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An account of Britain's interventions in Afghanistan in the 19th century. They arose from the fear that Russia was considering invading the country as a prelude to attacking India.

Rory Stewart tells the story of British interventions in Afghanistan in the 19th century, when the British Empire became obsessed with the idea that their rival, Russia, was considering the invasion of Afghanistan as a staging post for an attack on British India.

It was a period of mutual suspicion and paranoia that later became known as The Great Game. Afghanistan was perceived by Victorian Britain, as it's believed to be today, to be an immediate threat to British national security.

In this first film, Rory Stewart tells the story of the decision-making that led to the first British invasion of Afghanistan, and the three Anglo-Afghan wars fought in this era. And he tells the story of Afghanistan's unlikely reaction to this period. When an Afghan-elite made a futile attempt to impose western-inspired ideas and modernity on the country.

58 minutes

Last on

Thu 15 Sep 2022 23:30

Credits

Role Contributor
Presenter Rory Stewart
Executive Producer Ross Wilson
Producer Iain Scollay
Director Iain Scollay

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