Fatalities in the Crimean War of 1853. Crimean War: War Heroes (list). The course of the war and the main stages

The strength of Russian weapons and the dignity of a soldier made a significant impression even in lost wars - there were such in our history. Eastern, or Crimean, war of 1853-1856 belongs to them. But at the same time, admiration went not to the winners, but to the defeated - the participants in the defense of Sevastopol.

Causes of the Crimean War

Russia took part in the war on the one hand and a coalition of France, Turkey, England and the Kingdom of Sardinia on the other. In the domestic tradition, it is called Crimean - its most significant events took place on the territory of the Crimean peninsula. In foreign historiography, the term "Eastern War" has been adopted. Its reasons are purely practical, and all the participants did not object to it.

The real impetus for the clash was the weakening of the Turks. Their country at that time was nicknamed "the sick man of Europe", but strong states claimed to "divide the inheritance", that is, the possibility of using Turkish possessions and territories in their own interests.

The Russian Empire needed a free passage for the navy through the Black Sea straits. She also claimed the role of the patron saint of Christian Slavic peoples who want to free themselves from the Turkish yoke, especially the Bulgarians. The British were especially interested in Egypt (the idea of the Suez Canal had already matured) and the possibility of convenient communication with Iran. The French did not want to allow the military strengthening of the Russians - Louis-Napoleon Bonaparte III, the nephew of Napoleon I, who was defeated by ours, had just (officially since December 2, 1852) on their throne (revanchism intensified accordingly).

The leading European states did not want to allow Russia to turn into their economic rival. Because of this, France could lose the position of a great power. England feared Russian expansion in Central Asia, which would lead the Russians directly to the borders of "the most valuable pearl of the British crown" - India. Turkey, which has repeatedly lost in Suvorov and Potemkin, simply had no choice but to rely on the help of the European "tigers" - otherwise it could simply fall apart.

Only Sardinia did not have any special claims to our state. She was simply promised support for her alliance in the confrontation with Austria, which was the reason for her to enter the Crimean War of 1853-1856.

Claims of Napoleon the Small

Everyone was not against fighting - everyone had purely pragmatic reasons for this. But at the same time, the British and French were clearly superior to ours in technical terms - they had rifled weapons, long-range artillery and a steam flotilla. The Russians were ironed and scratched,
looked great in parades, but fought with smooth-bore junk on wooden sailboats.

In these conditions, Napoleon III, nicknamed by V. Hugo "Small" for his obvious inability to compete with his uncle's talents, decided to accelerate events - it is not for nothing that Europe considers the Crimean War "French". As a pretext, he chose a dispute over the ownership of churches in Palestine, which both Catholics and Orthodox Christians claimed. Both were not then separated from the state, and Russia was directly obliged to support the claims of Orthodoxy. The religious component well masked the unsightly reality of the conflict over markets and bases.

But Palestine was under the control of the Turks. Accordingly, Nicholas I reacted by occupying the Danubian principalities, vassal to the Ottomans, and after that Turkey, with good reason, on October 4 (16 by European chronology), 1853 declared war on Russia. It remains for France and England to be "good allies" and to do the same on March 15 (27) next year.

Battles during the Crimean War

Crimea and the Black Sea acted as the main theater of military operations (it is noteworthy that in other regions - in the Caucasus, the Baltic, Far East- our troops acted mostly successfully). In November 1853 the Battle of Sinop took place (the last big sailing battle in history), in April 1854 Anglo-French ships fired at Odessa, and in June the first skirmish took place near Sevastopol (shelling of fortifications from the sea surface).

Source of maps and symbols - https://ru.wikipedia.org

It was the main Black Sea port of the empire that was the target of the allies. The essence of the hostilities in Crimea boiled down to its capture - then the Russians' ships would be “homeless”. At the same time, the allies remained aware of the fact that it was fortified only from the sea, and from land it had no defensive structures.

The landing of the land forces of the allies in Evpatoria in September 1854 was aimed at capturing Sevastopol from land by a roundabout maneuver. Russian commander-in-chief Prince Menshikov organized the defense badly. A week after the landing, the troops were already in the vicinity of the current hero city. The Battle of Alma (September 8 (20), 1854) delayed his advance, but on the whole it was a defeat for the Russian troops due to an unsuccessful command.

But the Sevastopol defense showed that our soldier did not lose the ability to do the impossible. The city lasted 349 days under siege, withstood 6 massive artillery bombardments, although the number of its garrison was about 8 times less than the number of those who attacked (a ratio of 1: 3 is considered normal). There was no support for the fleet - the outdated wooden ships were simply flooded in the fairways, trying to block the enemy's passages.

The notorious defense was accompanied by other famous, iconic battles. Describing them briefly is not easy - each is special in its own way. So, the one that happened under (13 (25) October 1854) is considered the decline of the glory of the British cavalry - this branch of the army suffered heavy fruitless losses in it. Inkermanskaya (October 24 (November 5) of the same year) showed the advantages of the French artillery over the Russian and the poor idea of our command about the capabilities of the enemy.

On August 27 (September 8), 1855, the French took possession of the fortified height dominating the polis, and after 3 days they occupied it. The fall of Sevastopol marked the defeat of our country in the war - more active fighting were not conducted.

Heroes of the First Defense

Nowadays, the defense of Sevastopol during the Crimean War is called - in contrast to the Second, the period of the Great Patriotic War. However, bright characters it has no less, and maybe even more.

Its leaders were three admirals - Kornilov, Nakhimov, Istomin. All of them died defending the main policy of the Crimea, and are buried in it. The ingenious fortifier, engineer-colonel E.I. Totleben survived this defense, but his contribution to it was not immediately appreciated.

Artillery lieutenant Count Leo Tolstoy fought here. Then he published the documentary "Sevastopol Stories" and immediately turned into a "whale" of Russian literature.

The graves of three admirals in Sevastopol, which is in the Vladimir Cathedral-tomb, are considered city amulets - the city is invincible as long as they are with him. The symbol is also considered to adorn the now 200-ruble bill of a new design.

Every autumn, the neighborhood of the hero-city is shaken by a cannonade - these are historical reconstructions at the battle sites (Balaklava, and others). Members of historical clubs not only demonstrate the equipment and uniforms of those times, but also act out the most striking episodes of clashes.

At the sites of the most significant battles, monuments to the dead have been erected (at different times) and archaeological research is underway. Their goal is to get to know more about the life of a soldier.

The British and French willingly take part in reconstructions and excavations. There are monuments to them - they are also heroes in their own way, otherwise the confrontation was not entirely fair for anyone. And in general - the war is over.

By the middle of the 19th century, the international situation in Europe remained extremely tense: on the border with Russia, Austria and Prussia continued to concentrate their troops, England and France asserted their colonial power with blood and sword. In this situation, a war broke out between Russia and Turkey, which went down in history as the Crimean War of 1853-1856.

Causes of the military conflict

By the 50s of the XIX century Ottoman Empire finally lost its power. The Russian state, on the contrary, after the suppression of revolutions in European countries, rose to prominence. Emperor Nicholas I decided to further strengthen the power of Russia. First of all, he wanted the straits of the Black Sea, the Bosphorus and the Dardanelles, to become free for the Russian fleet. This led to hostilities between the Russian and Turkish empires. Besides, the main reasons were :

Turkey had the right to let the fleet of the allied powers through the Bosphorus and the Dardanelles in case of hostilities.
Russia openly supported the Orthodox peoples under the yoke of the Ottoman Empire. The Turkish government has repeatedly expressed its indignation at Russia's interference in the internal politics of the Turkish state.
The Turkish government, headed by Abdul-Majid, yearned for revenge for the defeat in two wars with Russia in 1806-1812 and 1828-1829.

Nicholas I, preparing for the war with Turkey, counted on the non-interference of the Western powers in the military conflict. However, the Russian emperor was cruelly mistaken - the Western countries, incited by Great Britain, came out openly on the side of Turkey. English policy has traditionally been to root out the slightest gain of any country by all means.

The beginning of hostilities

The reason for the war was a dispute between the Orthodox and Catholic Churches over the right to possession of the holy lands in Palestine. In addition, Russia demanded that the Black Sea straits be recognized as free for the Russian navy. The Turkish Sultan Abdul-Majid, encouraged by the support of England, declared war on the Russian Empire.

If we talk briefly about the Crimean War, then it can be broken down into two main stages:

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First stage lasted from October 16, 1853 to March 27, 1854. The first six months of hostilities on three fronts - the Black Sea, Danube and Caucasian, Russian troops invariably defeated the Ottoman Turks.
Second phase lasted from March 27, 1854 to February 1856. The number of participants in the Crimean War of 1853-1856 grew due to the entry into the war of England and France. A radical change is taking place in the war.

Military campaign progress

By the fall of 1853, events on the Danube Front were sluggish and indecisive for both sides.

The Russian group of forces was commanded only by Gorchakov, who thought only about the defense of the Danube bridgehead. Omer Pasha's Turkish troops, after vain attempts to go on the offensive on the Wallachian border, also went over to a passive defense.
Events in the Caucasus developed much more rapidly: on October 16, 1854, a detachment of 5 thousand Turks attacked the Russian border outpost between Batum and Poti. The Turkish commander Abdi Pasha hoped to crush the Russian troops in the Transcaucasus and unite with the Chechen imam Shamil. But the Russian general Bebutov thwarted the plans of the Turks, defeating them near the village of Bashkadyklar in November 1853.
But the loudest victory was won at sea by Admiral Nakhimov on November 30, 1853. The Russian squadron completely destroyed the Turkish fleet located in the Sinop Bay. The commander of the Turkish fleet, Osman Pasha, was captured by the Russian sailors. This was the last battle in the history of the sailing fleet.

The crushing victories of the Russian army and navy were not to the liking of England and France. The governments of Queen Victoria of England and French Emperor Napoleon III demanded that Russian troops be withdrawn from the mouth of the Danube. Nicholas I refused. In response, on March 27, 1854, England declared war on Russia. Due to the concentration of Austrian armed forces and the ultimatum of the Austrian government, Nicholas I was forced to agree to the withdrawal of Russian troops from the Danube principalities.

The following table presents the main events of the second period of the Crimean War with dates and a summary of each of the events:

*date*	*Event*	*Content*
March 27, 1854	England declared war on Russia	The declaration of war was the result of Russia's disobedience to the requirements of the British Queen Victoria
April 22, 1854	An attempt by the Anglo-French fleet to besiege Odessa	The Anglo-French squadron subjected Odessa to a long bombardment of 360 guns. However, all attempts by the British and French to land troops failed.
Spring 1854	Attempts to penetrate the British and French on the coast of the Baltic and White Seas	An Anglo-French landing captured the Russian fortress Bomarzund on the Aland Islands. The attacks of the British squadron on the Solovetsky monastery and on the city of Kalu located on the coast of Murmansk were repulsed.
Summer 1854	Allies are preparing a landing in the Crimea	The commander of the Russian troops in the Crimea A.S. Menshikov was an unusually mediocre commander-in-chief. He did not interfere with the landing of the Anglo-French landing in Evpatoria, although he had about 36 thousand soldiers at hand.
September 20, 1854	Fight on the Alma River	Menshikov tried to stop the detachments of the landed allies (66 thousand in total), but in the end he was defeated and retreated to Bakhchisarai, leaving Sevastopol completely defenseless.
October 5, 1854	The allies began shelling Sevastopol	After the withdrawal of the Russian troops to Bakhchisarai, the allies could take Sevastopol outright, but they decided to storm the city later. Taking advantage of the indecision of the British and French, the engineer Totleben began to fortify the city.
October 17, 1854 - September 5, 1855	Defense of Sevastopol	The defense of Sevastopol forever entered the history of Russia as one of its most heroic, symbolic and tragic pages. The remarkable commanders Istomin, Nakhimov and Kornilov fell on the bastions of Sevastopol.
October 25, 1854	Battle of Balaklava	Menshikov tried with all his might to draw off the forces of the allies from Sevastopol. Russian troops failed to achieve this goal and defeat the British camp near Balaklava. However, the allies, due to heavy losses, temporarily abandoned the assault on Sevastopol.
November 5, 1854	Inkerman battle	Menshikov made another attempt to remove or at least weaken the siege of Sevastopol. However, this attempt also ended in failure. The reason for the next defeat of the Russian army was the complete inconsistency in command actions, as well as the fact that the British and French had rifled rifles (fittings), which mowed down whole rows of Russian soldiers on distant approaches.
August 16, 1855	Battle of the Black River	The largest battle of the Crimean War. Another attempt by the new commander-in-chief M.D. Gorchakov to lift the siege, ended in disaster for the Russian army and the death of thousands of soldiers.
October 2, 1855	The fall of the Turkish fortress Kars	If in the Crimea the Russian army was pursued by setbacks, then in the Caucasus parts of the Russian troops successfully pressed the Turks. The most powerful Turkish fortress Kars fell on October 2, 1855, but this event could no longer influence the further course of the war.

Many peasants tried to avoid conscription in order not to get into the army. This did not indicate their cowardice, it was just that many peasants were trying to avoid recruiting because of their families, which needed to be fed. During the Crimean War of 1853-1856, on the contrary, there was a surge in patriotic sentiments among the population of Russia. Moreover, people of various classes were recorded in the militia.

The end of the war and its consequences

The new Russian sovereign Alexander II, who replaced the suddenly deceased Nicholas I on the throne, directly visited the theater of military operations. After that, he decided to do everything in his power to end the Crimean War. The end of the war came at the beginning of 1856.

In early 1856, a congress of European diplomats was convened in Paris to conclude peace. The most difficult condition put forward by the Western powers of Russia was the prohibition of the maintenance of the Russian fleet in the Black Sea.

The main conditions of the Paris Treaty:

Russia pledged to return the Kars fortress to Turkey in exchange for Sevastopol;
Russia was forbidden to have a fleet in the Black Sea;
Russia lost part of the territories in the Danube Delta. Navigation on the Danube was declared free;
Russia was forbidden to have military fortifications on the Aland Islands.

Rice. 3. Paris Congress of 1856.

The Russian Empire suffered a serious defeat. A powerful blow was dealt to the country's international prestige. The Crimean War exposed the rottenness of the existing system and the backwardness of industry from the leading world powers. The lack of rifled weapons in the Russian army, a modern navy and the lack of railways could not but affect the hostilities.

Nevertheless, such key moments of the Crimean War as the Battle of Sinop, the defense of Sevastopol, the capture of Kars or the defense of the Bomarzund fortress, remained in history as a sacrificial and majestic feat of Russian soldiers and the Russian people.

During the Crimean War, the government of Nicholas I introduced the most severe censorship. It was forbidden to touch upon military topics, both in books and in periodicals. Publications that wrote enthusiastically about the course of hostilities were also not allowed to print.

What have we learned?

Crimean War of 1853-1856 discovered serious shortcomings in the foreign and domestic policy of the Russian Empire. The article "Crimean War" tells about what kind of war it was, why Russia was defeated, as well as about the significance of the Crimean War and its consequences.

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The Crimean War, called the Eastern War in the West (1853-1856), is a military clash between Russia and a coalition of European states that defended Turkey. Little effect on outward position Of the Russian Empire, but significantly - on its internal politics. The defeat forced the autocracy to begin reforms of the entire state administration, which eventually led to the abolition of serfdom and the transformation of Russia into a powerful capitalist power

Causes of the Crimean War

Objective

*** The rivalry between European states and Russia in the issue of control over the numerous possessions of the ailing, crumbling Ottoman Empire (Turkey)

On January 9, 14, February 20, 21, 1853, at meetings with the British Ambassador, G. Seymour, Emperor Nicholas I proposed that Britain split the Turkish Empire together with Russia (History of Diplomacy, Volume One pp. 433 - 437. Edited by V.P. Potemkin)

*** Russia's striving for primacy in the management of the strait system (Bosphorus and Dardanelles) from the Black Sea to the Mediterranean

“If England thinks to settle in Constantinople in the near future, then I will not allow it…. For my part, I am equally disposed to accept the obligation not to settle there, of course, as the owner; as a temporary guardian - it's another matter "(from the statement of Nicholas the First to the British Ambassador to Seymour on January 9, 1853)

*** Russia's desire to include in the sphere of its national interests affairs in the Balkans and among the South Slavs

“Let Moldova, Wallachia, Serbia, Bulgaria come under the protectorate of Russia. As far as Egypt is concerned, I fully understand the importance of this territory for England. Here I can only say that if during the distribution of the Ottoman inheritance after the fall of the empire, you take possession of Egypt, then I will have no objection to this. I will say the same about Candia (the island of Crete). This island may suit you, and I don’t see why it doesn’t become an English possession ”(conversation of Nicholas I with the British Ambassador Seymour on January 9, 1853 at an evening with Grand Duchess Elena Pavlovna)

Subjective

*** Weakness of Turkey

“Turkey is a“ sick person ”. Nicholas did not change his terminology all his life when he spoke about the Turkish Empire "((History of Diplomacy, Volume One, pp. 433 - 437)

*** Confidence of Nicholas I in his impunity

"I want to talk to you as a gentleman, if we manage to come to an agreement - me and England - the rest is not important to me, I do not care what others do or do" (from the conversation of Nicholas I with the British Ambassador Hamilton Seymour on January 9, 1853 at the evening at the Grand Duchess Elena Pavlovna)

*** Nikolai's assumption that Europe is not able to act as a united front

“The tsar was sure that Austria and France would not join England (in a possible confrontation with Russia), and England would not dare to fight with him without allies” (History of Diplomacy, Volume One pp. 433 - 437. OGIZ, Moscow, 1941)

*** Autocracy, the result of which was the wrong relationship between the emperor and his advisers

“... Russian ambassadors in Paris, London, Vienna, Berlin, ... Chancellor Nesselrode ... in their reports distorted the state of affairs before the tsar. They wrote almost always not about what they saw, but about what the king would like to know from them. When Andrei Rosen once persuaded Prince Lieven to finally open the king's eyes, Lieven answered literally: “So that I say this to the emperor ?! But I'm not a fool! If I wanted to tell him the truth, he would have thrown me out the door, and nothing else would have come of it "(History of Diplomacy, Volume One)

*** The problem of "Palestinian shrines":

It was designated as early as 1850, continued and intensified in 1851, weakened at the beginning and middle of 1852, and again became unusually aggravated just at the very end of 1852 - beginning of 1853. Louis Napoleon, while still president, declared to the Turkish government that he wanted to preserve and renew all the rights and advantages of the Catholic Church confirmed by Turkey back in 1740 in the so-called holy places, that is, in the temples of Jerusalem and Bethlehem. The Sultan agreed; but on the part of Russian diplomacy in Constantinople, a sharp protest followed, indicating the advantages of the Orthodox Church over the Catholic on the basis of the conditions of the Kuchuk-Kainardzhiyskiy peace. After all, Nicholas I considered himself the patron saint of the Orthodox

*** The desire of France to split the continental union of Austria, England, Prussia and Russia, which arose during the Napoleonic wars n

“Subsequently, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Napoleon III, Drouey-de-Lewis, very frankly stated:“ The question of the holy places and everything that relates to it has no real meaning for France. This whole Eastern question, stirring up so much noise, served the imperial government only as a means of upsetting the continental alliance, which for almost half a century paralyzed France. Finally, the opportunity presented itself to sow discord in a powerful coalition, and the Emperor Napoleon seized on it with both hands "(History of Diplomacy)

Events leading up to the Crimean War of 1853-1856

1740 - France won from the Turkish Sultan priority rights for Catholics in the Holy Places of Jerusalem

1774, July 21 - the Kuchuk-Kainardzhi peace treaty between Russia and the Ottoman Empire, in which the priority rights to the Holy Places were decided in favor of the Orthodox

1837 June 20 - Queen Victoria takes the throne

1841 Lord Aberdeen takes over as British Foreign Secretary

1844, May - a friendly meeting of Queen Victoria, Lord Aberdeen with Nicholas the First, who made a visit to England incognito

During his short stay in London, the Emperor resolutely enchanted everyone with his chivalrous courtesy and royal grandeur, charmed with his heartfelt courtesy Queen Victoria, her husband and the most prominent statesmen the then Great Britain, with whom he tried to get closer and enter into an exchange of thoughts.
The aggressive policy of Nicholas in 1853 was due, among other things, to Victoria's friendly attitude towards him and the fact that at that moment the same Lord Aberdeen, who so affectionately listened to him in Windsor in 1844, was at the head of the cabinet in England.

1850 - Patriarch Kirill of Jerusalem asked the Turkish government for permission to repair the dome of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. After lengthy negotiations, the repair plan was drawn up in favor of the Catholics, and the main key to the Church of Bethlehem was handed over to the Catholics.

1852, December 29 - Nicholas I ordered to recruit reserves for the 4th and 5th infantry corps, which were driven into the Russian-Turkish border in Europe and to supply these troops with supplies.

1853, January 9 - at an evening with Grand Duchess Elena Pavlovna, which was attended by the diplomatic corps, the tsar approached G. Seymur and had a conversation with him: “induce your government to write again about this subject (partition of Turkey), write more fully, and may it do it without hesitation. I trust the English government. I ask him not for obligations, not for agreements: this is a free exchange of opinions, and, if necessary, the word of a gentleman. This is enough for us "

1853, January - The Sultan's representative in Jerusalem announced the ownership of the shrines, giving preference to the Catholics.

1853, January 14 - Nikolai's second meeting with British Ambassador Seymour

1853, February 9 - A reply came from London, given on behalf of the Cabinet by the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Lord John Rossel. The answer was sharply negative. Rossel stated that he does not understand why one can think that Turkey is close to falling, does not find it possible to conclude any agreements regarding Turkey, even the temporary transfer of Constantinople into the hands of the tsar is unacceptable, finally, Rossel emphasized that both France and Austria will be suspicious of such an Anglo-Russian agreement.

1853, February 20 - the third meeting of the king with the British ambassador on the same issue

1853, February 21 - the fourth

1853, March - Ambassador Extraordinary of Russia Menshikov arrived in Constantinople

Menshikov was greeted with extraordinary honor. The Turkish police did not even dare to disperse the crowd of Greeks, who gave the prince an enthusiastic welcome. Menshikov behaved with defiant arrogance. In Europe, they paid much attention even to Menshikov's purely external provocative antics: they wrote about how he made a visit to the Grand Vizier without taking off his coat, how he spoke sharply with Sultan Abdul-Majid. From the very first steps Menshikov made it became clear that in two central points he would never concede: first, he wants to achieve recognition for Russia of the right to patronize not only the Orthodox Church, but also the Orthodox subjects of the Sultan; secondly, he demands that Turkey's consent be approved by the sultan sened, and not by the firman, that is, that it bears the character of a foreign policy treaty with the king, and not be a simple decree

1853, March 22 - Menshikov presented a note to Rifaat Pasha: "The demands of the imperial government are categorical." And two days later, 1853, on March 24, a new Menshikov note, which demanded an end to the "systematic and malicious opposition" and contained a draft "convention" that made Nicholas, as diplomats of other powers immediately declared, "the second Turkish sultan."

1853, end of March - Napoleon III ordered his navy, stationed in Toulon, to immediately sail for the Aegean Sea, to Salamis, and be ready. Napoleon irrevocably decided to fight with Russia.

1853, end of March - British squadron set off for the Eastern Mediterranean

1853, April 5 - the British ambassador Stratford-Canning arrived in Istanbul, who advised the sultan to give in on the merits of the demands for holy places, since he understood that Menshikov would not be satisfied with this, because he had not come for this. Menshikov will begin to insist on such demands, which will already be clearly aggressive, and then Britain and France will support Turkey. At the same time, Stratford managed to instill in Prince Menshikov the conviction that England, in case of war, would never side with the Sultan.

1853, May 4 - Turkey yielded in everything related to the "holy places"; Immediately after this Menshikov, seeing that the desired pretext for the occupation of the Danube principalities was disappearing, presented the previous demand for an agreement between the Sultan and the Russian emperor.

1853, May 13 - Lord Redcliffe visited the Sultan and informed him that an English squadron located in the Mediterranean could help Turkey, as well as that Turkey should confront Russia. 1853, May 13 - Menshikov was invited to the Sultan. He asked the Sultan to satisfy his demands and mentioned the possibility of reducing Turkey to secondary states.

1853, May 18 - Menshikov was informed about the decision taken by the Turkish government to promulgate the decree on the holy places; to hand over to the Patriarch of Constantinople a firman protecting Orthodoxy; propose to conclude a sened, giving the right to build a Russian church in Jerusalem. Menshikov refused

1853, May 6 - Menshikov presented a break note to Turkey.

1853, May 21 - Menshikov left Constantinople

1853, June 4 - the Sultan issued a decree guaranteeing the rights and privileges of the Christian churches, but especially the rights and advantages of the Orthodox Church.

However, Nikolai issued a manifesto stating that he, like his ancestors, must protect Orthodox Church in Turkey, and that in order to ensure the execution by the Turks of previous treaties with Russia, violated by the Sultan, the tsar was forced to occupy the Danube principalities (Moldavia and Wallachia)

1853, June 14 - Nicholas I issued a manifesto on the occupation of the Danube principalities

For the occupation of Moldavia and Wallachia, 4 and 5 infantry corps of 81,541 people were prepared. On May 24, the 4th corps moved from the Podolsk and Volyn provinces to Leovo. At the beginning of June, the 15th division of the 5th infantry corps approached the same place and united with the 4th corps. The command was entrusted to Prince Mikhail Dmitrievich Gorchakov

1853, June 21 - Russian troops crossed the Prut River and invaded Moldova

1853, July 4 - Russian troops occupied Bucharest

1853, July 31 - "Vienna note". This note said that Turkey undertakes to comply with all the conditions of Adrianople and Kuchuk-Kainardzhi peace treaties; the clause on the special rights and advantages of the Orthodox Church was again emphasized.

But Stratford-Redcliffe forced Sultan Abdul-Majid to reject the Vienna note, and even before that he hastened to draw up, allegedly on behalf of Turkey, another note, with some reservations against the Vienna note. The king, in turn, rejected her. At this time, Nikolai received news from the ambassador to France about the impossibility of a joint military action by England and France.

1853, October 16 - Turkey declared war on Russia

1853, October 20 - Russia declared war on Turkey

The course of the Crimean War of 1853-1856. Briefly

1853, November 30 - Nakhimov defeated the Turkish fleet in the Sinop Bay

1853, December 2 - the victory of the Russian Caucasian army over the Turkish in the battle of Kars near Bashkadyklyar

1854, January 4 - the combined Anglo-French fleet entered the Black Sea

1854, February 27 - Franco-English ultimatum to Russia demanding the withdrawal of troops from the Danube principalities

1854, March 7 - Allied Treaty of Turkey, England and France

1854, March 27 - England declared war on Russia

1854, March 28 - France declared war on Russia

1854, March-July - the siege by the Russian army of Silistria - a port city in northeastern Bulgaria

1854, April 9 - Prussia and Austria joined diplomatic sanctions against Russia. Russia remained isolated

1854, April - shelling of the Solovetsky monastery by the English fleet

1854, June - the beginning of the retreat of Russian troops from the Danube principalities

1854, August 10 - a conference in Vienna, during which Austria, France and England put forward a number of demands to Russia, which Russia rejected

1854, August 22 - Turks entered Bucharest

1854 August - Allies seize the Russian-owned Aland Islands in the Baltic Sea

1854, September 14 - Anglo-French troops landed in the Crimea, in the region of Evpatoria

1854, September 20 - an unsuccessful battle of the Russian army with the allies at the Alma River

1854, September 27 - the beginning of the siege of Sevastopol, the heroic 349-day defense of Sevastopol, which
headed by admirals Kornilov, Nakhimov, Istomin, who died during the siege

1854, October 17 - the first bombing of Sevastopol

1854, October - two unsuccessful attempts of the Russian army to break the blockade

1854, October 26 - an unsuccessful battle for the Russian army at Balaklava

1854, November 5 - an unsuccessful battle for the Russian army near Inkerman

1854, November 20 - Austria announced its readiness to enter the war

1855, January 14 - Sardinia declared war on Russia

1855, April 9 - the second bombing of Sevastopol

1855, May 24 - the allies occupied Kerch

1855, June 3 - the third bombing of Sevastopol

1855, August 16 - unsuccessful attempt of the Russian army to lift the siege of Sevastopol

1855, September 8 - the French captured the Malakhov Kurgan - a key position in the defense of Sevastopol

1855, September 11 - the allies entered the city

1855, November - a number of successful operations of the Russian army against the Turks in the Caucasus

1855, October - December - secret negotiations between France, Austria, concerned about the possible strengthening of England as a result of the defeat of Russia and the Russian Empire for peace

1856, February 25 - Paris Peace Congress begins

1856, March 30 - Paris Peace

Peace conditions

The return of Kars to Turkey in exchange for Sevastopol, the transformation of the Black Sea into a neutral one: Russia and Turkey are deprived of the opportunity to have a navy and coastal fortifications here, the concession to Bessarabia (the abolition of the exclusive Russian protectorate over Wallachia, Moldova and Serbia)

Reasons for Russia's defeat in the Crimean War

- Russia's military-technical lag behind the leading European powers
- Underdevelopment of communication lines
- Embezzlement, corruption in the rear of the army

“By the nature of his activity, Golitsyn had to learn about the war as it were. Then he will see heroism, sacred self-sacrifice, selfless courage and patience of the defenders of Sevastopol, but hanging around in the rear on militia affairs, at every step he encountered God knows what: collapse, indifference, cold-blooded mediocrity and monstrous theft. They plundered everything that other - higher - thieves did not manage to steal on the way to the Crimea: bread, hay, oats, horses, ammunition. The mechanics of the robbery were simple: the suppliers gave rot, it was taken (for a bribe, of course) by the main commissariat in St. Petersburg. Then - also for a bribe - the army commissariat, then - the regimental and so on to the last spoke in the chariot. And the soldiers ate rot, wore rot, slept on the rot, shot with rot. The military units themselves had to buy fodder from the local population with money provided by a special financial department. Golitsyn once went there and witnessed such a scene. An officer arrived from the front line in a burnt-out, shabby uniform. They ran out of food, hungry horses are eating sawdust, shavings. An elderly quartermaster with a Major's shoulder straps adjusted his glasses on his nose and said in an everyday voice:
- We will give money, I get on eight percent.
- Why on earth? - the officer was indignant. - We shed blood! ..
“They sent a newcomer again,” the quartermaster sighed. - Straight small children! I remember that Captain Onishchenko came from your brigade. Why wasn't he sent?
- Onishchenko died ...
- Heavenly kingdom to him! - the quartermaster crossed himself. - It's a pity. He was a man with understanding. We respected him, and he respected us. We won't ask for too much.
The quartermaster was not even shy about the presence of an outsider. Prince Golitsyn approached him, took him by the soul, pulled him from the table and lifted him into the air.
- I will kill you, you bastard! ..
- Kill, - the quartermaster wheezed, - I will not give without interest anyway.
- Do you think I'm joking? .. - The prince squeezed him with his paw.
“I can’t… the chain will break…” the quartermaster wheezed out of his last strength. - Then I will not live anyway ... Petersburg will strangle ...
“People are dying there, you son of a bitch! The prince cried out in tears and threw the half-strangled military official away with disgust.
He touched his wrinkled throat like a condor and croaked with unexpected dignity:
“If we were there… no worse, we would have perished… And you, if you please,” he turned to the officer, “comply with the rules: for artillerymen - six percent, for all other types of troops - eight percent.
The officer pitifully twitched his cold nose, as if he sobbed:
"Sawdust is eating ... shavings ... to hell with you! .. I can't go back without hay."

- Poor command and control

“Golitsyn was struck by the commander-in-chief himself, to whom he introduced himself. Gorchakov was not that old, a little over sixty, but he gave the impression of some kind of rottenness, it seemed, poke your finger, and he would crumble like a mushroom that had completely expelled. The wandering gaze could not concentrate on anything, and when the old man released Golitsyn with a weak gesture of the hand, he heard him hum in French:
I am poor, poor poilou
And I'm not in a hurry anywhere ...
- What's that! - said the colonel of the commissary service to Golitsyn when they left the commander-in-chief. - At least he leaves for the position, but Prince Menshikov did not remember at all that the war was going on. He just made fun of everything, and admit it was caustic. About the Minister of War he spoke as follows: "Prince Dolgorukov has a threefold relationship to gunpowder - he did not invent it, did not smell it and does not send it to Sevastopol." About the commander Dmitry Erofeevich Osten-Saken: “Erofeich became not strong. I’m exhausted. ” Sarcasm anywhere! The colonel added thoughtfully. - But he gave me the opportunity to put a psalmist over the great Nakhimov. For some reason, Prince Golitsyn was not funny. He was generally unpleasantly surprised by the tone of cynical irony that prevailed at headquarters. It seemed that these people had lost all self-respect, and with it respect for anything. They did not talk about the tragic situation of Sevastopol, but with gusto they ridiculed the commander of the Sevastopol garrison, Count Osten-Saken, who only knows what to mess with the priests, read akathists and argue about the divine scripture. “He has one good thing,” the colonel added. - He does not interfere in anything "(Yu. Nagibin" Stronger than all other decrees ")

Results of the Crimean War

Crimean war showed

The greatness and heroism of the Russian people

The flaw in the socio-political structure of the Russian Empire

The need for deep reforms of the Russian state

The entry into the Russian-Turkish war of France, Sardinia and England on the side of Turkey after the famous Sinop battle determined the transfer of armed clashes to land, to the Crimea. With the beginning of the campaign in the Crimea, the war of 1853-1856. acquired a defensive character for Russia. The Allies deployed in the Black Sea against Russia almost 90 warships (mostly steam), while the Black Sea squadron consisted of about 20 sailing and 6 steam ships. There was no point in naval confrontation - the superiority of the coalition forces was evident.

In September 1854, allied troops landed near Evpatoria. On September 8, 1854, the Russian army under the command of A.S. Menshikov was defeated at the Alma River. It seemed that the way to Sevastopol was open. In connection with the increased threat of the seizure of Sevastopol, the Russian command decided to flood part of the Black Sea fleet at the entrance to the large bay of the city in order to prevent the entry of enemy ships there. The guns were previously removed to strengthen the coastal artillery. The city itself did not surrender. On September 13, 1854, the defense of Sevastopol began, which lasted 349 days - until August 28 (September 8) 1855.

Admirals V.A. Kornilov and V.I. Istomin, P.S. Nakhimov. Vice-Admiral Vladimir Alekseevich Kornilov became the commander of the defense of Sevastopol. Under his leadership there were about 18,000 people (later the number will be increased to 85,000), mainly from the naval teams. Kornilov was well aware of the size of the Anglo-French-Turkish landing, which numbered 62,000 (later the number would reach 148,000) with 134 field and 73 siege guns. By September 24, the French occupied the Fedyukhin Heights, and the British entered Balaklava.

In Sevastopol, under the supervision of engineer E.I. Totleben, engineering work was carried out - forts were erected, redoubts were fortified, trenches were created. The southern part of the city was more fortified. The allies did not dare to storm the city and proceeded to engineering works, but successful sorties from Sevastopol did not allow the construction of siege fortifications to be completed quickly.

Sevastopol underwent the first major bombardment on October 5, 1854, after which its assault was planned. However, the return well-aimed fire of the Russian batteries thwarted these plans. But on that day Kornilov died.

The main forces of the Russian army under the command of Menshikov undertook a series of unsuccessful attack operations. The first was held on October 13 on the outskirts of Balaklava. This attack had no strategic gain, but during the battle almost an entire brigade of British light cavalry was killed. On October 24, another battle took place in the area of the Inkerman Heights, lost due to the indecision of the Russian generals.

On October 17, 1854, the allies began shelling Sevastopol from land and sea. They also responded with fire from the bastions. Only the British were able to achieve success, acting against the third bastion of Sevastopol. The losses of the Russians amounted to 1250 people. On the whole, the defenders continued the tactics of night sorties and unexpected raids. The famous Pyotr Koshka and Ignatiy Shevchenko, with their courage and heroism, have repeatedly proved how high the price the enemy will have to pay for the invasion of the Russian expanses.

The sailor of the 1st article of the 30th Black Sea naval crew Petr Markovich Koshka (1828-1882) became one of the main heroes of the city's defense. At the beginning of the Sevastopol defense P. Koshka was assigned to one of the batteries of the Ship Side. He was distinguished by extraordinary courage and resourcefulness. By the beginning of 1855, he made 18 sorties to the enemy, most often acting alone. His verbal portrait has survived: "Of medium height, lean, but strong with an expressive high-cheekbone face ... A little pockmarked, with Russian hair, gray eyes, did not know the letter." In January 1855 he already proudly wore "George" in his buttonhole. After leaving the southern part of the city, he was "fired early on a long vacation." They remembered about the Cat in August 1863 and was called to serve on the Baltic Sea, in the 8th naval crew. There, at the request of another hero of Sevastopol, General S.A. Khrulev, he received another "George" of the second degree. By the 100th anniversary of the defense of Sevastopol, monuments were unveiled to him in the homeland of Koshka and in Sevastopol itself, and one of the city streets was named after him.

The heroism of the defenders of Sevastopol was massive. Sevastopol women, under enemy fire, bandaged the wounded, brought food and water, and repaired clothes. The annals of this defense included the names of Dasha Sevastopolskaya, Praskovya Grafova and many others. Dasha Sevastopolskaya was the first sister of mercy and became a legend. For a long time, her real name was not known, and only in Lately it turned out that Dasha was an orphan - the daughter of the sailor Lavrenty Mikhailov, who died in the Battle of Sinop. In November 1854, “for exemplary diligence in caring for the sick and wounded,” she received a Gold medal with the inscription “For diligence” on the Vladimir ribbon and 500 silver rubles. It was also announced that when she marries, she will be "given another 1,000 rubles in silver for the acquisition." In July 1855, Daria married the sailor Maxim Vasilievich Khvorostov, with whom they fought side by side until the end of the Crimean War. Her further fate is unknown and still awaits research.

Invaluable assistance to the defenders was provided by the surgeon N.I. Pirogov, who saved the lives of thousands of wounded. The great Russian writer L.N. Tolstoy, who described these events in the Sevastopol Stories cycle.

Despite the heroism and courage of the defenders of the city, the hardships and hunger of the Anglo-French army (the winter of 1854-1855 was very harsh, and the November storm scattered the allied fleet on the Balaklava raid, destroying several ships with stocks of weapons, winter uniforms and food) it was impossible to change the general situation - it was impossible to unblock the city or help it effectively.

On March 19, 1855, during the next bombing of the city, Istomin died, and on June 28, 1855, while bypassing the advanced fortifications on the Malakhov Kughran, Nakhimov was mortally wounded. The circumstances of his death are truly tragic. The officers begged him to leave the heavily fired mound. “Not every bullet is in the forehead,” the admiral answered them, and these were his last words: the next second a stray bullet hit him in the forehead. An outstanding Russian naval commander, Admiral Pavel Stepanovich Nakhimov (1802-1855) took an active part in the defense of Sevastopol, commanding the defense of the strategically important southern side of the city. Shortly before his death, he was awarded the rank of admiral. Nakhimov was buried in the Vladimir Cathedral of Sevastopol. The ships of the Russian fleet, naval schools in Sevastopol and St. Petersburg bear his name. In 1944, an order named after him of two degrees and a medal were instituted in memory of the admiral.

Attempts by the Russian ground army to distract the enemy ended in failure in battles, in particular, on February 5, 1855 at Evpatoria. The immediate result of this failure was the dismissal from the post of Commander-in-Chief Menshikov and the appointment of M.D. Gorchakov. Note that this was the last order of the emperor, who died on February 19, 1855. Overcoming the severe flu, the sovereign "remained in the ranks" to the end, in the bitter cold visiting marching battalions that were sent to the theater of war. “If I were a simple soldier, would you pay attention to this illness?” - he remarked to the protest of his life-doctors. “In your Majesty’s entire army, there is no doctor who would allow a soldier in this position to be discharged from the hospital,” replied Dr. Carrel. "You have done your duty," replied the emperor, "let me do my duty."

On August 27, the last shelling of the city began. In less than a day, the defenders lost from 2.5 to 3 thousand killed. After a two-day massive bombardment, on August 28 (September 8), 1855, the French troops of General MacMahon, with the support of British and Sardinian units, began a decisive assault on the Malakhov Kurgan, which ended with the capture of the heights that dominated the city. The fate of the Malakhov Kurgan was decided by the stubbornness of MacMahon, who, in response to the order of the commander-in-chief Pelissier to withdraw, replied: "I am staying here." Of the eighteen French generals who went to storm, 5 were killed and 11 were wounded.

Realizing the gravity of the situation, General Gorchakov gave the order to retreat from the city. And on the night of August 27-28, the last defenders of the city, having blown up the powder magazines and flooded the ships that were there in the bay, left the city. The allies thought that Sevastopol was mined and did not dare to enter it until August 30. During the 11 months of the siege, the Allies lost about 70,000 people. Russian losses - 83,500 people.

Important memories of the defense of Sevastopol were left by Theophilus Klemm, whose ancestors in the 18th century. came to Russia from Germany. His story is strikingly different from the memoirs written by representatives of the aristocratic strata of Russia, since a significant part of his memoirs is devoted to soldiers' everyday life, the difficulties of a camp life.

“Much has been written and talked about this Sevastopol life, but my words will not be superfluous, as a participant in this glorious combat life for a Russian soldier living in this bloody feast, not in the position of a white-handed, like those writers and talkers who know everything from hearsay, but a real laborer-soldier, who was in the ranks and performed on an equal basis with the rest of the guys everything that was only in human strength.

You used to sit in a trench and look into a small embrasure, which is being done in front of your nose, you cannot stick your heads out, they will now remove them, without such cover, it was impossible to shoot. Our soldiers made fun of them, they would hang a hat on the ramrod and put it out from behind the trench roller, the French riflemen shoot it in the sieve. Sometimes, all the time, he would click somewhere, a soldier fell, hit his forehead, his neighbor would turn his head, cross himself, spit and continue his business - firing somewhere, as if nothing had happened. The corpse will fit somewhere on the sidelines so that it does not interfere with walking in the trench, and so, heart, lies until the shift, - at night the comrades dragged him into the redoubt, and from the redoubt into the fraternal pit, and when the hole is filled with the required number of bodies, they first fell asleep, if there is, with lime, but no, with earth - and the matter is solved.

After such a school, I will become a real soldier in blood and bones, and I bow low to any such combat soldier. And what a charm he is in wartime, what you want in him you will find when you need him, he is good-natured, warm-hearted, when you need him, he is a lion. I love him with my own feelings for his endurance and good qualities of a soldier. Without pretensions, without special requirements, patient, indifferent to death, diligent, despite obstacles and danger. I believe that only one Russian soldier is capable of anything, I speak from what I have seen, the past. "

Despite the fact that English rifled guns fired almost three times farther than Russian smooth-bore guns, the defenders of Sevastopol have repeatedly proved that technical equipment is far from the main thing in comparison with military courage and courage. But in general, the Crimean War and the defense of Sevastopol demonstrated the technical backwardness of the army of the Russian Empire and the need for change.

The Crimean War is one of the most important events in the history of Russia in the 19th century. The largest world powers opposed Russia: Great Britain, France, the Ottoman Empire. The reasons, episodes and results of the Crimean War of 1853-1856 will be briefly discussed in this article.

So, the Crimean War was predetermined some time before its actual start. So, in the 40s, the Ottoman Empire deprived the Russian of access to the Black Sea straits. As a result, the Russian fleet was locked in the Black Sea. Nicholas I took this news extremely painfully. It is curious that the significance of this territory has been preserved to this day, already for the Russian Federation. In Europe, meanwhile, they expressed dissatisfaction with aggressive Russian policies and growing influence in the Balkans.

Causes of the war

The prerequisites for such a large-scale conflict have been accumulating for a long time. Let's list the main ones:

The Eastern question is escalating. The Russian Emperor Nicholas I strove to finally resolve the "Turkish" issue. Russia wanted to strengthen its influence in the Balkans, it wanted the creation of independent Balkan states: Bulgaria, Serbia, Montenegro, Romania. Nicholas I also planned the seizure of Constantinople (Istanbul) and the establishment of control over the Black Sea straits (Bosphorus and Dardanelles).
The Ottoman Empire suffered many defeats in wars with Russia; it lost the entire Northern Black Sea region, Crimea, and part of the Transcaucasus. Greece separated from the Turks shortly before the war. Turkey's influence was falling, she was losing control over the dependent territories. That is, the Turks sought to recoup their previous defeats, to reclaim the lost lands.
The French and British were worried about the steadily growing foreign policy influence of the Russian Empire. Shortly before the Crimean War, Russia defeated the Turks in the war of 1828-1829. and according to the Adrianople Peace Treaty of 1829 received from Turkey new lands in the Danube Delta. All this led to the growth and strengthening of anti-Russian sentiments in Europe.

However, it is necessary to distinguish the reasons for the war from its cause. The immediate reason for the Crimean War was the question of who should own the keys to the Bethlehem Temple. Nicholas I insisted on keeping the keys with the Orthodox clergy, while the French emperor Napoleon III (Napoleon I's nephew) demanded that these keys be handed over to Catholics. The Turks maneuvered between the two powers for a long time, but, in the end, gave the keys to the Vatican. Russia could not ignore such an insult, in response to the actions of the Turks, Nicholas I sent Russian troops into the Danube principalities. This is how the Crimean War began.

It is worth noting that the participants in the war (Sardinia, the Ottoman Empire, Russia, France, Great Britain) each had their own position and interests. So, France wanted revenge for the defeat in 1812. Great Britain is dissatisfied with Russia's desire to establish its influence in the Balkans. The Ottoman Empire feared the same thing, moreover, it was not satisfied with the pressure exerted. Austria also had its own point of view, which supposedly was supposed to provide support to Russia. But in the end, she took a neutral position.

Main events

Emperor Nikolai Pavlovich I hoped that Austria and Prussia would maintain benevolent neutrality towards Russia, since in 1848-1849 Russia suppressed the Hungarian revolution. It was calculated that the French would abandon the war because of internal instability, but Napoleon III, on the contrary, decided to strengthen his influence with the help of war.

Nicholas I also did not count on the entry of England into the war, however, the British hastened to prevent the strengthening of Russia's influence and the final defeat of the Turks. Thus, it was not the decrepit Ottoman Empire that opposed Russia, but a powerful alliance of the largest powers: Great Britain, France, Turkey. Note: The Kingdom of Sardinia also participated in the war with Russia.

In 1853 Russian troops occupied the Danube principalities. However, due to the threat of Austria entering the war, already in 1854 our troops had to leave Moldavia and Wallachia; these principalities were occupied by the Austrians.

Throughout the war, actions on the Caucasian front proceeded with varying success. The main success of the Russian army in this direction was the capture of the large Turkish fortress of Kars in 1855. The road to Erzurum opened from Kars, and from it it was very close to Istanbul. The capture of Kars largely softened the conditions of the Paris Peace of 1856.

But the most important battle 1853 - Battle of Sinop... On November 18, 1853, the Russian fleet, commanded by Vice Admiral P.S. Nakhimov, won a phenomenal victory over the Ottoman fleet in the harbor of Sinop. In history, this event is known as the last battle of sailing ships. It was the splendid success of the Russian fleet at Sinop that served as a pretext for the entry into the war of England and France.

In 1854, the French and British landed in the Crimea. Russian military leader A.S. Menshikov was defeated at Alma, and then at Inkerman. For mediocre command, he received the nickname "Traitors".

In October 1854, the defense of Sevastopol begins. The defense of this main city towards Crimea is the key event of the entire Crimean War. The heroic defense was initially headed by V.A. Kornilov, killed in the bombing of the city. The engineer Totleben also took part in the battle, fortifying the walls of Sevastopol. The Russian Black Sea Fleet was flooded so that it would not be captured by the enemy, and the sailors joined the ranks of the city's defenders. It is worth noting that Nicholas I equated one month in the besieged by the enemies of Sevastopol to one year of ordinary service. During the defense of the city, Vice Admiral Nakhimov, who became famous in the Battle of Sinop, was also killed.

The defense was long and stubborn, but the forces were unequal. The Anglo-French-Turkish coalition captured the Malakhov Kurgan in 1855. The surviving participants in the defense left the city, and the allies got only its ruins. The defense of Sevastopol has become a part of culture: "Sevastopol Stories" by L.N. Tolstoy, a participant in the defense of the city.

It must be said that the British and French tried to attack Russia not only from the Crimea. They tried to land in the Baltic and the White Sea, where they tried to seize the Solovetsky Monastery, and in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, and even Kuril Islands... But all these attempts were unsuccessful: everywhere they met with a bold and worthy rebuff from the Russian soldiers.

By the end of 1855, the situation reached an impasse: the coalition seized Sevastopol, but the Turks lost the most important fortress of Kars in the Caucasus, and on other fronts, the British and French did not succeed. In Europe itself, there was growing dissatisfaction with the war, which was fought in whose interests it was not clear. Peace talks began. Moreover, in February 1855, Nicholas I died, and his successor, Alexander II, sought to end the conflict.

The Paris Peace and the Results of the War

In 1856, the Paris Peace Treaty was signed. According to its provisions:

The demilitarization of the Black Sea took place. Perhaps this is the most important and humiliating point of the Paris Peace for Russia. Russia was deprived of the right to have a navy in the Black Sea, for access to which it had fought for so long and bloody.
The captured fortresses of Kars and Ardahan were returned to the Turks, and the heroically defended Sevastopol returned to Russia.
Russia was deprived of its protectorate over the Danube principalities, as well as the status of the patron saint of the Orthodox in Turkey.
Russia suffered minor territorial losses: the Danube delta and part of southern Bessarabia.

Considering that Russia fought against the three strongest world powers without allied assistance and being in diplomatic isolation, we can say that the conditions of the Paris Peace were quite mild on almost all points. The clause on the demilitarization of the Black Sea was canceled already in 1871, and all other concessions were minimal. Russia was able to defend its territorial integrity. Moreover, Russia did not pay any indemnity to the coalition, and the Turks also lost the right to have a fleet in the Black Sea.

Reasons for Russia's defeat in the Crimean (Eastern) War

Summing up the article, it is necessary to explain why Russia lost.

The forces were unequal: a powerful alliance was formed against Russia. We should be glad that in the fight against such enemies the concessions turned out to be so insignificant.
Diplomatic isolation. Nicholas I pursued a pronounced imperialist policy, and this aroused the indignation of his neighbors.
Military-technical backwardness. Unfortunately, the Russian soldiers were armed with poorer guns, the artillery and the navy also lost to the coalition in terms of technical equipment. However, all this was compensated by the courage and dedication of the Russian soldiers.
Abuses and mistakes of the high command. Despite the heroism of the soldiers, theft flourished among some of the higher ranks. Suffice it to recall the mediocre actions of the same A.S. Menshikov, nicknamed "Izmenshchikov".
Poor communication routes. Railway construction was just beginning to develop in Russia, so it was difficult to quickly transfer fresh forces to the front.

The meaning of the Crimean War

The defeat in the Crimean War, of course, made people think about reforms. It was this defeat that showed Alexander II that progressive reforms are needed here and now, otherwise the next military clash will be even more painful for Russia. As a result, serfdom was abolished in 1861, and in 1874 a military reform was carried out, introducing universal military service. Already in the Russian-Turkish war of 1877-1878, it confirmed its viability, the authority of Russia, weakened after the Crimean War, was restored, the balance of power in the world changed again in our favor. And according to the London Convention of 1871, the clause on the demilitarization of the Black Sea was canceled, and the Russian navy again appeared in its waters.

Thus, although the Crimean War ended in defeat, it was the defeat from which it was necessary to draw the necessary lessons, which Alexander II managed to do.

Table of the main events of the Crimean War

Battle	Participants	Meaning
Sinop battle of 1853	Vice-Admiral P.S. Nakhimov, Osman Pasha.	The defeat of the Turkish fleet, the reason for the entry into the war of England and France.
Defeat on the r. Alma and under Ankerman in 1854	A.S. Menshikov.	Unsuccessful actions in Crimea allowed the coalition to besiege Sevastopol.
Defense of Sevastopol 1854-1855	V.A. Kornilov, P.S. Nakhimov, E.I. Totleben.	At the cost of heavy losses, the coalition took Sevastopol.
Capture of Kars 1855	N.N. Muravyov.	The Turks lost their largest fortress in the Caucasus. This victory softened the blow from the loss of Sevastopol and led to the fact that the conditions of the Paris Peace became softer for Russia.