"Cold War" of 1917, or How the Russians outplayed the British on the border in Afghanistan

2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55

The term "cold war" is commonly associated with postwar Russian-American relations. But a similar picture was observed in the actions of Britain in relation to the Russian Empire even in pre-revolutionary times. The southernmost point of Russia, Kushka, became iconic during that period. Located on the border with today's Afghanistan, the fortress was not easy for the Russian crown, and its conquest threatened to develop into a large-scale war with London.

Russia's expansion and London's ambitions

At the very beginning of the 18th century, the confrontation between England and Russia was clearly outlined. The British at that time ruled in India, and the Russians undertook to strengthen themselves in Central Asia and the Caucasus. As a result, by the end of the century, the possessions of both empires approached each other. Britain did not play openly, provoking conflicts and playing other countries against Russia. The British incited anti-Russian sentiments at the court of the Iranian shah, Khiva and Kokand khans, and the Bukhara emir. So, almost the entire 19th century, the Russian Empire spent in clashes with British-supported forces, annexing the Asian and Transcaucasian territories as a result.

After the annexation of ancient Merv by Russia, the border of the empire came close to the British-controlled Afghanistan. In the valley of the river. Kushka, where Merv is located, Turkmen tribes lived in the Pendo oasis (Panjdeh). Formally, the territory was controlled by the Afghan emir. General Komarov, appointed head of the Trans-Caspian region, considered Penda his legal territory. The British looked at the issue differently and, wanting to figure it out, sent a commission from Afghanistan, accompanied by a military detachment. In general, in the 19th century, the Afghan border was not clearly fixed, and Penda did not want to yield to either side.

Negotiations and London provocations

Ideally, the British needed to take over Central Asia, destabilizing Russia's southern borders. The Crimean War ended with the signing of peace between London and St. Petersburg, but this did not prevent the British from throwing scouts into historical Turkestan and preparing a springboard for anti-Russian aggression in Afghanistan-controlled Afghanistan. In parallel, London was actively negotiating with Russia to establish a clear border between Afghanistan and the south-Russian provinces.

With the hands of Afghan vassals, the British seized several border territories, taking advantage of the peacefulness of the pro-Russian Turkmens. London was in the hands of undermining the faith of the Central Asian population in the ability of the Russian Tsar to defend them. A detachment of British military advisers was sent to the northern part of Afghanistan, in addition, London handed over artillery to the Afghan army. Relying on British support, the Afghans succeeded in capturing the Pendé oasis formerly owned by Merv. While the Russian Foreign Ministry was trying to come to terms with the language of diplomacy, the Afghans, under the auspices of Britain, were only building up their own corps at Penda, posing a real threat to the adjacent regions of Russian Central Asia. Afghan forces openly pressed back small Russian troops and the Turkmen militia, and their leaders in a provocative manner threatened to march on Merv at any moment.

Russian military plan

Realizing the real threat, the Russian command began to rapidly develop a plan for a potential war with Britain and Afghanistan in Central Asia. A formed Murghab detachment moved out of Ashgabat, which was tasked with occupying the entire bridgehead to Kushka and pushing back Afghan posts with patrols along the valley.

The British Colonel Ridgway, who was in the position of the forward Afghan detachment, sent a letter to the commander of the vanguard of the Russians. He warned the Russian army against advancing, fearing violent clashes with the Afghans. Alikhanov answered not in word, but in deed, speaking with three hundred and forcing the Afghan patrols to withdraw to the river. The Afghans, together with the British advisers, again threatened Alikhanov with intentions to stop him with sabers, rifles and cannons if he took another step. Alikhanov also ignored this, continuing to move forward and crowding Afghan patrols.

Only a part of the Afghans stood on one bank of the Kushka, while the main forces of the emir's army stood on the other bank, led by the head of the British negotiating delegation, Lemsden. Russian general Komarov turned to the British with a proposal to influence the sponsored Afghans and remove them to the camp behind Kushka to await the decision of the delimitation commission. In response, the daring Afghans only shouted all sorts of threats, demanding the complete withdrawal of the Russian forces. Answering Komarov, the Afghan commander Naib-Salar expressed arrogant disagreement with his demands and referred to the instructions of the emir dictated by the British.

Bursting patience

Then Komarov tried to get through again, explaining in a letter to the general of the Afghans the bad intentions of the British, provoking bloodshed by their actions. The Afghan command did not want to listen to the voice of reason, and the decision of the military council was inclined in favor of the battle. The number of the military detachment of the Russian side was equal to 1600 bayonets and sabers, supported by four guns. The Afghan forces outnumbered the Russians three times: over 4500 military and 8 guns. In addition, the Afghans were expecting the approach of the thousandth detachment of saryks.

On March 30, 1885, Komarov put forward the first detachment to meet the enemy, and the Afghans had to open fire first. A battle ensued, the immediate result of which was the complete defeat of the Afghans who fled to the opposite bank of the Kushka. The Russians, who quite recently suggested that they follow the same path voluntarily and bloodlessly, pursued the fleeing enemy. When the army of the Russian Empire reached the second bank, Komarov ordered to stop the pursuit. With such a gesture, the general emphasized that he had achieved what he wanted and did not claim the territories assigned to Afghanistan. Moreover, all the wounded prisoners received medical assistance, after which they were sent home.

Despite the high likelihood of a large-scale war, British and Russian diplomats soon came to a consensus. Without the involvement of the Afghan side, the state border between the Russian Empire and Afghanistan was defined according to Kushka. At the same time, the controversial village of Pendé became the southernmost point of the Russian Empire.

Not everyone knows why in Europe they do not use a middle name, but in Russia everyone has it, and what is motherhood.