The Reason Why

As a student of War Studies, I bought this book to aid me with a project involving the Charge of the Light Brigade. At first glance, the book appeared to be everything that was required to help me with the question of 'Who was to blame' for the blunder.

Woodham-Smith's narrative style of writing makes for an easy-to-follow flow of reading and keeps you gripped. Yet it cannot be helped but feel that her arguement - that Lord Cardigan and Lord Lucan are most to blame for the ill-fated charge - lacks actual analysis into the events surrounding the charge. Instead, Woodham-Smith gives a very detailled background into the two men - their past, their personalities, their weaknesses - and then use the readers' growing (and understandable) 'hate' for these two men to believe that they MUST be resonsible for the blunder because they were easily despiced men. Yet it misses the point; their personalities and histories played practically no role in the reasons behind the blunder. In short, the book provides no real answer to who is responsible.

For those with a passing interest in the charge of the Light Brigade, this is a good read, but for the academic it isn't that useful, unless you want to see what sort of self-interested, feuding nobles and lords were left in charge of Britain's armies during the Victorian era.

Still the best account of the Charge of the Light Brigade (6/6 people found this helpful)

The Reason Why remains the classic study of the intriguing and sadly ludicrous episode in military history known as the Charge of the Light Brigade. The author, coming from an Army family and relying heavily on the writings of officers, largely neglects the experience of the private soldier and concentrates on the main characters in the drama. The story is dominated by these extraordinary personalities, serving as a reminder that war is an inherently human drama. On a second level, it is a criticism of the privilege system of the British Army of the mid-nineteenth century. In retrospect, one is hard pressed to believe such a purchase system could have ever won a victory at Waterloo. Intolerant aristocrats with no experience in battle, paltry leadership skills, and maddening unconcern for the soldiers under their command, bought their commissions. The Charge of the Light Brigade illuminated all of the faults of the system and proved that bravery alone was insufficient for victory. While human blunders led to the debacle that was the Charge of the Light Brigade, the British military system was intrinsically to blame.

The heart of this book concerns the relationship between society at large and the military. Military leaders feared nothing so much as public scrutiny, for widespread discontent could lead to political interference and, indeed, political control of the army. Whether in dealing with the incorrigible personalities of Lords Lucan and Cardigan or in covering up the series of blunders that resulted in the sacrificial ride of the Light Brigade, the military leadership acted with the overriding principle of preserving the Army from governmental control.

The embarrassments of the Crimean campaign proved uncontainable. A great source of difficulty was the incompetence of the Army staff; rank and privilege were held to be superior to actual experience. When these difficulties led to humiliation and defeat, the commanders' concern was not with the men they had lost nor the future of the war effort; to the exclusion of these, their main concern was that bad publicity would appear in Britain, that the public would hear of the lack of success, that the House would begin to ask questions of the military leadership, that the press would begin to criticize the Army. This great fear of political interference was realized in the aftermath of the Crimean War. The author portrays this as the one positive effect engendered by the War effort. A new era of military reform was born in Britain, Europe, and America. Experience now became a prerequisite for command, and officers were trained in staff colleges. The author's final point is that, above all, the treatment of the private soldier changed as the military system was humanized to some degree. Her assertion that at the end of the Crimean War the private soldier was regarded as a hero seems rather bold, but it is clear that he was no longer seen as a nonhuman tool of his commanders' designs.

The Definitive Charge! (0/0 people found this helpful)

This is THE definitive work on this fascinating and tragic subject. The author has researched the subject matter meticulously and it shows! The characters,the period and the long ranging result of the Charge start with a 'walk' through the main characters involved i.e. Lord Cardigan, Lord Lucan and Captain Louis Nolan, their backgrounds and what has made them the people they are. We then move to the 'march' when the Brigade arrives in the Crimea and is subject to the realities and horrors of war not only with the enemy but with disease and Victorian beaurocracy whilst still being kept 'in a bandbox' by Lord Lucan. The book moves on to the 'trot' when the Charge actually takes place and this is simply breathtaking due to the wealth of information and detail that Woodham-Smith has placed before the reader. A definite must - after reading this book the aroma of cordite, human bravery and and the stupidity of 'the upper classes' will remain with the reader as long as this action has remained an outstanding example of military incompetence in the annals of British history. If you read only one book on this subject then tome will cover all aspects of this subject.

The Definitive Charge! (1/1 people found this helpful)

This is THE definitive work on this fascinating and tragic subject. The author has researched the subject matter meticulously and it shows! The characters,the period and the long ranging result of the Charge start with a 'walk' through the main characters involved i.e. Lord Cardigan, Lord Lucan and Captain Louis Nolan, their backgrounds and what has made them the people they are. We then move to the 'march' when the Brigade arrives in the Crimea and is subject to the realities and horrors of the best cavalry unit in the world at war with the enemy, disease and Victorian beaurocracy whilst still being kept 'in a bandbox' by Lord Lucan. The book moves swiftly on to the 'trot' when the Charge actually takes place and this is simply breathtaking due to the wealth of information that Woodham-Smith has placed before the reader. A definite must - after reading this book the aroma of cordite, human bravery and and the stupidity of 'the upper classes' will remain with the reader as long as this action has remained an outstanding example of military incompetence in the annals of British history.

A character-driven account of events leading to the charge. (5/6 people found this helpful)

Woodham-Smith adopts an original approach to her account of the events which culminated in the charge of the Light Brigade in the Crimea. It focuses on the two principal protagonists, Lords Lucan and Cardigan, and traces their early lives and developing rivalries. Unlike many historians, Woodham-Smith seems able to delve into the personalities of all involved, and extensive character sketches give the narrative an animated feel. The book is easy to read; her style is engaging and at times humourous. Her insight seems to come from a rarely equalled amount of time grappling with source materials, to which she refers regularly in support of her convincing arguments. 'The Reason Why' is not merely an account of the events leading to the charge, but offers analysis of the key figures and events aswell. This is a throughly enjoyable and informative book.

Cecil Woodham-Smith

Reader Reviews:

Good read, but not academically brilliant (1/2 people found this helpful)

Still the best account of the Charge of the Light Brigade (6/6 people found this helpful)

The Definitive Charge! (0/0 people found this helpful)

The Definitive Charge! (1/1 people found this helpful)

A character-driven account of events leading to the charge. (5/6 people found this helpful)

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