Crimea is in the news this week after an historic vote to secede from greater Ukraine and throw its lot in with Russia. This has put the Western Powers in an uproar.
But we must learn from history. From 1853 to 1856 England fought a bloody and completely unnecessary war with Russia over control of the Black Sea. There were no winners;only losers.
However there are some relevant lessons that came out of the Crimea War.
1) 'Sandwiches' - a quick snack prepared on the front line for the Earl of Sandwich, and 'Cardigans' -a type of sweater worn by Lord Cardigan, have been passed down to us.
2) Gallantry and imbecility are often closely connected.(a lesson from the disastrous charge of the Light Brigade led by Cardigan at Balaclava)
3) That nursing, in immediate battlefield conditions, can result in saving thousands of lives. This was evidenced by Florence Nightingale and her heroic team of nurses in Sevastopol.
4) Lastly, DON'T GET INVOLVED IN OTHER PEOPLE'S CONFLICTS. The Crimean Conflict was initially between Turkey and Russia until England stuck its nose in and afterward wished it hadn't. We need to learn this lesson in 2014. Stay home, put on our cardigans and watch proceedings on our T.V's while we eat our sandwiches!
Jubilant
Ian
No comments:
Post a Comment