Journalism In The Crimean War

1539 Words7 Pages
The Crimean War, 1853-1856, is often regarded to as the “first modern war” because of advancements made in weaponry, strategy and technology. In terms of journalism, the Crimean War marked the beginning of the evolution of modern war journalism. It began in England where, prior to the Crimean War, newspapers consisted of mostly stolen, foreign reports and letters from junior officers who carefully chose what to put into their letters and what to leave out as they were “soldiers first.” John Dulane from The Times was the first to send a true war correspondent, William Howard Russell, to the battlefield for an authentic representation of the war. These telling accounts, as well as the advancements in technology and lack of censorship, allowed…show more content…
Journalism became a way not only to spread information, but also a way to spread awareness that could lead to change. Journalists like William Russell whose criticisms about the army, particularly the way the army was managed, lead to real change. Upon first seeing how poorly the soldiers were treated, Russell wrote a letter to his editor, John Delane, in which he asked, “Am I to tell these things or hold my tongue?” Russell’s uncertainty about whether or not he was allowed to write about British wrongdoings demonstrates how novel honest reporting was at the time. Delane urged him to record everything he witnessed. After spending time at the battlefield with the soldiers, he shed light on the mismanagement that would otherwise have been overlooked. Civilians were outraged by what they read about the treatment of their soldiers. Russell’s descriptions of the countless cases of cholera and malaria, the unsanitary hospitals and the quality of uniforms inspired people like Mary Seacole and Florence Nightingale to improve the conditions of…show more content…
With new technology, newspapers became more accessible and created a wider audience for the papers to reach, allowing them to rise in popularity. The new technology also lead to a new genre of journalism in which journalists, who were now competing the speed at which information reached home, became more concerned with writing dramatic pieces that would sell rather than reporting the actual facts. The free press which had been established prior to the Crimean War also played an important role in the evolution of journalism. Journalists were allowed to write whatever they liked, even if it criticized the government. The only censorship came from the publishers who decided what they would publish, however many publishers encouraged honesty, as that was what the people were interested in reading. The people played a crucial role in the popularization of newspapers. For the first time, the were given the opportunity to voice their opinions and have them published in newspapers alongside letters corresponded home from soldiers and articles written by journalists. The Crimean War marked a new era of journalism: an era of drama, honesty and accessibility. The journalism seen today stems from the genre of journalism formed during the time of the Crimean

More about Journalism In The Crimean War

Open Document