Crimean War

Question 1

What problems were highlighted during the crimean war?

Answer 1

• Mismanagement of supplies and recourses.
• The failure to recruit enough men to fight.
• The incompetence of officers

Question 2

How did Cardwells reforms address issues of the crimean war?

Answer 2

• Abolished flogging, more people would join the army
• Abolished bounties, quality of recruits improved as people joined because they wanted to.
• Length of service reduced from 21 years to 12 years, more people joined.
• Localisation scheme, people prefer fighting in local units.
• Abolished purchase system, quality of officers improved

-However, the work of Gladstone was the main reason for reforms, so it wasn’t a big result of the crimean war

Question 3

How was the crimean war a turning point in warfare?

Answer 3

• Development of weaponry, lee Enfield rifle could dominate cavalry (thin red line)
• Machine gun and artillery dominance, defeated charge of light brigade.
• Improved communications, Electrical telegraph allowed over seas wars and newspaper coverage increased public opinions.
• Railways, meant army was not restricted in size due to supplies, made long campaigns better.
• Cardwells reforms abolished purchase system as a result of incompetence of leaders.
• Tactics changed, enablement of trench warfare from weaponry and railways.