Victorian Conflicts: The Crimean War and the Indian Mutiny of 1857

The Crimean War (1853–1856)

We know all of that because a new figure emerged during the year: the War Correspondent. This was a new role, and thanks to these correspondents, we learned about terrible disasters. People in England began to know about the miserable conditions of the soldiers. It is estimated that 8 out of 10 casualties were due to the deplorable army camps, not the war itself.

William Howard Russell was the first War Correspondent. He made the war known in England, writing all the chronicles of the Crimean War so everyone could follow the conflict. He was also responsible for the appearance of another person: Florence Nightingale, who was a nurse during the war. She became another emblematic Victorian figure.

Consequences of the Crimean War

In the end, the result of the war was positive for England. Key outcomes included:

• Russia was not allowed to keep a fleet in the Black Sea, which became a neutral zone.
• Russia was forced to return previously taken land, leading to the creation of Rumania (Romania).
• Navigation of the Danube River became internationally controlled.

India and the Mutiny of 1857

In 1857, an episode known as the Indian Mutiny (or Sepoy Rebellion) took place.

It was a military rebellion in which a number of native troops rebelled in the area of Bengal against their officers. The number of natives was about 200,000, whereas the number of European soldiers, mostly British, was about 30,000; thus, it was a very serious problem. The mutiny spread to the rest of India, and it had to be suppressed. The degree of brutality displayed by the British was extreme.

The Immediate Cause: The Enfield Rifle

There is an official explanation for this, which is only partly true: it had to do with the introduction of the Enfield Rifle. The bullets of the Enfield were preserved in animal fat. The majority of native soldiers were either Hindus or Muslims, and the rumor started to circulate that the animal fat came from cows and pigs. For the Hindus, cows were sacred animals, and for the Muslims, the pig was a taboo animal.

Underlying Causes: Westernization and Resentment

In reality, the truth of the rebellion is to be found in the process of Westernizing India that England had started. Gradually, England was beginning to introduce new things, such as railways, and to prohibit traditions, such as the sati (widow burning). They also imposed English as the official language. All these processes were resented by many, so the Indian Mutiny was a kind of explosion.

The Aftermath of the Mutiny

It was an important event because it marked a clear before and after. From this moment, trust eroded between the two communities, and there were no Indian soldiers in the British army anymore. The gap became wider. At the same time, the mutiny caused a stronger sense of nationalism in India, marking the beginning of the end of direct British rule.