| Summary |
The purpose of this study is to reevaluate the role of Afghanistan in Anglo-Russian rivalry in Central Asia from 1830 to 1880. Commanding as it does, the main passes of the Hindukoosh Mountains, through which have poured the invading hordes from Central and Western Asia on their way to India, Afghanistan has been destined to play a vital part in shaping the history of Central Asia and India. During the first quarter of the nineteenth century, two European powers were struggling for control of the Hindukoosh. The British were interested in controlling the Hindukoosh in order to safeguard the security of their Indian Empire. The Russians were equally interested particularly since the control of the Hindukoosh would give them a direct line of attack on the British Indian Empire and hence would counter-balance the British naval and military might elsewhere. The ensuing Anglo-Russian struggle for mastery of the Hindukoosh proved disastrous for Afghanistan. A victim of the never-ending struggle of two powerful European nations for control of the Hindukoosh, Afghanistan suffered two invasions by the British, saw three of its rulers sent into exile in Russian or British territories, lost considerable portions of its territory, lost the control of its foreign affairs and in 1880 came very near Most of the material to being completely disintegrated, written so far, however, places the blame for a highly explosive situation on the Afghans. Reevaluation of the Afghan situation from 1830 to 1850, therefore, would seem to be in order. 2 In doing research for this study, all possible use of documentary material has been made. Hence The Parliamentary Papers, The British and Foreign State Papers and The Foreign Office Papers have played a vital part in this study. The study, after a brief sketch of Afghanistan's historical and geographical aspects, takes up the events leading to the First Afghan War, 1839-1842, which was due to the British fear of a possible Russian attack upon India. Chapter three is concerned with Anglo-Afghan relations from 1850 to 1876. It emphasizes a strong desire on the part of the Afghans to forget their past mistreatment at the hands of the British and an honest desire to seek an alliance with the British Government to defend Afghanistan against an ever-increasing Russian menance. Chapter four is an analysis in some detail of the voluminous correspondence between Russia and Sigland concerning Afghanistan and a declaration by Russia in 1873, that she considered Afghanistan as entirely beyond her sphere of influence. Chapter five emphasizes the Afghan belief that no reliance could be placed upon any treaty or agreement with the Russians and, therefore, a strong Afghan desire to enter into an offensive are defensive alliance with the British Government. The constant British refusal to enter into any kind of alliance resulted in friendly overtures by the Afghans to Russia and consequently a second British invasion of Afghanistan, The post-war settlements by which Afghanistan not only lost some vital portions of its territory, but also the control of its foreign affairs are discussed. 3 The findings of this study indicate that the case of AfghanistanEuropean imperial history has been a special one. The Russian and the British expansions in Asia, once started, wore always justified by an excuse that soiae troublesome and barbarous Asiatic neighbor. bordering on Russian or British territories, was either attempting to Invade such territories or was endangering trade and security of the border land. This v/as the prime motivation behind British expansion in India and Russian expansion in Central Asia. The history of AfghanO istan, on the other hand, is the story of constant desire on the part of the Afghan rulers to have peaceful and friendly relations with both Russia and Britain, Disregarding such friendly gestures both Britain and Russia, distrusting each other, ruthlessly ignored the national sovereignty of an independent country, interfered in its internal affairs, caused two invasions of the Afghan homeland, imprisoned or exiled its rulers, annexed large portions of its territory and in the end, placed the blame for highly dangerous and potentially explosive situation in Central Asia on the Afghans. |
