The Crimean War

Of course,these are trying days, Crimea is much in the news.Russian is having it's way,as bullies do,and the peninsula is now Russian hands,bloody hands,unclean hands,but Putin has won.
Of course,a long time ago there was Crimean War,a bloody affair due to decaying Ottoman Empire(the Eastern Question) control over holy land(Russia had the guardship of the holy places.In 1852 France secured from Sultan Abdu-l-Medid certain privileges for Latin churches.Russian try to deal,under cut the deal with France,but Turkish government but under influence of British would have none of it.So in 1853 Russian occupyed  Moldava and Walachia, Turkey declared war.In March of 1854 with fleets already in Black Sea both England and France declared war on Russian.When Austria enter the war on Turkey's side the Russian evacuated Moldava and Waldava.The British capture Sevastopol but at a very high price (the charge of the light brigade)Russians as Brits were brave and foolish and at the end of day Russian lost,losing it's influence in South East Europe.