Afghanistan, Britain and Russia, 1905-21

Abstract

This thesis attempts to present the story of Afghanistan's relations with the outside world during the first two decades of this century, and her achievement of complete independence in l9l9-2l. In l905 the Government of India signed with the Afghan government a treaty reinforcing an earlier Anglo-Afghan agreement which forbad the Amir to maintain diplomatic relations with any third power. Amir Habibullah (l90l-l9) accepted this arrangement readily, but subsequent developments changed the attitudes of both parties. The Amir was anxious to endow his country with the trappings of modernity - with motor roads, schools and hospitals - and created in the process a small Afghan j.ntelligensia who chafed at their country<s backwardness, and resented her inferior international status. The British also began to doubt the wisdom of their earlier policy, They had sought to exercise influence in Kabul because they feared that if they failed to do so Afghanistan would fall into Russian hands, and that the British position in India would then be seriously endangered. They believed further that a firm understanding with the Amir would help to keep the peace among the unruly tribesmen of India's north-west frontier. Continued tribal rebellions forced them to reconsider their optimism. Developments in the diplomatic world of London and St. Petersburg impelled those who were not directl-y concerned with these local problems towards similar conclusions. Between l90l and l907 the London cabinet considered the possibilit-y of an agreement with Russia defining British and Russian "spheres of influence" in central Asia. These approaches resulted in the signature of an Anglo-Russian "Convention concerning Afghanistan" in August l907. The first crac.k had appeared in the previously solid structure of Anglo-Afghan relations. The Anglo-Russian convention failed to right many of the grievances of both signatories, but when a revision of the convention was undertaken just before the first world war, the British tentatively discussed a plan for the partition of Afghanistan with Russia which undermined the basis of their previous policy. The Amir was disturbed by the Anglo-Russian entente, for the Anglo-Russian agreement depreciated the value of his friendship with the British, and demonstrated that the Indian government were ready to sacrifice Afghan interests if the needs of great power politics dictated it. The involvement of both his neighbours into the first world war, and "he visit to Kabul of a Turko-German mission anxious to draw Afghanistan into the struggle against the allies, presented the Amir with an opportunity to demand the complete independence of his country in the event of a German victory.