How Far Do Sources 2 and 3 Challenge the View Given in Source 1 That the Officers Commanding the British Army in the Crimean War Were Unfit for the Position?

1051 Words5 Pages
How far do sources 2 and 3 challenge the view given in source 1 that the officers commanding the British Army in the Crimean War were unfit for the position? Sources 2 and 3 both agree with each other as they are giving a similar impression that the officers commanding the British Army were being unfairly criticised during the Crimean War. On the other hand, Source 1 suggests that the commanders of the British Army during the Crimean War were unfit for position. Source 2 was part of a judges summing case supporting the Earl of Cardigan (who had commanded the Light Brigade at Balaclava). The source states that any criticism of Cardigan should be ‘generous and sympathetic’ and gives the impression that he was a courageous officer as the judge stated ‘not one that should seek to cast a stain upon his courage and his personal honour as an officer’. Source 2 about Lord Cardigan’s honour and rank as though that should make him immune to harsh criticism so it challenges Source 1 suggesting that Lord Cardigan was too honourable to receive such harsh criticism. As Source 2 states that Cardigan has ‘courage and personal honour’ this is similar in Source 3 as he describes the Army with a high ‘sense of duty’. Source 3 supports Source 2 as it suggests that the staff were being ‘unfairly criticised’ and that there is ‘no staff officer to whom I would object’. Source 3 challenges Source 1 to a great extent; most of Source 3 contradicts the content in source 1. Source 3 suggests that the media would support Source 1 and call the officers unfit for position but his views were based on what he actually saw and so he believes the officers were ‘good fellows’ who had a high ‘sense of duty’ – this suggests they were competent. While Source 3 absolutely challenges Source 1, Source 2 includes some statements that support Source 1. Source 2 states that Lord Cardigan is ‘open to
Open Document