The Crimean War and Cultural Memory: The War France Won and Forgot

The Crimean War (1854-56) was the first modern war with its tactical use of railways, telegraphs, battleships, long-range rifles, and trenches. It was also the first media war, with the impact of a correspondent on the field of battle and being documented in photographs. France was there, fighting in Crimea, losing 95,000 soldiers and leading the Allied campaign to victory, but it has no place in the canon of culturally retained historical events that define modern French identity. The Crimean War and Cultural Memory considers how the Crimean War was and was not represented in French cultural history in the second half of the nineteenth century, illuminating the forgotten traces it left on the French cultural landscape.

Format: Hardback
Length: 222 pages
Publication date: 15 September 2023
Publisher: University of Toronto Press

The Crimean War (1854-1856) is widely regarded as the first modern war, marked by its innovative use of railways, telegraphs, battleships, long-range rifles, and infamous trenches. It also stands as the first media war, as it witnessed the influence of correspondents on the battlefield and was documented through photographs. Surprisingly, even the French themselves seem to have forgotten France's significant involvement in the conflict. Despite losing 95,000 soldiers and leading the Allied campaign to victory, the Crimean War has seemingly been excluded from the canon of historically significant events that shape modern French identity.

In order to explore this forgotten chapter of French cultural history, The Crimean War and Cultural Memory delves into various aspects of French cultural life in the second half of the nineteenth century. Through a comprehensive examination of literature, art, theatre, material objects, and medical reports, the book seeks to understand how the Crimean War was represented and remembered in French cultural discourse. It uncovers the ways in which the war was both acknowledged and obscured, highlighting the complex and multifaceted ways in which it shaped French cultural identity.

One of the key findings of the book is that the Crimean War left a profound impact on French cultural memory. Despite its obscurity in the historical narrative, the war resonated deeply with French artists, writers, and intellectuals. It inspired a wave of patriotic sentiment and a renewed interest in military history and heroism. The war also led to a reevaluation of French imperialism and a growing awareness of the challenges and costs of empire-building.

However, the book also reveals the ways in which the Crimean War was marginalized and forgotten in French cultural history. The conflict was often overshadowed by other events, such as the Franco-Prussian War and the Paris Commune, and its significance was downplayed by the dominant narrative of French triumphalism. This marginalization has led to a lack of awareness and understanding of the war's cultural legacy, which has contributed to its continued obscurity.

To address this issue, The Crimean War and Cultural Memory offers a fresh perspective on the war. It challenges the traditional narratives of French victory and highlights the complexities and challenges faced by both the French and the British armies. It also explores the cultural significance of the war in terms of gender, race, and class, shedding light on the ways in which different groups experienced and remembered the conflict.

In conclusion, The Crimean War and Cultural Memory is a valuable contribution to the study of French cultural history. It sheds light on the forgotten traces of a significant conflict that shaped the nineteenth century and continues to resonate in the present. By examining the ways in which the war was represented and remembered in French cultural life, the book offers a new understanding of the complex and multifaceted ways in which the past influences the present.

Weight: 500g
Dimension: 231 x 150 x 20 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781487547776