Progressive Primary Challengers Snub Hakeem Jeffries for Speaker as Dem Infighting Escalates. As peace remains elusive in Ukraine, it's worth reflecting on a time when the region was similarly witness to carnage -- but with the Russians fighting the British, French, Turks, and... Sardinians? 'Crimea changed the face of modern warfare forever,' he claims in Crimean Quagmire. For one thing, it featured several technological firsts. The Russians' old-fashioned musket was no match for the modern rifle wielded by the British and French. Standing at a distance that muskets could not reach, they were able to annihilate Russian regiments. Long-range artillery came into use, and here the Russians did not lag behind. By using the new steam-powered ironclad ships firing explosive shells, the Russians were able to destroy the Turkish Navy of wooden sailing ships. Landmines, or 'man-traps,' killed people long after a battle was over. The railroad, telegraph, and photography became part of warfare. On the plus side, anesthetic chloroform made operations bearable. A Russian doctor, Nikolai Pirogov, introduced triage surgery so treatment could be given first to those with a chance to survive. Taken together, Carleton observes, these innovations 'represent the greatest revolution in warfare since the introduction of gunpowder.' It was, in short, 'the first 'modern' war.'