starter activity

Look carefully at this painting. What impression does this painting give you about attitudes to the outbreak of war in 1854? Can you spot Queen Victoria?

How did the How did the reporting of the reporting of the

Crimean War Crimean War change attitudes in change attitudes in

Britain?Britain?To investigate the causes of, To investigate the causes of, key features of and Britain’s key features of and Britain’s

role in the Crimean War.role in the Crimean War.

Your TaskYour Task

Read the information on page 2 Read the information on page 2 “How is the Crimean War “How is the Crimean War remembered?”.remembered?”.

Produce a spider diagram to Produce a spider diagram to summarise the historical importance summarise the historical importance of the Crimean War. of the Crimean War.

Map showing location of the Crimea.

Read the information on pages 3 & 4 about Read the information on pages 3 & 4 about the causes of the Crimean War.the causes of the Crimean War.

Complete a table or list evidence for Complete a table or list evidence for blaming each of the main countries blaming each of the main countries involved for starting the Crimean War.involved for starting the Crimean War.

RussiaRussia BritainBritain TurkeyTurkey FranceFrance Which country should be held accountable Which country should be held accountable

for the Crimean War?for the Crimean War?

Your TaskYour Task

Your TaskYour Task

How useful is the description in Source C How useful is the description in Source C in helping you to understand the problems in helping you to understand the problems faced by the British soldiers?faced by the British soldiers?

Consider:Consider: ContentContent ContextContext Situation of the AuthorSituation of the Author PurposePurpose Nature of the evidenceNature of the evidence

How useful is Source CHow useful is Source C Useful in describing the problems encountered by British Useful in describing the problems encountered by British

soldiers such as filthy streets, rats & dogs, stench, cheap soldiers such as filthy streets, rats & dogs, stench, cheap wine & whores. Conditions of the British camp etc.wine & whores. Conditions of the British camp etc.

Written in 1975 over 100 years later, author is a military Written in 1975 over 100 years later, author is a military historian and clearly sympathetic towards British army historian and clearly sympathetic towards British army and ordinary soldiers. However his description is likely and ordinary soldiers. However his description is likely based on accounts by soldiers and officers from the time, based on accounts by soldiers and officers from the time, which makes the accuracy questionable as some may which makes the accuracy questionable as some may have exaggerated conditions, some were certainly drunk, have exaggerated conditions, some were certainly drunk, disparity between views of soldiers & officers. disparity between views of soldiers & officers.

Purpose is obviously to be informative, but Crimea is a Purpose is obviously to be informative, but Crimea is a controversial war and Judd will not want to be seen as controversial war and Judd will not want to be seen as unpatriotic. Also he will want to sell his book and may unpatriotic. Also he will want to sell his book and may paint a more vivid description of conditions using paint a more vivid description of conditions using sources for his purpose and ignoring others. sources for his purpose and ignoring others.

How was the How was the Crimean war Crimean war

reported?reported?

To understand why Roger To understand why Roger Fenton & William Russell’s Fenton & William Russell’s

reporting of the Crimean War reporting of the Crimean War so significant.so significant.

starter activity

What are your first impressions of these two men, looking just at their photographs? Jot down your impressions and discuss them with a partner.

Roger Fenton William Russell

Your TaskYour Task

Read the biography of Read the biography of Roger FentonRoger Fenton on on page 7.page 7.

How far would you be able to regard his How far would you be able to regard his photographs as an accurate record of the photographs as an accurate record of the Crimean war?Crimean war?

How useful is the photograph (Source E) How useful is the photograph (Source E) to historians investigating the Crimean to historians investigating the Crimean War? (Think about your answers to the War? (Think about your answers to the previous task).previous task).

How accurate is Roger How accurate is Roger Fenton’s photography of Fenton’s photography of

Crimea?Crimea? Patroned by Queen Victoria so Patroned by Queen Victoria so

will be wary of being to will be wary of being to critical of the Upper Class and critical of the Upper Class and those with Royal connections.those with Royal connections.

Worked for Thomas Agnew & Worked for Thomas Agnew & Sons who wanted a Sons who wanted a photographic album of the photographic album of the Crimean War. Crimean War. Fenton Fenton instructed not to photograph instructed not to photograph the horrors of warthe horrors of war & C19th & C19th technology did allow the technology did allow the filming of moving scenes.filming of moving scenes.

Likely that at least Likely that at least some of his some of his photographs were staged or photographs were staged or posed for effect.posed for effect.

How useful is this photograph?

How useful is Source E to How useful is Source E to historians investigating the historians investigating the

Crimean War?Crimean War? Useful in showing uniforms and equipment of the Useful in showing uniforms and equipment of the

soldiers and officers, the condition of the camp e.g. soldiers and officers, the condition of the camp e.g. the hut in the background and the location. Also the the hut in the background and the location. Also the fact that women were clearly present.fact that women were clearly present.

However, it suggests a comradely relationship However, it suggests a comradely relationship between men & officers which may not be true, is this between men & officers which may not be true, is this a natural picture taken discreetly or has Fenton got a natural picture taken discreetly or has Fenton got the men to pose. The picture shows a small section of the men to pose. The picture shows a small section of the camp but is not useful in showing whether this the camp but is not useful in showing whether this scene was typical of the whole British camp or its scene was typical of the whole British camp or its conditions.conditions.

We also know that Fenton was instructed by his We also know that Fenton was instructed by his employers to photograph the war in a positive manner employers to photograph the war in a positive manner so we must be careful of his evidence and its so we must be careful of his evidence and its accuracy.accuracy.

Your TaskYour Task Read the biography of Read the biography of William William

RussellRussell on page 8 and his on page 8 and his description in description in Source FSource F of of conditions in Crimea.conditions in Crimea.

What hints does Russell give of What hints does Russell give of the problems to come?the problems to come?

What impression of the war would What impression of the war would this report probably have given to this report probably have given to people reading it back in Britain?people reading it back in Britain?

To what extent can we rely on the To what extent can we rely on the reportage of the Crimean War as reportage of the Crimean War as delivered by Roger Fenton and delivered by Roger Fenton and William Russell?William Russell?

Problems to comeProblems to come

Heat Heat “day was warm”.“day was warm”. Poor transportation of supplies and Poor transportation of supplies and

equipment equipment “Wretched transport”.“Wretched transport”. Lack of natural resources such as animals Lack of natural resources such as animals

etc for food or shade etc for food or shade “destitute of tree or “destitute of tree or shrub”,shrub”, few villages to acquire supplies few villages to acquire supplies “Infrequent villages”.“Infrequent villages”.

Sickness amongst the troops Sickness amongst the troops “poor “poor sufferers who had dropped of illness & sufferers who had dropped of illness & fatigue”.fatigue”.

How reliable are Fenton How reliable are Fenton and Russand Russ

Fenton presents only positive imagery of war Fenton presents only positive imagery of war and his still pictures do not present accurate and his still pictures do not present accurate imagery of events such as battles.imagery of events such as battles.

Russell, although often frank in his reports was Russell, although often frank in his reports was very xenophobic towards Britain’s allies France very xenophobic towards Britain’s allies France & Turkey. He did not witness all the events he & Turkey. He did not witness all the events he described and some of his sources are unknown described and some of his sources are unknown and therefore reliability can be questioned. and therefore reliability can be questioned. Russell also lived in luxury and missed large Russell also lived in luxury and missed large sections of the winter campaigns.sections of the winter campaigns.

The Times which he wrote for would also want The Times which he wrote for would also want to sell copies and therefore may have to sell copies and therefore may have instructed or even edited Russell’s reports to instructed or even edited Russell’s reports to sensationalise events for its readers. sensationalise events for its readers.

Your TaskYour Task

Read Read SourceSource II (page 10),(page 10), Russell’s description Russell’s description of the Battle of Alma, then read of the Battle of Alma, then read Source H Source H (page 10)(page 10) by the naval surgeon James Peters. by the naval surgeon James Peters.

To what extent does William Russell’s To what extent does William Russell’s dispatch support the account given by dispatch support the account given by James Peters?James Peters?

Look back at your earlier work on Look back at your earlier work on Source Source FF, How far do , How far do Sources H & ISources H & I help to help to confirm the answer you gave was correct?confirm the answer you gave was correct?

Russell v PetersRussell v Peters Support – agrees on what happened to wounded Support – agrees on what happened to wounded

British soldiers British soldiers “wounded were sent to sea” & “small “wounded were sent to sea” & “small steamer”. steamer”. Also seem to agree that British army had a Also seem to agree that British army had a lack of care for its troops e.g. lack of care for its troops e.g. “French had well-“French had well-appointed hospital vans”, “Some arrangements should appointed hospital vans”, “Some arrangements should have been made”.have been made”.

Disagree – the two accounts largely look at different Disagree – the two accounts largely look at different aspects, Russell is commenting on the battlefield aspects, Russell is commenting on the battlefield conditions, where as Peters is discussing the conditions, where as Peters is discussing the conditions on board HMS Vulcan and states facts conditions on board HMS Vulcan and states facts concerning the arrival and conditions of the wounded. concerning the arrival and conditions of the wounded. Russell’s dispatch is opinionated rather than factual Russell’s dispatch is opinionated rather than factual e.g. e.g. “this disgraceful comparison”. “this disgraceful comparison”. Russell gives no Russell gives no figures about the number of wounded to allow an figures about the number of wounded to allow an accurate comparison of the two accounts to be made.accurate comparison of the two accounts to be made.

Your TaskYour Task

Read through he Broadside “The Read through he Broadside “The Battle of Alma” in Battle of Alma” in Source JSource J..

What is the tone of this broadside?What is the tone of this broadside? What reaction would you expect it to What reaction would you expect it to

generate among those who listened generate among those who listened to it on the streets in Britain?to it on the streets in Britain?

HomeworkHomework

Find a twentieth or twenty-first century Find a twentieth or twenty-first century report from a war correspondent that report from a war correspondent that was published in a British newspaper. If was published in a British newspaper. If possible, choose a war as close to possible, choose a war as close to present as possible e.g. Iraq or present as possible e.g. Iraq or Afghanistan.Afghanistan.

Compare the report to Russell’s report Compare the report to Russell’s report of the Battle of Alma (of the Battle of Alma (read p9 & 10read p9 & 10). ). Obviously, they are different wars, but Obviously, they are different wars, but in what ways are the reports similar and in what ways are the reports similar and different?different?

PlenaryPlenary

How useful are other types of How useful are other types of sources to our understanding of sources to our understanding of Crimea such as, letters, diaries & Crimea such as, letters, diaries & journals from Doctors, soldiers and journals from Doctors, soldiers and their wives.their wives.

Discuss this in pairs and produce a Discuss this in pairs and produce a list of points to consider about the list of points to consider about the reliability and usefulness of such reliability and usefulness of such evidence.evidence.