Prompt Cast
The British Retreat from Kabul in the Anglo-Afghan War and the Army of Retribution
TLDR The British retreat from Kabul in the Anglo-Afghan War leads to the army of retribution committing war crimes, destroying Afghan settlements, and abandoning their promises of support, while the Russians fail in their attempt to take the city of Kiva.
Timestamped Summary
00:00
This episode discusses the British retreat from Kabul in the Anglo-Afghan War and the army of retribution sent to exact revenge on the Afghans.
05:14
Shashuja, despite being denigrated by his British protectors, survives and remains alive in the Bala Hisar for two years before being assassinated by one of his godsons.
09:36
The British army of retribution, driven by a similar sensibility to the red mist after the mutiny, marches up the Khyber Pass and commits war crimes, destroying Afghan settlements and massacring men, boys over 14, and women.
14:09
The British army commits war crimes, including killing women and children, and destroys Afghan cultural sites before ultimately abandoning their promises of support and leaving their allies to face the consequences.
18:19
The British army commits war crimes, including killing women and children, and destroys Afghan cultural sites before ultimately abandoning their promises of support and leaving their allies to face the consequences.
22:41
The Russians attempt to follow the British example by sending an army to take the city of Kiva in present-day Uzbekistan, but they are unsuccessful due to harsh winter conditions and are forced to retreat.
27:40
Queen Victoria is surprised by the appearance and demeanor of the Tsar, who she finds to be handsome but unhappy, and a grand ceremonial breakfast is held in his honor at Chiswick House.
32:30
The meeting between the Tsar and Queen Victoria, intended to improve relations between Britain and Russia, inadvertently leads to future conflict due to misunderstandings and a giraffe stampede.
36:55
Afghanistan has been the center of many empires throughout history, including the great moguls and the Kushan Empire, and it is not just a graveyard of empires as commonly believed.
41:15
The narrator and his group narrowly avoided a gunfight in the village of Gundamak, where a major battle had taken place and Captain Thomas Souter was taken captive, due to resistance from villagers growing opium poppies and bringing in the Taliban to fight off the government.
46:04
The narrator had conversations with Hamid Karzai, who read "Return of a King" and drew the conclusion that he should take aid from the West but not appear as their puppet, and later had a meeting with Hillary Clinton at the White House.
Categories:
History
