Middle East 575
MID#57
Dispute Number: 57
Date(s): May 31, 1853 to March 30, 1856
Participants: 365 Russia/200 United Kingdom, 220 France, 300 Austria-Hungary,
325 Italy, 640 Turkey
Outcome (and Settlement): Victory for side B (Negotiated)
Fatalities: >999 deaths
Narrative: The Crimean War occurred against the backdrop of continuing Russian
conflicts with the Ottoman Empire over Orthodox subjects as well as renewed French
interests in the Middle East. Specifically, the source of the conflict was in Nazareth,
where Orthodox Christians frequented and where the Turks had just relented to French
demands to place a silver star in the Church of Nativity (in December 1852). Russia
reacted to the French interests with hostility, demanding the Ottoman Empire cede
sovereignty over its Orthodox subjects to Russia and recognize Orthodox control
over holy sites in Jerusalem in May 1853. Britain and France supported the Ottoman
Empire’s rejection of the Russian demands, resulting in the Russian invasion of the
Danubian Principalities in present day Romania (July 2). Diplomacy failed and the
Ottoman Empire declared war on Russia on October 4. Notwithstanding some suc-
cess in the Caucuses, major setbacks in the Balkans and Crimea turned the tide of
war against Russia. French involvement in the Baltic forced the Russians to divert a
large segment of its forces to defend its capital. When the well-defended Sevastopol
finally succumbed to an Allied siege, Austria threatened to get into the war. Facing
a catastrophe, Russia admitted defeat and opted for peace. The peace signed was the
Treaty of Paris 1856.
MID#3322
Started in May 1876. See the narrative in the 255 Germany/640 Turkey dyad dispute
list.
MID#187
Dispute Number: 187
Date(s): October 31, 1876 to March 3, 1878
Participants: 365 Russia/640 Turkey
Outcome (and Settlement): Victory for side A (Negotiated)
Fatalities: >999 deaths
Narrative: The Russo-Ottoman War of 1877–1878 followed nationalist sentiments
in the Balkans that encouraged the Russians to make a bold move in order to acquire
territory lost during the Crimean War (MID#2367). The time was ripe for Russian
advances on the Ottomans. The Bulgarian uprising in April 1876 had been aggres-
sively put down by the Ottomans, who used irregular troops in the action, which led
to rape, arson, and the massacre of 12,000 Bulgarians. International outrage forced