Military reforms as a result of the Crimean war

Includes background on war but don't need to memorise this - only memorise effects

How was the army organised in the Crimean war?

officers taken from nobility

forced conscription of tax paying serfs 25 year term of service

How many people were in the Russian army in 1853?

1,400,000

What were the army reforms in 1856?

• no recruitment or military colonies

• conscription for all men over 20 but for 15 years

• more humane and efficient training

What did the Crimean war highlight for the army?

the need for reforms

What proportion of the casualties did Russia make up?

over half

Reasons for Russia’s failure

• Outdated technology eg: inferior muskets (1 per 2 soldiers), still used sails + wooden bottom ships (vs metal bottomed/steam powered)

• poor transport - took longer to equip front line

• inadequate leadership (bcs given jobs due to status not ability)

• Serfs - lacked training/skill

Why did Russia want to reform military bcs of the Crimean war?

If they wanted to keep their status they needed to modernise

Who made up the most of the Russian army

serfs

What was the effect of poor accommodation?

disease spread (killed more people than battle)

What did poor accommodation coupled with lack of decent clothing/equiptment mean?

low moral in troops

What was the time frame of the military reforms?

1862-1874

results of army reforms

• a far more professional army and one that was more in line with that of Western rivals

• the army, in theory, could be relied on to help maintain civil order at home as well as fight wars overseas now

What was the model of the military reforms?

The Prussian military system

What observations is the causal link between Alex II's reforms and the Crimean war based on?

• The war revealed weaknesses in the way Nicholas I had ruled

• The army was recruited from serfs who were not trained to the same standard as the professional armies of Britain and France

• Soldiers had been poorly supplied

How were the soldiers poorly supplied?

what was this a reflection of?

• the production of armaments and uniforms was inadequate

• This was a reflection on the way the economy was organised and how Russia had been slow to industrialise

Why was the majority of the army being serfs a weakness?

serfs were inclined towards revolt, and given their other responsibilities, were probably not as committed as the British and French might have been

What weaknesses in the way Nicholas I had ruled were revealed?

the maintenance of serfdom under strict autocratic rule did not seem to fit with staging modern warfare