Episode Transcript
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0:16
Hello and welcome to the age of Victoria podcast.
0:21
My name's Chris Fernandez Ban. Let's get on with the show.
0:25
Hi, everyone. I'm recording this episode whilst trying
0:29
to sort out selling my house. And dealing
0:32
with the divorce, which is why it wasn't
0:34
out in June. But having that bit of
0:37
extra time means that this is now out on the
0:39
first of July, and Fingers crossed, that means I can now move
0:44
us back into the old cycle of releasing
0:47
episodes on the first of every month. In
0:50
difficult times like this, the podcast is a
0:53
great escape for me and and I truly
0:56
appreciate the support of the patrons to help
0:59
me through. I'm therefore delighted to welcome new
1:02
patron, Matt Anderson as a lovable Chimney sweep. Over the years,
1:07
I've been overhaul my scripts,
1:10
into fully footnote transcripts, that would meet academic research paper standards,
1:16
including citation requirements, I plan to convert them into Pdf
1:21
and put them on the website. To help
1:23
realize my dream an improved accessibility,
1:26
Working backwards, I have gone all the way back
1:30
episode 32. It has been slow going, and I'm still
1:34
committed to it. However, Apple podcasts.
1:38
Now automatically produce a transcript
1:41
for each episode. So all my episodes on
1:44
Apple podcasts now have a full transcript.
1:48
You can just read them at your leisure. They won't include the full citations or sources,
1:52
but from an accessibility point of view, and
1:55
they are brilliant. If you have ever missed something I said,
1:58
or wondered about a place name, it's right
2:01
there for you. I will. Nevertheless continue my
2:04
work on the fully cited scripts so that
2:07
they're available on the website. Today, We are continuing the episodes on the
2:14
invasion of Afghanistan. If you haven't listened to episodes 54,
2:19
55 and 56 yet. Please start with them before listening to this
2:24
or you will be completely lost. Still here.
2:28
Excellent. Have you ever looked at a map and
2:31
thought I'd like to visit there. You are
2:34
gripped with enthusiasm? And rush off to plan a trip. Only
2:38
there's times and dates, the best weather, the cost,
2:42
which bags to pack travel insurance,
2:46
guide books, comfortable shoes, airport land,
2:50
taxis, booking a kennel for the dog, telling the
2:53
Milk, your wife is away for 2 weeks. Before you know it, you are shaking your
2:58
head, and saying it is like planning and
3:01
invasion. Nick except of course, eu are just
3:03
a little busy. Scale it up to cover over 30000
3:07
men and twice that many ox and carts,
3:11
then try them get them through the mountains,
3:13
and you have a sense of the enormous
3:16
challenge facing the British when they invaded a Afghanistan
3:20
for the first time. If few packing lists
3:24
didn't even begin to cover it. If you
3:27
listen to the last episodes, you will of
3:29
course know why the British had decided to
3:32
send an army into difficult hostile terrain,
3:35
to fight an enemy, they didn't truly understand.
3:39
But if you didn't, you just need to
3:41
remember that the British didn't have a good reason, so we're coming
3:45
up with some bad ones. The first, Anglo afghan war is remembered, as
3:50
1 of the great military disasters in history,
3:53
it is also a master class
3:56
bad political decision making and poor planning It
4:00
is also a bit difficult to categorize
4:04
in the usual easy frameworks. The people in of view Victorian in history.
4:09
Typically, many people, including a longer historians
4:13
will be using easy labels like colonialism,
4:16
Or imperial or orient
4:19
or racism. The first anglo Afghan war didn't have just
4:23
1 of those or all of them it
4:26
had a mix depending on who you were and where you
4:30
sat at the time. Afghanistan
4:32
was never intended to be a province.
4:35
Or place the British settled. It was therefore
4:38
not next exercising colonialism, conquering it, was clearly violent and imperialist
4:46
in as much as it related to Empire, and there wasn't an
4:49
intention that the British would rule
4:52
via a client king. The main po political
4:55
goal was to install a friendly king. Create
4:58
a buffer zone, that protected the Indian borders,
5:02
unlike a client king, which didn't really care
5:05
what the new Afghan king actually did
5:08
as long as it was anti Russian, nor with Afghanistan
5:12
of much interest to the orient
5:15
who are much more focused on bringing what they perceived as
5:20
civilization to India or studying ancient Indian culture,
5:24
They assumed inherent superiority of the white man was a
5:28
given. But again, there was no desire to
5:32
create a white ruling class
5:34
over the native peoples in a Afghanistan
5:37
in the way that was being done in India. Nevertheless,
5:41
a former of orient. Is in incapable.
5:44
It can be a tricky word and concept
5:48
to define, and its most basic.
5:50
It comes from the old word of orient,
5:53
meaning lands of the east as opposed to
5:56
oc, meaning lands of the west.
5:59
Or the, means the interest in and study of cultures
6:04
in the orient region, so far, so neutral
6:08
except, In history terms, it can also mean the attitudes
6:13
towards the orient regions and a way of other
6:17
the entire of China, Japan,
6:21
India, the further stretches of the Middle East
6:24
and the Hindu C, In this form,
6:27
orient includes both racial and cultural claims of superiority
6:33
by the oc. It can be called
6:36
the western gaze on the Orient world.
6:40
Incidentally, the process works the other way too.
6:43
As we've seen throughout the podcast, there are no impartial observers
6:48
with an objective truth. Everything is done, through
6:51
the subjective gaze of the observer culture and life experiences
6:57
when we get to the opium war for instance, you will see the Chinese imperial worldview
7:03
was just as obsessed with its own perceived
7:06
racial superiority, over non Chinese peoples.
7:09
Orient often turns the orient
7:13
into the exotic the savage,
7:16
the wild, the dangerous, the inferior,
7:20
much of the Romans once viewed the germanic tribes,
7:24
as the barbaric outsider, who will wall I brave yet also
7:29
at the same time, un
7:32
and shaped by their environment, there were elements
7:36
of this kind of orient in the British view of Afghanistan
7:41
consider the comment of Scottish Envoy,
7:45
mount stark El stone from his 18 o
7:48
8 visit to Afghanistan, quote, to sum up the character the afghan
7:54
in a few words, their vice are revenge,
7:57
envy, average, capacity
8:00
and ob. On the other hand, they are fond of
8:04
liberty, faithful to their friends
8:07
climbed to their dependence hospitable,
8:10
brave, hardy, frugal,
8:13
labor, and prudent. They are less disposed
8:17
than the nations in their neighborhood to fa
8:20
in ent and d. Just after
8:25
the first pan war in 18 51,
8:29
so John K wrote 2 volume history of
8:32
the war, and said, quote, the physical character of the
8:36
country had stamped itself on the mall
8:40
confirmation of its inhabitants. Brave,
8:43
independent, but of a turbulent, predictive character.
8:47
That very existence seem to depend,
8:51
upon a succession of internal feud
8:53
end quote. Then compare those quotes to some quotes from Roman
8:58
rite tac about the Germans,
9:01
which I've cherry pitt from his longer piece
9:04
ko For B sake.
9:07
Quote, who would like have been likely
9:10
to leave Asia minor, North Africa
9:13
to go to Germany with its forbid landscapes an unpleasant climate
9:19
a country that is thank to ti and
9:21
dismal to behold for anyone who was not
9:24
born in bread there. The appearance of the
9:26
country, differs considerably in different parts, but in
9:30
general, it is covered either by b forest or
9:34
by bowel swamps. The peoples of Germany have never contaminated themselves
9:39
by inter marriage with foreigners, but remain a pure blood,
9:43
distinct and unlike any other nation. 1 result
9:47
of this is that their physical characteristics
9:50
in so insofar as 1 can generalize about such a large population. Are always the
9:55
same. Fierce looking blue eyes, reddish hair, and big frames,
10:01
which however, can exert their strength only by means of
10:04
a violent effort. No nation indulge more freely and feast and
10:09
entertaining the New Germans It is accounted as sin to turn away
10:13
a man from your door, many noble youths.
10:17
If the land of their birth is stag,
10:19
in a long period of peace and activity,
10:22
deliberately seek out other tribes, which have some war in hand
10:27
for the germans have no taste for peace.
10:30
Renown is more easily 1 among the pounds
10:33
and a large body of retainer
10:36
cannot be kept together, except by means of
10:39
violence and war. They always making demands on
10:42
the generosity of their chief asking for a
10:45
coveted war horse or spear stained with the
10:48
blood of a defeated enemy, their meals,
10:51
for which plentiful if home fair is provided,
10:54
counting in lieu of pay. The weather oil
10:57
for this open handed us comes from war
11:00
and p. A German is not so easily prevailed upon
11:05
to plow the land and weight patiently for
11:07
harvest as to challenge a foe and earn wounds
11:11
for his reward, he thinks it tame and
11:14
spirit to accumulate slowly by the sweat of his
11:17
brow what can be got quickly by the
11:20
loss of a blood. We're not engaged in
11:23
warfare. They spend a certain amount of time in
11:26
hunting but much more in idle on, thinking nothing
11:30
else that's sleeping and eating. For the bold and most war like men,
11:35
have no regular employment. The Cow house home and fields
11:40
being left to the women, old men and
11:43
weak of the family. In thus do away their time,
11:47
they show a strange inconsistency.
11:50
At 1 in the same time, loving ind
11:53
and hating peace quote.
11:56
Notice the similarities, the land is presented as wild,
12:01
it is beyond the bounds of civilization. It is less desirable
12:06
and produces hardy, war like people.
12:09
They are presented as simpler,
12:12
individualistic, hospital want guests
12:15
and brave, Yet, they are also un ent,
12:18
coming together not for the common good of
12:20
the civilized nation but to enjoy war, violence
12:25
and p. To live in the boundaries of Empire is
12:29
to be civilized on this view to work
12:32
and collective good of the nation to produce
12:34
honest citizens who grant the state the monopoly violence
12:39
and treasure equality before the law. That means
12:43
those outside are fully other
12:46
It is a process that has happened across a range of history, the Romans, the Chinese,
12:52
the persians, the Egyptians, the Us, the French, the Spanish
12:57
all had empires, and those outside,
13:01
were to be presented as the barbarian,
13:04
the heath, the savage, the frontier, it is also
13:09
part of a mindset that challenges
13:12
directly the post Christian post enlightenment world
13:16
that underpins most of western
13:20
civilization. The ideal motivation of the savage
13:24
is in sharp contrast to the idea
13:27
that rationality, a equality before the law and individual liberties
13:33
in a free society of the supreme virtue
13:36
the ideal realization or indeed existence of a
13:40
war like frontier society is not seen as
13:43
a aggression or a departure morality,
13:46
rather it makes this soc democratic claim that
13:49
violence itself is inherently virtuous,
13:52
but bravery, proficiency at war, taking a physical route to
13:57
evolve conflict is inherently more virtuous and more more than
14:02
talking or protecting the week, Is not a simplistic
14:06
I can ignore what his moral because I
14:08
am stronger claim. It is closer to the
14:11
idea that mercy and pity. Are inherently
14:15
immoral and at strength on a violent conquest
14:20
armor a clash of arms
14:23
bringing resolution after a face to face battle with
14:26
a bow. Here's a long tradition in human
14:29
history, across various cultures,
14:32
the at claimed to the mel
14:35
that right and wrong is only in questioned
14:38
between equal power on the strong, do what they can
14:43
and the weak suffer what they must.
14:46
Victorian were frequently torn
14:49
between ad admire the virtue of what was
14:52
considered the savage frontier, like the bravery, the
14:56
tough, the decisive aggression,
14:58
also understanding that these virtue were often linked
15:02
to law, oppression or instability.
15:07
They were torn in between ad admire what
15:10
we considered manly virtue, and dis despise
15:14
frontier cultures that they considered heath and primitive.
15:18
Many afghan chiefs would after all have found
15:22
debates throughout legality or whether the violence was wrong, rather laughable
15:27
and would have quite willingly fallen into
15:30
the decisive battle might making right camp. If
15:34
they could rob a trader Caravan,
15:37
raid into India, or intimidate the British into
15:40
paying tribute to pac the frontier, they would
15:43
cheerful do so and expect the same in
15:46
return, in places with no strong written legal code,
15:50
then the more captain Jak spa approach he
15:53
sway out here, There's only what a man
15:56
can do and what he can't do. As
15:59
victorian society became more structured,
16:02
legal and conform, the attraction of the frontier, the desert, the
16:08
mountains came stronger for many
16:11
adventurers, None of this matters
16:14
to the podcast host and listener, who can
16:17
rum over philosophy at leisure
16:19
and look at how it affected human behavior
16:22
in history, we have no skin in the game. The
16:25
Victorian in India did have skin in the game. Asking how
16:30
to judge a more conflict and honor based
16:32
society that is right on the border of your
16:36
doorstep. Is not just a philosophical
16:40
issue. It is a national security issue.
16:44
Victorian governor might need to understand why a society with
16:48
operating a certain way to help in plan, but then he had to take practical steps.
16:54
At the top of any list of practical
16:56
technicalities was the burning question,
16:59
should we invade them before they invade
17:03
us. Yeah. And, we're not going to be
17:06
able to invade India on the scale of
17:09
the mongols invading India or the hun
17:13
storming into the Roman Empire, any invasion they
17:16
made would be limited to the border regions,
17:19
and include a lot of robbing of caravan
17:22
vans and frontier villages.
17:24
What we might call today low intensity warfare.
17:29
Fears of a Russian invasion were in many
17:31
ways, not as great as a lot of popular
17:34
writing, on the so called great game would have
17:37
you believe. Even in the early nineteenth century,
17:41
intelligence officers were prone to exaggeration and paranoia.
17:47
Some have historians have argued the real fear the British had
17:51
of the Russians was a European war, which had loom ever
17:56
present since the Napoleonic wars. On that view,
17:59
the British feared war in Europe, diverting their attention, allowing Russian expansion into India
18:06
or an afghan border incur,
18:10
provoking a rebellion in India. It is always
18:13
hard asking what caused the war because it is typically
18:18
complicated, people like to point at a single person
18:22
or single reason, for instance, Hitler or Putin.
18:26
They don't like Well, there were a whole
18:28
lot of trends in historical forces
18:31
that pushed pre war Germany towards a receptive,
18:35
for becoming a fascist state or than allowed a corrupt, k
18:40
warm to seize control of the Russian state and
18:44
then try to rob Ukraine on a massive
18:47
scale that went catastrophic wrong for him, which bio into an increasingly
18:52
lengthy war of aggression. In general,
18:55
the whole first anglo afghan war can be
18:59
viewed as a piece of misguided real po
19:03
with war being used as a continuation of
19:06
policy by other means, almost napoleonic in a way. War is the
19:11
tool to bring out a political outcome. Seen
19:14
in that light, it becomes a highly political
19:18
but also highly personal war. 1, driven by
19:21
the Governor General of India and the chief
19:24
Be, combined with those elements of orient
19:28
and imperial, the idea to bring peace to the frontier
19:33
dispatch to pac the savages beyond,
19:37
to protect civilization from the Barbarian
19:41
invasion combined, with the view of stopping other imperial powers
19:45
from sweeping in yet run
19:48
by a semi independent governor general
19:51
using the vast resources of an Empire created
19:54
by a private trading company. Of course, if you happen to be 1
19:58
of those others, labeled on savage,
20:01
your view of all of this was very very different.
20:05
Neither the German tribes, nor the afghan,
20:08
thought of themselves as dangerous savages
20:11
who threatened the civilized land, Both might well have a lot of conflict
20:16
or tribal and warriors, but that didn't mean they didn't have a
20:21
civilization and culture of their own. As I
20:24
mentioned last episode, Afghanistan
20:27
has a very old culture.
20:30
1 had a long standing
20:33
international roots. And was well integrated
20:37
into the world of the Muslim Empires. The British
20:40
were of a strange group of alien invaders,
20:44
that the afghan cans were completely blindsided by and who were technologically superior. The
20:50
afghan knew about India, the British, the Russians,
20:54
the Ky part, and Christianity.
20:57
They had fortresses, musk, swords,
21:01
and J z, the infamous long bound musk.
21:05
As the international movie firearms
21:08
database says quote, At
21:11
is a type of long bowel, muzzle loading musk
21:15
made in Afghanistan. It is often
21:18
incorrectly used as a blanket term for the various muzzle
21:22
loading long guns from the Middle East,
21:26
North Africa, Asia and India. Since Ge ale
21:30
were made to order by the individual Craftsman,
21:34
They were not standardized, having either match lock or flint lock mechanisms
21:40
and often using brown bass, Flint lock musk lock work and
21:45
sometimes having rifle barrels,
21:48
but are typically identified by their
21:51
unusual horn shaped stock. They were similar
21:55
to American Frontier era hunting rifles
21:59
but were typically heavier and larger
22:02
with caliber in the 0.5
22:05
to 0.75 range, and we used in a similar role to
22:10
modern sniper rifles. They're heavyweight
22:13
and long bowel, led to a much greater effective range than
22:18
the standard infantry markets. They were used to fearsome some effect by
22:23
Afghan snipers during the anglo afghan wars
22:27
in the nineteenth century end, quote, the British
22:31
were about to be invading a territory where
22:33
the enemy was on very much,
22:36
more advantageous home terrain using weapons that range them
22:41
were more accurate, and were more suitable
22:44
for the mountain ranges and river valleys, Weapons
22:47
that are allowed for greater mobility and good act snipers
22:52
similar to the American rifle in the Us war of independence. If I
22:57
had to pick a bad match up for
22:59
the British Victorian army This would be high on the list. It
23:05
also helps put pay to the persistent myth
23:08
that the British only fought primitive armies,
23:11
and only 1 because of their technological
23:14
advantages. The only idea that all the enemies British
23:18
fought armed with spears
23:20
and mow down by machine guns is just
23:23
wrong. It did happen on their occasions, but
23:26
in the main, the British Victorian army
23:30
maintained its victories by better training,
23:33
sustained aggression, logistics
23:36
and more professional organization,
23:39
combined with the ability to pour in
23:42
immense imperial resources. During the Anglo Afghan outcome or, you will
23:47
sadly see that many of these elements
23:51
were completely lacking. Arthur w,
23:55
the Duke of Wellington had a very strong view about any british
24:00
invasion of Afghanistan. He immediately grasped the key problem about holding
24:04
the place, saying that any British invasion was foolish. He
24:09
predicted that the British would easily crush the
24:12
afghan army, that was made up of semi feudal tribal
24:16
levi, but would then be unable to hold
24:19
the country. He said the like of roads
24:22
and the difficulties of the mountains
24:24
would force the british out, and the Afghanistan
24:27
was only really a country of rocks
24:30
sand, deserts, mountains and snow. His words should have echoed
24:35
down the ages really to modern planners,
24:38
Still, the events we are about to cover
24:41
would probably have turned out very, very differently,
24:45
if cons master logistics like Wellington,
24:48
had been in charge. Instead, we are about to cover 1 of
24:53
the most app series
24:55
of military events in history
24:58
and not just British history. The first anglo Afghan war stands out as
25:03
a colossal military failure.
25:06
1 that was really self inflicted.
25:09
The strange thing is there is still immense
25:12
debate about whether the British government had even
25:15
authorized it. Or whether the responsibility
25:18
lay with the board of trade and the
25:20
Honorable East India company or the governor general
25:24
in India The governor general in question,
25:27
Lord Auckland was a curious mix of competent
25:31
indecisive, and badly misinformed.
25:34
He was a career politician who had little interest in or understanding
25:40
of Indian culture So William Mc norton, who was secretary to
25:44
the governor general, as well as spy master and War hawk
25:49
in chief, thought invasion would be easy.
25:52
So the dismay of most informed officers,
25:56
diplomats and spies, mc Norton was prepared to overthrow, a highly
26:01
admired king Dos mohammed in favor of
26:05
opportunistic coward and former king,
26:09
Shah, Sc, and he expected the afghan outgoing people to
26:13
be happy about it. Mc Norton was Happy
26:16
town, Auckland, the Dos Mohammed was unpopular king,
26:21
ignoring the boar. From intelligence agent, Alexander burns
26:25
to the country. That's agent tableau burns from
26:28
last episode. Mc norton from also failed brief
26:32
Auckland that the Seek King land ut singh and
26:36
recently conquered Pe from Afghanistan
26:40
So Dos Mohammed did have good reasons for
26:43
currently demanding it back. Auckland
26:46
was kept ignorant of this. Although it wouldn't
26:48
have taken too much for him to check
26:51
nor Was Norton, the only intelligence officer,
26:55
pushing his own angle to Auckland
26:58
as with any great political or military disaster,
27:02
failures by the intelligence community, or them pursuing
27:05
their an agenda, are usually a huge part.
27:09
Dear the soldiers having to do the marching,
27:12
it was at least straightforward. March,
27:15
then fight or die. Politics was for officers
27:19
and their lords ships far away. They had taken the queen shelling.
27:24
And if the queen want them to fight
27:26
up a mountain in Afghanistan, then that's what they did. Or alternatively,
27:31
they've taken john companies pay are now needed
27:35
to deliver. Or for many of the native
27:38
Indian troops they'd had sworn oats on their salt and
27:41
their blades, and so would fight for their honor. Our
27:44
old friend, Sub Sit ram, was amongst the
27:48
native troops on the March, and he had
27:50
a thoroughly miserable time of it. For the officers, it was going to be
27:55
a huge amount of work It was what
27:57
they had supposedly signed up for, an ambitious
28:01
officer wants and needs of war to serve their
28:04
country. And to make good use of their
28:07
talents for the impoverished gentlemen who who'd gone to
28:10
India to live on the cheap because they
28:13
couldn't afford a commission in a fashionable regiment.
28:15
It was just a path of the course. Enormous planning
28:20
was needed for an invasion, deposed former king S Su.
28:25
Now the would be king of Afghanistan
28:28
was bringing 6000 irregular soldiers
28:31
to help the British put him on the throne. When we talk about irregular in this
28:36
period It means any fighting force raised outside normal
28:40
military structures. It doesn't
28:43
necessarily mean bad. But in general,
28:47
it mount anyone who fan a bit of raven and
28:50
privilege in a big mob without much discipline.
28:54
Some irregular units were excellent, of course. And
28:58
supplies armies have often recruited scouts,
29:01
shock troops, and cavalry,
29:03
on the wild lands outside their empires.
29:06
In general though, it was un wise to
29:10
rely on irregular troops in India
29:13
and especially in Afghanistan. Many, if that most, were transparent
29:19
only there for money all opportunities to rape and pill,
29:23
and we're pretty open about their willingness to
29:26
switch sides to the highest bidder
29:28
Cha Troops were all armed by the British and
29:33
British officers were put in charge. I can't
29:36
imagine the difficulties. Of leading this kind of troop into battle.
29:41
Constantly unsure if your men were following you or
29:45
about to dessert or shoot in the back and go over
29:48
to the side. The difficulties
29:51
are relying on translators to relay orders
29:54
were large enough just on their own. The
29:57
British didn't get many of the excellent seek troops
30:00
or bandit sing so would rely on the
30:03
company armies supported by a very limited number of Queen's
30:08
regiments. As Kip might have said,
30:11
It was going to be down to pour
30:13
bloody Tommy Atkins in red coat and musk
30:17
to do the marching and the dying. Or blue coats or black or dark rifle
30:22
green depending on the order of battle at the
30:25
time. The Victorian army was a riot of
30:28
color. And not all of it was read.
30:31
The invasion was initially planned for 10000
30:35
british petition Indian troops supported by 30000
30:38
camels, plus oxen, horses,
30:42
how says, mortar, horse artillery, pioneers,
30:46
miners and sap, foot artillery, siege artillery, and camel artillery, plus
30:52
black carts, and even barges for river travel,
30:56
can you imagine trying to plan how to get that locked
31:01
to go down a road or cross a
31:03
bridge? Just finding night the camels
31:06
was a nightmare, and Bombay comm
31:10
division, particularly struggled, trying to produce 3000
31:14
odd camels at short notice, a captain Hugh
31:18
wrote in his account of the initial difficulties,
31:21
The deputy comm general had represented that it
31:24
was necessary to remain at She for about
31:26
20 days to enable the comm area to
31:29
obtain the greatest possible quantity of supplies for
31:32
all the troops. While halting at this place,
31:35
the troops would not consume their stock of
31:37
supplies, but procure their grain, etcetera, from the
31:40
city, where a large quantity had been collected,
31:42
and more was procure for the rear columns,
31:45
bombay troops, etcetera. On the arrival of an
31:47
expected con with wheat graham, etcetera, coming from
31:51
malta, etcetera. The Bengal comm
31:54
were to supply the bombay troops, not only
31:56
with grain, but with camels, Before the resolution to move on immediately was
32:01
known. The deputy comm general had detached 4000
32:04
camels to bring up from the rear grain, etcetera.
32:07
He was also led to expect 10 days
32:10
supplies would be ready at data, 10 marches
32:12
in advance, and 20 days supplies at Ke,
32:15
18 marches in advance. While Can was 32 marches is distant from
32:19
She poor, so that including halt etcetera.
32:22
45 or 50 days supplies were required for
32:25
the troops up, to Ka. And as we marched with carriage 4 and
32:29
with only a mouth supplies from Fe poor,
32:32
more carriage was required to than could be
32:34
procured at the time, both for the Bengal and Bombay columns, as well as for the
32:38
sc force. With such huge challenges ahead. You
32:42
would think that the early Victorian army would
32:45
assemble its a team, Or at least up and coming officers and
32:49
channels, who would later become legends,
32:52
you would think wrong, gentle listener.
32:55
A previous invasion to help defend the city
33:00
hu against persons was abandoned when the siege ended early.
33:05
Embarrassing need for the governor general, the successful
33:08
defense. Was in large part due to a
33:11
British, turned adventure spy El Pot.
33:16
The royal navy had done its part by applying pressure on
33:20
the persians, and the up coming star lord Palmer
33:24
was twisting the arms and Russian diplomats,
33:27
Russian invasion invasion plant was suddenly gone.
33:30
The large British fourth being assembled was stood
33:33
down. And reduced to a much smaller
33:36
expedition force, the nominated commander over of the
33:40
invasion force Su Harry Fe,
33:42
commander of armed forces in India, refused to
33:46
take further part in the venture, arguing,
33:48
that with the Russian backed person siege of
33:51
her over, there was no longer a
33:54
justification for any invasion of a Afghanistan,
33:57
and besides he was much too senior to
34:00
lead a much smaller force, thereby leaving the command to other more junior
34:04
men. At this point, any illegitimate
34:08
justification for the invasion had really been blown
34:11
out of the water. The Russian backed person
34:14
invasion had been turned back, and thanks to
34:17
Lord Palmer. The Russians would not likely. To be able
34:20
to produce an invasion force of their own
34:23
anytime soon. Any raids by afghan
34:27
could probably simply be paid off or turned
34:29
back. From this point on, it was an
34:33
entirely un enforced political disaster
34:36
that triggered an even worse military 1. The
34:39
British were about to mount an unnecessary invasion
34:43
with little, political payoff in the off and bum the
34:48
technicalities extremely badly.
34:51
The 2 generals, willing to take command of them reduced invasion
34:55
force were absolute c tier. Fine,
34:59
but not in the list of all time greats.
35:02
The first, Napoleonic war veteran are John Keen was at
35:07
least competent if rather long in tooth. The second,
35:11
general sir willoughby be cotton was a general
35:14
who didn't believe in reconnaissance patrols,
35:18
Keane was in command of the main force
35:20
from Bombay with cotton commanding the Bang
35:23
contingent. Yet the whole expedition.
35:27
Effectively fell on the overall command of William
35:30
Mc norton, a natural desk jo, Mc norton
35:34
had never visited our Afghanistan and was more focused on politics,
35:39
the military technicalities, the Junior officers were not in the right
35:43
mindset either in the main, They acted, like they were going on a
35:47
gentleman's campaign against the seventeenth century French,
35:51
most traveled with the elaborate grooming kits.
35:55
Including soaps, perfume, and silver hair brushes. At least 2 camels
36:00
were used for nothing more, and home regiment
36:04
cigar supplies, a lancer of regiment,
36:07
even brought their fox sounds for hunting
36:10
not that you can blame officers for wanting
36:12
some comfort, especially when you read a contemporary account from
36:16
a junior officer, from 18 40 about the campaign,
36:20
quote. The European troops of our army had
36:23
no rum from the time we left Ka till a supply came from India after the
36:27
campaign. Owing to eating the fat humber mutton, which
36:30
is rich and drinking the water of the country possessing an period quality, they suffered much
36:35
from bowel complaints. Whatever may be the opinion
36:38
of the abs societies, all sound medical men declare the sudden deprivation
36:42
of spirits to be furious. End quote.
36:45
That's right. The soldiers old friend
36:48
dysentery was going to be coming along for
36:50
the ride, plus l and fleas,
36:53
which were have quickly infested the uniforms and
36:56
bedding, add in a heavy load,
36:59
musk kits, tight stocks around the neck, and
37:02
poor quality boots and you can see why this was going
37:06
to be a rough campaign, especially as the booze ran out. Jokes about
37:11
where's the rum on side the men usually expected to be issued beer
37:17
and preferably rum. Not having rum or beer
37:20
was potentially dangerous. Since it meant more reliance on local water
37:25
supplies, regiment surgeons and senior officers,
37:29
did their best to obtain un contaminated water,
37:32
but it was still hard. Vinegar could be
37:35
used as a disinfectant, and the habit of boiling water for tea
37:39
helped a lot, still, lack of alcohol meant more sickness from
37:44
water but fewer injuries from drinking heavily.
37:48
Disease has historically always been the biggest killer
37:51
on campaign, and the victorian paid increasing
37:55
attention to keeping troops healthy
37:57
as the decades passed. There were no airways waste, support this campaign
38:02
though. So it was a classic, old school,
38:06
march hard, fight hard, March again campaign to
38:10
when small ski in kiln on route, which
38:13
in turn, meant supply routes were long, thin
38:16
and vulnerable. Suddenly, the officer's obsession with soap makes a
38:21
lot more sense. 1 of the most vital things are soldier
38:24
can do, is care for his feet and being able
38:28
to wash them with soap and wear clean
38:30
socks is as important as keeping his weapon clean,
38:34
the weapon lets him fight with the feet
38:37
get him to the battle. So John Keane
38:40
was a veteran soldier of the Napoleonic wars, had commanded a
38:44
brigade at the battle of New Orleans in the Usa, and then being made Governor
38:50
Jamaica, he was physically brave a keen sports,
38:54
friend of the Duke of Wellington and eventually promoted to commander in chief. Of
38:59
the army of Bombay. He was known to be bad tempered,
39:03
and the common soldiers mostly disliked him he knew that the enemy
39:07
would expect him to try to force the tribe pass.
39:10
That would require permission to cross the seek
39:13
kingdom around its sing And was happy to cheer
39:17
the British from the sidelines, but no way in hell would he allow
39:21
a full size, honorable East India company to march through. So
39:27
the invasion had to take a long swing
39:29
round through the desert route
39:31
instead, longer marches, but it needs be limp river barges could
39:36
be used for some sections, and it might
39:39
surprise the enemy a little, In total, the troops would need to cover
39:43
more than 1200 kilometers on foot, carrying 60 pound packs,
39:49
ammunition, and musk kits, plus great coats for winter
39:53
in the mountains, stocks for their necks and
39:56
rough red coats or blue coats, with surge,
39:59
trousers, clearly the dangers of exhaustion and heat stroke
40:03
in the desert were high. It is astonishing
40:06
to think the bulk of soldiers would have been paid less, the many farmers,
40:11
shepherd, or un laborers.
40:13
The common ranks or for the desperate
40:16
the hopeless, those fleeing from worse or those ambitious few
40:21
who wanted to become a sergeant or even the Gi height to company sergeant
40:26
major or perhaps climb to the legendary position
40:30
of regiment sergeant major. Since Afghanistan
40:34
was really dominated by mountains, valleys and rivers
40:38
were the key and would shape the military
40:42
approaches Additional reserves were set on the borders, and
40:45
the total effort involved at least 40000
40:49
men across various roles. That's roughly equal to 2 French call in
40:55
the Napoleonic wars, and the fighting strength was
40:58
far less. In the end, There were only 1000 European fighting troops
41:04
back by 14000 Indian sea boy troops,
41:08
employed by the honorable East India company. The
41:12
invasion planning and command might have been British, but the fighting force,
41:16
was Indian. The army was too un wield
41:19
to move as 1 after a sham attempt
41:22
to assemble the army in November 18 38
41:26
the beijing kicked off in December 18 38.
41:30
The keane moving off first. General Cotton set out with a smaller force,
41:35
and was acquired to travel along the river
41:37
during January 18 39
41:40
through the unfriendly border of Cindy
41:43
and then link up with keen agent top burns,
41:46
it made desperate efforts to get to send here me,
41:50
to agree to grant safe passage cotton oath
41:54
that the territory became even more unfriendly.
41:57
When cotton decided to mount an illegal invasion of the
42:02
Cindy Capital, which was in the opposite direction from Afghanistan,
42:06
Mc norton wrote increasingly desperate orders to try to get
42:10
cotton back into line just in the nick
42:13
of time, some of the more junior generals, and B
42:17
were either abrasive to their generals,
42:20
des, or deeply worried about the lack of military
42:24
discipline and disorder. Mc norton and cotton soon came
42:29
to lower each other. That that was nothing
42:31
compared to the utter hatred, but Norton had
42:34
for double burns. This crucial split between the head of political
42:39
coin intelligence and the leading field agent was a disaster
42:43
in its own right and only got worse
42:46
when burns received a knight
42:49
which sparked Mc norton to new heights of
42:52
jealousy. Top burns trying to warn Mc norton that no 1
42:57
wanted the S su bank on the throne.
43:00
He wasn't seen as the loan for once
43:03
and future king over the water
43:05
and that the Afghan were not happy to see said disposed
43:10
ex king back with an army of In
43:13
downs during his fighting against. Faithful, Mc norton
43:16
either brushed it off or patron
43:19
double burns rather than heed his warnings,
43:23
at least the expedition contained some more junior officers who would serve
43:28
well, and a couple who would indeed become
43:31
legends. Perhaps most notable
43:33
was General Cotton aid the camp, Henry h,
43:37
a man who would become an absolute legend
43:39
to the Victorian. Famous for his exploits, and even a notable
43:44
presence in Harry Fl books. He still has
43:47
his statue trafalgar Square, and not many generals get to
43:52
keep a p in a plumb spot like
43:54
that 1. It is interesting to think that
43:57
in an army there was very march an
43:59
old school waterloo style fighting force, the modern
44:03
Victorian officers, were learning their trade,
44:06
and we transform it, hair flock, was already
44:09
a veteran of the Anglo Be Wars
44:11
and had experienced his religious awakening
44:15
that would be so characteristic over the many Victorian religious preceding officers.
44:21
He was frequently ignored and passed over
44:24
despite his obvious talents including his gift for languages
44:28
including persian and Hindu
44:31
as it was called, but was is actually
44:34
a hindu dialect, from the Northern regions. He
44:37
was left a junior lieutenant for years.
44:40
Tell in a stroke of luck, a senior
44:43
officer who knew him with appointed commander chief
44:46
as Colonel sale. He was considered exe.
44:50
He finally made Captain at the old age of 43,
44:55
not exactly the military career dreams are made
44:58
of, being a butter bar as the Americans
45:01
call it for over 13 years,
45:03
and then a lieutenant for another 3 and
45:06
a half was slow even by the Honorable
45:09
East India company standards but not unheard of.
45:13
Luckily, he was plucked from further obscurity by
45:16
General Cotton for the aid to camp post,
45:19
on the way to Afghanistan. The crossing of the river
45:23
after getting the army moving was hard work
45:25
for the military engineers and already put pressure on supplies. Once over,
45:31
reality dawned, there was a huge salt marsh and desert
45:36
cross Lots of unfriendly
45:38
or downright hostile locals
45:41
and very inadequate supplies. It was gh for
45:45
the troops, and worst for the baggage animals.
45:48
At the other side of the Hell mark
45:51
the desert, cotton swung force
45:54
towards the first big objective, the Bull pass
45:57
in March 18 39, going had been
46:02
incredibly slow. This was the other great
46:05
strategic gateway into and out of our afghanistan
46:09
it was and remains a formidable piece of terrain.
46:14
A british officer visiting again in 18 41,
46:18
described it vividly, quote.
46:22
The road through this past leads with few
46:24
and rare exceptions. Along what is the bed of a mountain
46:27
in torrent. When filled by the melting of
46:30
the snows or heavy rains and is composed
46:32
of loose shin gravel, that rec resides from
46:35
under your feet and is very difficult for
46:37
draft. Camels get on well. It is infested
46:40
by the cock who live by Robbery, and
46:42
the hills sometimes close in upon the road,
46:45
which is filled up by the bed of the stream running through Rocky chasm,
46:49
upwards of a hundred feet high from the top of which the robbers are sail the
46:52
travelers with stones. And were they as bold as they are
46:56
cruel and p, they might hold the place against all come.
46:59
Many spots were pointed out to me by the guides I had with me as signaled
47:03
by acts of violence, several European officers having
47:06
lost their baggage during our occupation of the
47:08
country. Should there be rain in the higher
47:11
parts of the mountains, the stream at times
47:13
comes down in an almost perpendicular volume without
47:16
warning and sweeping all before it. As a
47:18
friend of mine experienced, when he saw a
47:20
party of men, horses and camels, and all
47:23
his property borne down by it when himself
47:26
and some few men with him escaped by climbing up the nearly perpendicular side of the
47:30
hill. About 37 men were washed away upon
47:33
that occasion. End quote. The phrase the army would have
47:37
used was to force the pass, but that
47:39
makes it sound easy. What it
47:42
actually meant as men having a long running battle
47:47
on difficult to terrain. The past is over
47:50
5800 feet of sea level
47:53
So already troops for climbing a lot. It
47:56
is an absolutely desolate place. It was over
47:59
70 miles long, and so narrow in places
48:03
that it was single farm only. Temperatures
48:06
soared in heated rock walls to a hundred and 19 degrees fahrenheit,
48:11
or 48 degrees cent grade.
48:14
Animals died like flies
48:17
and many troops died of heated Exhaustion.
48:19
Rather than being a single battle,
48:22
the battle of Bo pass with actually a number of small actions as
48:27
Cotton and his men held running ski,
48:30
then Marches broke bushes,
48:33
and then marched again. Sub c and Ram
48:37
simply described it as absolute hell.
48:40
Cotton and his army reached Quarter, where his
48:43
orders would to wait for Kings force to
48:46
arrive. Unfortunately, things fray further
48:50
as the 2 armies try to link up
48:52
with food supplies for baggage, animals,
48:55
running out. The morris astute officers
48:58
realized that they had wasted months getting here. So the heat was rising
49:04
and they would be doing the fiercest fighting
49:06
in the sear summer sun. In the meantime,
49:10
food supplies ran low. Rations were cut in
49:13
half, then in a quarter, a month later,
49:16
keen find arrived and immediately realized
49:20
that a good part of his army was starving to death, he gave immediate orders to
49:26
march the next day, hoping If they could
49:29
push on deeper into Afghanistan,
49:31
they might find more food. They still had a hundred and 47
49:36
miles to go, to each can
49:39
and cotton had baffling
49:41
failed to send any scouts out during the
49:44
whole month he that still, so no 1 had
49:48
the nearby passes or terrain, which meant pushing
49:52
on blind. Next time, we will follow the army into
49:56
our afghanistan copper as it writes its first
49:59
battles and tries to turn things around.
50:02
So it could put the unwanted shower su
50:05
on the phone. Okay. Thanks for listening everyone. If you want
50:09
to get in touch. I'd love to hear from you. You can
50:13
email me at eighth victoria podcast
50:16
at gmail dot com follow me on Twitter
50:19
at age of Victoria, visit website at WWW
50:24
dot age of victoria podcast
50:27
dot com. The show also has a Facebook
50:29
page in a group, just search for age
50:32
Victoria. Don't get to leave a review on
50:35
App podcasts. Takes less time than making a coffee. If
50:39
you want to support the show on Patreon, there's a link in the show notes, or
50:44
you can go to patreon and search for
50:46
age of victoria podcast, or my name. Take care, and bye for
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