Crimean War

THE PLAYERS

Ottomans Russia

England

France

Piedmont*/Italy

Russia probably closer to 450k

Causes of the War

• Black Sea (Russian Interest)• “Sick-Man” of Europe• Holy Lands- France v. Russia (E.

Orthodox)• English Trade Routes- E. Mediterranean

(Dardanelles)• Piedmont- Gain allies for Nationalism

Results of the Crimean War• Concert of Europe – Shattered

– Next 60 years- Shifting alliances- Balance of Power• Russia- Vulnerable

– Intimidated others after Napoleon’s defeat• Ottomans- Weak and getting weaker

– Next 60 years- Russian/Habsburg expansion into Ottoman Territory- Balkan Powder Keg

• Modern Warfare– Trench fighting– Beginnings of Industrial Warfare– Charge of the Light Brigade-

• Democratization of War– War memorials- include the names of soldiers

• Florence Nightingale• Treaty of Paris

– Increase autonomy Balkan regions- including Serbia

Forward 20 years• Along w/German and Italian Nationhood

– Change of balance of power- Powerhouse middle of Europe! (an issue in the 21st Century too!)

• 1873—Bismarck’s– Three Emperors League

• Germany, Austro-Hungary, Russia

• Balkans- resolving problems Treaty of San Stefano->Congress of Berlin 1878

• Russo-British-Austrian Tension• BOSNIA-HERZEGOVENIA- UNDER HABSBURG

CONTROL!• DEATH OF 3 EMPERORS LEAGUE• ANTAGONIZED RUSSIA AND OTHER BALKAN STATES

Russian expansion:

•Ottoman Empire•1881: Trans-Caspian region•1885: Turkestan•Afghanistan: Buffer with Great Britain•Manchuria•1905: Russo-Japanese War

▫Expansion ceases

More Bismarck• 1879 Anschluss???- German/Austria- initially

secret treaty– Approved annexation of Bosnia?– But defensive for Germany

• 1882 Triple Alliance– Italy Joins- Fend off France

• 1887 Reinsurance Treaty—quiet?– Russia- Neutrality- Don’t GET INVOLVED

• 1888- Kaiser Wilhelm I Dies->Frederick dies w/in 6 months ->Wilhelm II->Fires Bismarck

The road to war? other Treaties• British Naval Supremacy and Germany

Naval Arms Race (from ships of the line to steel battleships!)

– Dreadnaughts– Kiel canal

• Triple Entente– 1894 Franco-Russian Alliance (odd couple- 3rd

Republic and Orthodox Russia)

– 1904 Britain-France – 1907 Britain-Russia

• 1907 Two Sides- the lines are drawn– Triple Entente v. Triple Alliance

CRISIS CRISIS CRISIS• Japan Morocco, Libya, Balkan• 1904-1905 Russo Japanese War-

– Russia Emasculated– TR and Peace?

• 1905 Moroccan Crisis

• 1908 Austria Annexes Bosnia/Herzegovenia– Kaiser Wilhelm II demands Russian Acceptance

• Russia red and egg faced—quiet deal doesn’t work

• 1912 Balkan League– Serbia, Bulgaria, Montenegro, Bulgaria, Greece v.

Ottomans->Macedonia and Albania Captured→ 2nd Balkan War (1913) Ottomans, Greece, Serbia, Romania defeat Ottomans->Serbia unassuaged.

Imperialism

• Causes?– Christianity– Social Darwinism– Raw Resources– Population outsourcing– New Markets– Realpolitik- Strategy

Religion

•“White man’s burden”

Economy

•Economic Imperialism▫10 percent of French

foreign investments went to colonies

•Wasteland•Marxist perspective

Motivations

•Nationalism▫Matter of prestige

•Social Darwinism▫Competition:

⚫Nations⚫Race

New Imperialism v. Old

• New– Doesn’t take the Land– Involvement Evolves

• Resources• Investment• Some Involvement w/Govt• Proxy Govt• Takeover/Protectorate

South Africa

•Dutch: The Boers•British

▫Cecil Rhodes▫1899-1902: Boer War

Cecil Rhodes

•British South Africa Company

•Cape-Cairo Railway•Rhodesia

Boer War

•1899-1902•1877: Boer revolt creates South African

Republic•Boer defeat•Subjugation of Zulu and Xhosa•Concentration camps

▫27,000 Boers killed

Independence

•1907: Orange Free State and Transvaal are nearly autonomous

•1910: Union of South Africa- autonomous as commonwealth

Reality of African Imperialism

•Military force•Economic

exploitation▫“Philanthropy is

good, but philanthropy at 5 percent is even better” ~Cecil Rhodes, 1889

Italy•Ethiopia

▫Mountainous and inaccessible

▫1896: failed attempt to conquer

•Ottoman Tripoli▫1911: Italy conquers

and renames, Libya,

Belgian Congo•King Leopold II:

▫Eager, ruthless▫International

Association for the Exploration and Civilization of Central Africa

•Congo▫1884-1908: “Free

State”

Nations

• Britain-1st and foremost– Trade Routes->New Imperialism

• Concern E. Mediterranean• Suez Canal 1860s->Egypt• India-> transferred from British East Indies to Govt.

control (remember- France Battle Plessy• S. Africa – gained Cape Colony Napoleonic Wars

• France– Involvement N. Africa- Algeria! (tension btw

Eng and France)

• Germany– Use as strategy to balance Powers in Europe

• Other Nations-– Portugal, Belgium, Spain, Italy (US Too!)

• Portugal, Spain, long standing Commitments

– Resources, Gain Political Prestige

Egypt

•Autonomous Muslim government

•French▫1867: Suez Canal

•British▫1882: Expeditionary

force

German Imperialism

•Bismarck is skeptical•South-West Africa•The Cameroons•Tanganyika•Togoland

India

•British East India Company

•1876: Queen Victoria named Empress of India

•1883: Indian National Congress

•1919: demands for total independence

Australia

• Initially a penal colony▫Indigenous peoples were slaughtered

•1850: Colonial governments nearly autonomous

•1901: Commonwealth of Australia•1907: New Zealand granted autonomy

Flashpoints Late 19C early 20c• China

– Concern Growing Japan– Opium War->Keep Trade Open– Open Door Policy– Boxer’s Rebellion

• Africa– 2nd Congress of Berlin 1884– Boer War (accelerates->British German Tension – willy you jerk!)

• E. Mediterranean– Balkans– Dardanelles– Constantinople

• Russo-Japan– 1904 War, won by Japan –Willy? Not again– Japan on mainland China and in Korea until end WW2– Destabilizes Russia (Sunday Bloody Sunday 1905ish)

• Cuba– Spanish American War

• US dominant force in Pacific– Japan on the rise

China vs. Japan

•China: ▫1900-1901: Boxer Rebellion

⚫Society of the Harmonious Fists▫End of Manchus

• Japan: powerful shogun▫Inspired by West▫1905- Korea is a colony

China

•Manchu dynasty in decline

•1842: British has Hong Kong

•Spheres of Influence

•1899: John Hay’s “Open Door Policy”