control and standing in the European diplomatic situation. In conclusion, the media explosion was the main significance of the Crimea War and helped secure Britains superior position in Europe. Word Count 1920 Word count 431 1 Henry John Temple, 3rd Viscount Palmerston, British prime minister between 1855-1858 and 1859-1865. 2 empathize vermiform vermiform process 1 3 George Hamilton-Gordon, Earl of Aberdeen, Prime Minister 1852-1855. He prospered a foreign policy of diplomacy. 4 Quote from historian John Lowe Britain and international Affairs 1815-1885 5 Sir Robert Peel, British Prime Minister 1841-1846. 6 forgather Appendix 2 7 Napoleonic wars 1799 1815 8 The belief t hat you must prepare for war to maintain peace. See Appendix 13 9 France had spent 20 million on fortifying Paris ad introduced 350,000 troops. 10 William Howard Russell the war correspondent for The Times newspaper during the Crimea. 11 Extreme conditions of war were revealed to the public for the first time during the Crimea. Since Aberdeen was Prime Minister at the time he was associated with these poor conditions. 12 John Roebeck was an MP In Jan 1855 he enquired into situation in Crimea resulting in resignation of Aberdeen. It gained 305 votes in favour against only 148 votes in opposition. Aberdeen saw this as a vote of no confidence 13 See appendix 3 14 Queen Victoria supported Aberdeen. She asked numerous other politicians to take Aberdeens place after his resignation before she in the long run succumbed to Palmerston. 15 See Appendix 4 Word Count 980 16 Palmerston had the policy of gunboat diplomacy in which he dealt with foreign affairs in an aggressive and confrontatio nal manner. 17 Indian mutiny of 1857 18 The Congress of Vienna in 1815 between Britain, Russia, Austria Prussia and by and by France, had maintained peace for nearly 30 years. 19 The suppression of Russian power and influence happened after they lost in the war. Significant because the balance of power had previously been tipped in Russias favour. 20 The Treaty of Paris, signed on March 30th 1856, largely stopped Russias influence in the region as the Black Sea was made neutral territory. Russia also lost some of the territory it had held in the west and it influence in the Ottoman Empire. 21 Thanks to improving communications, Russells reports could be published across the whole country quicker than before. The use of telegram got information to Britain within 3 weeks. (with newly built railways and mechanized steam pressers for printing). 22 See appendix 5 23 See appendix 6 24 See appendix 7 25 A nurse who came to be well known due to her work in the Crimean War. 26 Arrived 4th N ovember 1854 Word Count 1614 27 Scutari a hospital in Turkey in which Nightingale nursed British soldiers. 28 Nightingale wrote this on April 17th 1856. 29 Coxcombs were like pie charts. See appendix 8 30 See appendix 9 31 See Appendix 10 His passionate plea to get women to help 32 Quote from Mary Seacole. See appendix 11 33 Seacole set up a shop on the front line to sell food and cigarettes to soldiers.The money she gained from the shop she then spent on medical treatment for the soldiers. 34 See appendix 12 35 At the Battle of balaclava helmet October 1854. Huge miscommunication between Lord Raglan and the soldiers which resulted in chaos. 36 Lucan, Lieutenant General, involved in the Charge of the Light Brigade. 37 Speech from Lord Cardigan later at the firm House in London See appendix 13 38 Cardwell reforms Edward Cardwell Secutary of evidence for War introduced reforms to improve army.