Crimean, or Eastern, war

October 16, 1853 Russia from Turkey was declared war. In the domestic historiography, it entered as the Crimean, and in the west it is known as the Eastern War.

The beginning of hostilities

Already in early November, a Russian squadron in Sinop Bay successfully destroyed a significant part of the Turkish naval forces. Fifteen Turkish ships were destroyed, and artillery coastal batteries were also damaged. If the Eastern war was only a bilateral conflict between Russia and Turkey, the winner would be obvious. However, the Ottoman port had formidable allies - France and England. The latter, to put it bluntly, had their own views on Turkish territories, since this country was increasingly becoming a dependent semi-colony of the great states of Western Europe. Reactions from the Allies did not have to wait long. As early as December of this year, the Franco-British squadron was off the coast of the Crimea, and the Eastern War entered its active phase. As part of the allied forces there were almost ninety ships carrying advanced technology of the time. England, followed by France were the first European countries to survive the industrial revolution, which could not be said of the Russian Empire , which had lingered in the feudal era. To prevent allied ships from landing in Sevastopol, in the bay near the city in September 1854, seven ships were sank, the remains of which did not allow close Go to the shore. The long siege of the city began, which became the main event of the war. The city was taken at the cost of significant losses on both sides only for the twelfth month of the siege, in September 1855.

The second stage of military operations

However, after the fall of Sevastopol, the Eastern War was not completed. The next target of the Anglo-French contingent was the city of Nikolaev, which at that time was the main base of the Black Sea Fleet, its haven and the concentration of shipbuilding factories, artillery warehouses and the entire administrative and economic part. The surrender of Nikolaev would mean virtually complete loss of Russia's ability to confront opponents at sea and, most likely, the loss of general access to the Black Sea coast. Already in the first half of September 1855, a hasty construction of defensive fortifications began around the city. In place of the emperor himself came Alexander II (by the way, who came to the throne literally the day before, already during the war). Nikolaev passed into a state of siege. An attempt to take this outpost was undertaken by the British and French squadrons already in October 1855. Was destroyed from the face of the earth Kinburn Fortress, taken Ochakov and Dnepro-Bug estuary. However, advancing the enemy Managed to stop in the area of Voloshskaya spit powerful volleys of artillery batteries. The Eastern Crimean War passed into a phase of stagnation.

Peace signing and its results

After lengthy negotiations in Paris, a peace treaty was signed. Despite the successful defense of Nikolayev, the Eastern War of 1853-1856 was lost with a crash. Under the terms of the peace agreements, both Russia and Turkey were forbidden to have a navy in the sea, and it was also forbidden to create naval bases ashore. The Black Sea was declared neutral and open to merchant ships of all countries, which was, of course, beneficial for Western European trading companies that found new markets for themselves. The Crimean War demonstrated the insolvency of the empire in the military and economic sense. The need for urgent large-scale reforms in the country was clearly revealed. The direct consequence of this defeat was the abolition of serfdom and other social and economic reforms of the 1860s.