WHY WAS THERE A CRIMEAN WAR?
The precise cause was a pretty obscure row over the guardianship of the Christian shrines – notably the Church Of Nativity – in Palestine. In fact, the whole mess was sparked by Western fears of Russian imperialism as the Ottoman Empire crumbled. Russia wanted control of parts of Turkey (most notably Moldavia and Walachia), which would have given the country access to the Mediterranean from the Black Sea. France was concerned for its colonial interests in North Africa, while Britain did not want her routes to India imperilled. The two powers therefore joined forces to launch an amphibious attack on the Russian naval base at Sevastopol. WHERE DID HOSTILITIES BEGIN? Before the British and French had fired a shot, the Turks were battling with the Russians at sea and along the banks of the Danube in what is now Romania. But when it became clear, in late 1853, that the allies were going to attack, the Russians withdrew from Turkey. Despite this retreat, the allied fleets sailed for Sevastop
