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Customer Reviews (3)

Full of holes large enough to march a relief expedition through
I am amazed that a book written in 2006 sounds like it was written in 1956 by an Irish Communist. Though he has nothing good to say about anyone he concentrates his criticisms on the British which is the nation he must know about but states that they were bit players by the end. The French and British governments had no good geopolitical reasons for pursuing conflict, the czar was an autocratic, religious neanderthal, the Turks remained a mystery, and all the generals were blind fools. The author is guilty of judging the past with 20/20 hindsight according to his own prejudices. He also would bring up various points that were major factors in the political and military calculations and then not analyze them or even curtly dismiss them. What were the czar's ulterior motives in relation to the Ottoman Empire, the Great Game, India, the North Pacific, etc where he was in conflict with the British? What were the conflicts between the British and the French? Why didn't the Prussians and Austrians jump in at the end? Why didn't either side make any attempts at massive reinforcement? Where did all that ammunition come from? How did the logistics support of the common soldiers improve? How did Florence Nightingale improve health and survivability? What was the peace settlement which ended up quite different than the Austrian proposal he ends the action with? And why isn't Varna on his map! It was a war of capitalist, imperialist, and religious dolts so of course it was poorly run, pointless, and horrendous for the foot soldiers and no further analysis is necessary. It really was a terrible book.

Mere introduction, just two maps, and too many inconsistencies
This volume spends half of its already slim 300 pages just leading up to the conflict.Given inconsistencies in the remainder of the material however I question the veracity of the seemingly excellent introductory material.For instance, in discussing the Baltic naval campaign, first the author mentions that the French were only able to contribute one ship to begin with as they were otherwise entirely tied up in the Mediterranean.Mere pages later however there is mention of an entire French fleet.Furthermore, in discussing the intended landing on the Crimean peninsula, first the author mentions the mouth of Katcha river, but later says the landing is set for Eupatoria much further up Kalamita Bay, and indeed the site of the actual landing.At least there is a map showing the detail of the Crimean coast; the only other map is of the entire Black Sea, though the author continually points out the other theaters of the war, such as the Baltic naval engagements alluded to above, for which a map would have been very useful.

Very good for someone looking for a start
This book is excellent for someone looking to learn the basics of the Crimean war.It is beautiful in its ability to bring to life the economic, political and military circumstances which lead to this war, its also critical of their failures and successes.


Very good book, I highly recommend it to anyone who is a military history buff but knows little about the Crimean war & wish to find a book to "jump start" their further reading into this unique and fascinating conflict of Victorian Era warfare. ... Read more

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From "the great storyteller of modern Russian historians,"* the definitive account of the forgotten war that shaped the modern age

The Charge of the Light Brigade, Florence Nightingale—these are the enduring icons of the Crimean War. Less well-known is that this savage war (1853-1856) killed almost a million soldiers and countless civilians; that it enmeshed three great empires—the British, Turkish, and Russian—in a battle over religion as well as territory; that it fixed the fault lines between Russia and the West; that it set in motion the conflicts that would dominate the century to come.

In this masterful history, Orlando Figes reconstructs the first full conflagration of modernity, a global industrialized struggle fought with unusual ferocity and incompetence. Drawing on untapped Russian and Ottoman as well as European sources, Figes vividly depicts the world at war, from the palaces of St. Petersburg to the holy sites of Jerusalem; from the young Tolstoy reporting in Sevastopol to Tsar Nicolas, haunted by dreams of religious salvation, and the ordinary soldiers and nurses in the battlefields and towns under siege.

Original, magisterial, alive with voices of the time, The Crimean War is a historical tour de force.

* Financial Times

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The Crimean War was the first 'modern' war for the British forces: journalists reported home via the telegraph, a device that also tempted the government to micro-manage the war from the comfort of Whitehall. It is most famous for the charge of the Light Brigade, celebrated in poetry and film as a classic British military disaster. It also gave us 'The Thin Red Line', when a handful of British infantry saw off a horde of Russian cavalry. It was the first war in which ordinary British soldiers recorded their experiences - and Julian Spilsbury brings their story to life, together with the very different world of their officers and assorted mistresses. The army in the Crimea was a microcosm of Victorian society with all its strengths and weaknesses. ... Read more

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Great Historical Detail
This is a wonderful book in order to understand the complexities of the Crimean War.It is a very good book for anyone interested in this period, whether you are a scholar of the period or just getting your feet wet.I also recommend an historical novel, set in this time period, to bring the events even more alive, Follow Me To Glory If you are a serious collector try Crimean Memories: Artefacts of the Crimean War ... Read more

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The bitter war between Russia and Turkey, aided by Britain and France, was the setting for the stuff of legends. This book details the gallant yet suicidal Charge of the Light Brigade, now immortalized in film; in the words of Tennyson, 'Into the Valley of Death rode the Six Hundred.' It relates the reports made by the first real war correspondent, William Russell of the London Times--reports that served only to highlight the army's problems. It also memorializes the heroic deeds of Florence Nightingale, who struggled to save young men from the cholera epidemic that became the most formidable enemy in the Crimean War. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Great Overview of The Crimean War
This book is not meant to give you an in depth mastery of the war. It gives you the background of the war, the war itself and its aftermath. It also has a section detailing the life of a British soldier who fought in the war, and the wives of two soldiers who accompanied their husbands on the expedition.
It gives very good summaries of the major battles and has excellent maps of them as well. A decent smattering of pictures from the war are also given. Near the beginning of the book is a chronology of the war.
I came into this book knowing very little about the Crimean War, I now know as much as I had hoped to know when I ordered this book.
If you want to know the basics of the Crimean War I highly recommend this book. If you want an in depth account you may want to look elsewhere.

Way too Anglo - Centric
I agree completely with the other 4 reviewers.I won't go into too much detail, as the other reviewers covered the subject very well, but there were 2 issues that should be reiterated:

1)The author is not fair at all to the Russian contingent and their desire to free Constantinople from Islamic
control.In addition, constantly referring to the Russians as "the enemy"instead of the opponent of the
allies is disingenuous,and I'm not even Russian!

2)Secondly, the placement of the battle maps was maddening.The maps themselves were fine, but theeditor should have paid much more attention to their placement.The map of the Battle of Balaclava should havebeen on Page 51 where the map of the Battle of Inkerman is located !In turn, that map should have been on Page 58where the map of the Battle of Tchernaya is located ! In turn, that map should have placed on Page 70 where the map of Sevastopol is located !And that map could have been put on Page 74.It's not rocket science,but it does make for a much easier read.

All in all, I really appreciate the Osprey History Essential Series,but better editing, as well as better proofreading for spelling errors, would make the series so much easier to enjoy.

An adequate portrayal of an overlooked war
While this isn't the best 'Essential Histories' I've come across, it is far from the worst.Adequate descriptions of the key battles on the Crimean peninsula and thought-provoking insights into the causes and effects of the war make for an interesting read.

The Crimean War is one of the more obscure major wars involving European nations at the height of their power.This conflict between the Allies (Britain, France, and Turkey) and Russia was the result of Western European reaction to Russian aggression in the Black Sea, which threatened Constantinople and trade routes to India.While the war ended in a sort of stalemate, the Allies were successful in maintaining the status quo of the region and halting the expansion of Russian power (for a time).Major historical figures and events came out of the Crimean War, including the Charge of the Light Brigade and Florence Nightingale (both of which are covered adequately in this volume).Perhaps most significantly, this war resulted in the reorganization and increased efficiency of the British military, after the horrors and wastefulness of the war effort were reported by front line newsmen (the first in history).

There are a couple of minor complaints I have about this volume.First, I was disappointed in the maps for each of the major battles.They were placed 4-5 pages away from the text describing the battles and contained no references with which to position them in relation to Sevastopol, making for a rather confusing read.Additionally, the entire book is told from a primarily British perspective, glaringly not mentioning the fact that the famous Russian author Leo Tolstoy (WAR AND PEACE) was involved as an officer in the Battle of Chernaya and the defence of Sevastopol.

Overall, an adequate portrayal of this little-known (but interesting) war.

A Pretty Good Summary of a Forgotten War
John Sweetman does a nice job of condensing this war down to its essential elements.This is no easy feat and he should be commended for a job well done.As with all books in the "Essential Histories" series, this one is no different.It is ninety-two pages long and contains numerous drawings of significant battlefield events.Regarding the various commanders, the author provides sufficient detail so that the reader clearly understands their specific level of participation in the war.The section on the fighting is done in a chronological order.Thus, the chapters flow in a logical progression.

The main weakness of this book can be found in the maps.This weakness, however, is minimal at best.Several of the battle maps are improperly located within the book. For example, the map of the Battle of Balaclava is located a few pages ahead of that specific narrative.The map of the Battle of Inkerman is placed amidst the text of the Battle of Balaclava.The result is that the reader must go back several pages to locate the map that pertains to the applicable battle.Also, the book would have benefited from a mid level map of the area around Sevastopol.The battles of Balaclava, Inkerman, and Chernaya all occur in the same general area.Each of the battle maps have one of two geographic features that are also located in the other battle maps.Unfortunately, there is no mid level map that displays all three battles in relation to the city of Sevastopol.

The book provides information on two interesting people.First, the author made an excellent selection of Captain Nolan as the focus of the chapter on "Portrait of a Soldier."Captain Nolan participated in the charge of the Light Brigade; the most famous action of the entire war.His focus on Captain Nolan provides another viewpoint of this part of the Battle of Balaclava.The second person is Florence Nightingale.Although she is discussed, the author does not spend much time on her activities.Historically speaking, she was probably the most famous person to come out of this conflict.

The author's end of war analysis appears to be very insightful.He discusses how this war illuminated the deteriorating state of the Ottoman Empire.Many of the newly independent states could not peacefully co-exist.In some small way, this conflict may have laid the groundwork for World War I.The biggest winner of the war was the British Army.This conflict pointed out the shortcomings of the British medical and logistical services.Sorely needed reforms were implemented because of the suffering endured by the British servicemen.Bottom line: this is a well-written book that covers all the important aspects of the war.The reader should not be disappointed.

Good, but too Anglo-Centric
Sandhurst historian John Sweetman provides a useful summarized history of the Crimean War in Osprey's Essential Histories #2. Although the author provides a primarily British perspective on the war, this volume is well-written and is useful for readers who desire a quick summary of the war's key moments, with some added insight and analysis. This is a good, if conventional, effort.

Opening sections in the volume describe the theater of war, the opposing forces and how the war began. While short, these introductory sections include the key facts needed to set the stage. The description of the actual war covers about 47 pages. The two sections, `portrait of a soldier' and `portrait of a civilian', although well-written and interesting are marred by a flaw that has afflicted much of the Essential History series, namely overt British chauvinism (of the three volumes on WW1, all focus on British individuals). The authors picks Captain Nolan of `charge of the Light Brigade' fame as his model soldier, which is unfortunate since this is a very controversial individual who has been picked apart by generations of historians. The two civilians portrayed are both British wives. After reading this volume, the reader may have a difficult time remembering that British forces comprised only about 15% of the Allied troops in the Crimea or that there were Russians in the war, too. The author missed a great chance to include a Russian viewpoint from none other than Leo Tolstoy, who was serving with the garrison in Sebastopol. The denouement of the war is covered rather hastily in a few pages and the reader will come away with the impression that the Allies gained nothing from their `victory,' but in fact, the Russian Black Sea Fleet was all but disbanded for a generation and the Russians were forced to raze all the fortifications in the Crimea. By demilitarizing the Crimea for a 20-year period, Russian pressure on Turkey was eased, thus avoiding a wider war at that time.

This volume also includes seven maps (Turkey and the Crimea; area of operations; the Battle of the Alma; the Battle of Balaklava; the Battle of Inkerman; Battle of Chernaya; Sevastopol, June 1855). The bibliography is very weak, with only seven references provided (including one by the author). Despite the fact that the French carried the brunt of the war effort, not one French source is listed in the bibliography. The photographs and illustrations are a bit bland and almost totally represent the Allied viewpoint.

Overall, the main problem with this volume is its Anglo-centrism, with too much focus on the small British forces at the expense of the other participants. While the author details British problems with medical and transport services, he fails to note that the Russian army had considerable logistic problems of its own. Aside from noting the poor command abilities of several of the Russian senior generals, the Russian army is virtually overlooked. Nor do the French get much better treatment, despite the fact that their army performed fairly well (for once) in the Crimea. I wanted to like this volume, since it is always intriguing to read about controversial battles such as Balaklava, but I couldn't escape the fact that the author was leading the reader down the well-worn grooves of Crimean War historiography that British historians have imposed upon us for over a century. It's time to get out of that groove and look at more than just the `thin red line' and look at the experiences of all the participating sides.
... Read more

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This is an EXACT reproduction of a book published before 1923. This IS NOT an OCR'd book with strange characters, introduced typographical errors, and jumbled words.This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book. ... Read more

Product Description
This is a reproduction of a book published before 1923.This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process.We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide.We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book. ... Read more

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In September 1854, the armies of Britain, France and Turkey invaded Russia. In the months that followed over half a million soldiers fell. They died from bullet wounds and shrapnel, cholera and disease, starvation and freezing. The Crimean War was a medieval conflict fought in a modern age. But what is rarely appreciated, and what this historical examination shows, is that this extraordinary and costly struggle was fought not only in the Crimea, but also along the Danube, in the Arctic Ocean, in the Baltic and Pacific. Few wars in history reveal greater confusion of purpose or have had richer unintended consequences. Much has been written about this most senseless of wars and this new history does not aim to cover old ground. Instead, it traces the war's causes and sketches a vivid picture of the age which made it possible, up until the moment of the Allies' departure for the Crimea.Woven together with developments in diplomacy, trade and nationalistic expression are descriptions of the Russian, Turkish and British armies and the principals of the drama - Napoleon III, Marshal St Arnaud, Lord Raglan, the great Russian engineer Todleban, Florence Nightingale, Nicholas I and his magnificently terrible Russian empire. 'The war and its causes was a colossal comedy of errors in which at every moment the question was asked, 'Who is being swindled here?" - Frederick Engels. 'Theirs not to reason why, Theirs but to do or die: Into the valley of Death, Rode the six hundred' - Alfred Lord Tennyson. ... Read more

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The Crimean War was the first 'modern' war for the British forces: journalists reported home via the telegraph, a device that also tempted the government to micromanage the war from the comfort of Whitehall. It is most famous for the charge of the Light Brigade, celebrated in poetry and film as a classic British military disaster.

It also gave us 'The Thin Red Line', when a handful of British infantry saw off a horde of Russian cavalry. It was the first war in which ordinary British soldiers recorded their experiences - and Julian Spilsbury brings their story to life, together with the very different world of their officers and assorted mistresses. The army in the Crimea was a microcosm of Victorian society with all its strengths and weaknesses ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

You Can't Make This Story Up
The Crimean War was the first large scale war of a string of foreign military adventures (and mis-adventures) initiated by Great Britain that continued through the end of the 19th Century, and which have come to be known as the Victorian Military Age.In fact, this was one of the first wars of that age where the combatants recorded their experiences in letters and journals, and was also the first war where the Victoria Cross, Britain's highest award for valor, was awarded (and supposedly created from melted down Russian guns).I got this book because I was so impressed with Mr. Spilsbury's other treatise, The Indian Mutiny, and in which he so skillfully interwove first person accounts with the history of that later conflict to give an immediacy and human poignancy to such an exciting and important chapter of human conflict.He does no less with The Thin Red Line, telling a story that a novelist couldn't havemade up because nobody would otherwise believe that such things could have actually taken place.The Crimean War, which is a war that shouldn't have been fought and could have been avoided (as is the case with most wars) may be categorized as involving four distinct battles:(1) The Battle of The Alma, a classic set piece where an invading army must cross a river and assail heavily fortified heights to obtain a gateway to their ultimate goal; (2) The Siege of Sevastopol, surely one of the most horrific sieges, both for besiegers and besiegees, as has ever been the case in history; (3) The Battle of Inkerman, a "soldier's battle" encompassing hand to hand combat in the fog with multiple seizures of and retreats from a sandbagged redoubt that had minimal tactical value; and (4) The Battle of Balaklava, encompassing the repulse of Russian cavalry hordes by a small number of Highlanders [ie, the "The Thin Red Line"]; the Charge of the Light Brigade, the most famous cavalry charge in history and one that only occurred due to misinterpretation of a general's directive, and the Charge of the Heavy Brigade, whose harrowing drama was overshadowed by the actions of the Light Brigade.This is an enthralling and important work, and one that doesn't require you to be a student of military history to savor.Highly recommended.

Oral History At Its Best!
To qualify my comments, I'm a career infantry officer in the US Army. I have studied military history for over 40 years and have done my fair share of writing for a periodical relating to the American Civil War. The amount of fine literature that was "required" reading by my commanders and schools in my career numbers into the hundreds.Add to that books of my own choice (probably a thousand or more) and it's safe to say that I'm hard to please. That said, I can say without question that Julian Spilsbury's "The Thin Red Line" is the finest piece of literature I've ever read, not just those relating to military history, but all (surpasses Bruce Catton, Douglas S. Freeman, John Keegan, etc). It's certainly obvious that Spilsbury has walked the ground in the Crimea and that brings a special touch to his work. His ability to relate this war to other eras is especially interesting. He clearly has a "soldier's" heart and insight for what he writes about, something only a fellow soldier can really appreciate. I read it non-stop while on a much-earned vacation and found myself re-reading most every page, wishing to absorb how he shared / said what he did (poetic would be an understatement). This book is timeless and I would love to see him do another on the era. While focusing on British forces, he does not short-change the efforts of the French or Russians, which is appreciated. Were I commanding men and women in the military today, I would require this book of all officers and would include it as a discussion topic. My only compliant, and it's a minor one, is I wish he'd had more maps (those used are excellent) showing in more detail some of the action he describes. I'd have also wished for more art work.Both of these of course run up the price of a book, something he may have been considering when limiting both. Regardless, I now intend to track down some books related to the actual photographs, drawings and heroic paintings from this war. And how I wish someone in Hollywood would read it and make it into a film (could easily surpass "Zulu" and others of its type). Mel Gibson ("Braveheart", "We Were Soldiers", and "The Patriot") could do wonders with it!!

Great Insight into a terrible war
Anyone who is a fan of Heroism and the ideas of duty, honor and country will love the journey we take with these British troops from the battle at the river Alma, to Balaklava, to Inkermann.Spilsbury does an incredible job compiling research and creating a book that is streamlined, easy to read, and enjoyable.

The Crimean War deserves attention from all history enthusiasts.Tennyson, James Jones and W.H. Campbell have all made famous reference to this conflict, and yet very few understand the context in which they referred.This Book by Mr. Spilsbury can change all that.

The way History should be told...
I found this book to be written in style that truly brought this war to life. Mr. Spilsbury has woven the words of the participants in the struggle in with the historical facts as we know them in an entertainingly seamless way. He made you care about the participants in the drama and want to learn more about the subject. My only regret was that the book ends abruptly and you never find out what happens to most of the players. ... Read more

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A historical overview of the events leading up to, during, and after the Crimean War. ... Read more

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With their exclusive focus on written sources, historians have consistently overlooked this visual dimension of the Crimean War. Photo-historian Ulrich Keller challenges the traditional literary bias by drawing on a wealth of pictorial materials from scientific diagrams to photographs, press illustration and academic painting. The result is a new anddifferent historical account which emphasizes the careful aesthetic scripting of the war for popular mass consumption at home. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

The first war of the modern media age
Ulrich Keller's book, "The Ultimate Spectacle: A Visual History of the Crimean War", explores and analyzes the historical significance of the various pictorial means that were used at the time to represent this forgotten conflict in the eyes of various segments of the (British) population.

The Crimean war, he argues, because of technological change, was the first war of the modern media age.

First, the mass market: with innovations such as lithography and the illustrated weekly press, it saw the advent of new means of reproducing and distributing pictures cheaply and quickly, for the immediate consuption by the emerging middle classes.

Secondly, the recording of reality: it was also the first war to be captured in photography, although the technique was still costly and primitive. Because of this, it was still restricted to uses by the army (recording topography), aristocrats (portraits of officers) or Queen Victoria (to remember the suffering and endurance of her soldiers, which she saw as her duty to protect and praise).

Finally, the Crimean war required traditional history painting to adapt. Since it could no longer pose as a source of reliable information, a role now provided through more modern means, artists learnt to maximise the emotional powers of the painted image.

Mass market media, photography, dramatization by art (later by cinema): war would from then on be more and more formatted into a spectacle, inaugurating an era that is still with us today (think of CNN and the Gulf Wars).
This has a social function: to make war's raw cruelty acceptable despite the fundamental contradictions of its barbarous nature with modern civilization.

With this somewhat philosophical angle, Keller offers a radically different approach to this conflict from traditional histories based on written sources and focused on characters, politics, diplomacy and battles. A refreshing book indeed. ... Read more

Product Description
This scarce antiquarian book is included in our special Legacy Reprint Series. In the interest of creating a more extensive selection of rare historical book reprints, we have chosen to reproduce this title even though it may possibly have occasional imperfections such as missing and blurred pages, missing text, poor pictures, markings, dark backgrounds and other reproduction issues beyond our control. Because this work is culturally important, we have made it available as a part of our commitment to protecting, preserving and promoting the world's literature. ... Read more

Product Description
This scarce antiquarian book is included in our special Legacy Reprint Series. In the interest of creating a more extensive selection of rare historical book reprints, we have chosen to reproduce this title even though it may possibly have occasional imperfections such as missing and blurred pages, missing text, poor pictures, markings, dark backgrounds and other reproduction issues beyond our control. Because this work is culturally important, we have made it available as a part of our commitment to protecting, preserving and promoting the world's literature. ... Read more