Abstract
This January marked the 150th anniversary of the Polish rebellion of 1863 against Russian authority. Even though so many years have passed since the uprising was crushed by Russian forces, the events themselves and international reactions to them remain subjects of historical research and scholarly dispute.
For some historians, British policy towards Poland in the period in question was a complete failure – they regard it as a mode of conduct that was poorly managed, antiquated and one that lacked any deep understanding of the issues involved. In contrast, according to other specialists in the field, Whitehall’s behaviour was at least partially successful inasmuch as Britain’s main objective in foreign policy in the 1860s was to check Napoleon III’s expansionist tendencies and that was indeed achieved.
However, maybe the kernel of the matter is not whether Britain’s Polish policy was or was not successful, but rather why particular decisions were adopted by British officials.