The Raj and Afghanistan
#1
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Listening to the audiobook of "Return of The King" by William Dalrymple about the First Anglo-Afghan War.
"You have contrived to bring an army into Afghanistan. How do you plan to leave ?"
I wonder if our military and political leaders knew anything of this history before engaging on the current war in Afghanistan ?
"You have contrived to bring an army into Afghanistan. How do you plan to leave ?"
I wonder if our military and political leaders knew anything of this history before engaging on the current war in Afghanistan ?
#8
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I was on holiday in Llangrannog fifteen or more years ago and looking around the graves in the cemetery there was one for a man who was involved in a long march after a defeat in Afghanistan.
Don't remember the exact circumstances but always wondered.
Gonna read this book now and see if it enlightens me.
Might even return to Llangrannog to check in detail.
Don't remember the exact circumstances but always wondered.
Gonna read this book now and see if it enlightens me.
Might even return to Llangrannog to check in detail.
#9
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There were three Anglo-Afghan wars. Two were fought in the C19th and the third in the early C20th, shortly after WWI.
The First Anglo-Afghan war started in 1839 and ended in late 1841/early 1842 when the British were forced to negotiate a truce and began their retreat from Kabul. There were about 12,000 civilians and + 4,000 troops, and many died in the cold and snow before they reached the Khurd Kabul pass. Most of the rest died when there were ambushed in the pass despite the agreement to let them leave.
The legend states that only one man survived the retreat, but sources suggest that others - including families held by the Afghans - made it out later.
The First Anglo-Afghan war started in 1839 and ended in late 1841/early 1842 when the British were forced to negotiate a truce and began their retreat from Kabul. There were about 12,000 civilians and + 4,000 troops, and many died in the cold and snow before they reached the Khurd Kabul pass. Most of the rest died when there were ambushed in the pass despite the agreement to let them leave.
The legend states that only one man survived the retreat, but sources suggest that others - including families held by the Afghans - made it out later.
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I had forgotten about the Third War
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Third_Anglo-Afghan_War
Amazing that so many people still boast that they are "proud of what The Empire did"
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Third_Anglo-Afghan_War
Amazing that so many people still boast that they are "proud of what The Empire did"
#13

In the 30's a young Toronto Star reporter named Gordon Sinclair took a tour up there, until he was recalled to go cover WW2. His book about it is an amusing chronicle of that travel.
https://archive.org/details/in.ernet...ge/n5/mode/2up
https://archive.org/details/in.ernet...ge/n5/mode/2up