James Atkins’s Reviews > Crimea: The Last Crusade > Status Update

‘But the origins of the Crimean War cannot be understood by studying only the motives of statesmen and diplomats. This was a war – the first war in history – to be brought about by the pressure of the press and by public opinion.’

‘The Tsar’s visit to London did nothing to dispel the British mistrust of Russia that had been building for decades […] Russophobia (even more than Francophobia) was arguably the most important element in Britain’s outlook on the world abroad. Throughout Europe, attitudes to Russia were mostly formed by fears and fantasies, and Britain in this sense was no exception to the rule.’