In this edition of Standup Historian, I told the story of the first Anglo-Afghan war of 1842

Two large European empires struggled for dominance in Central Asia during the nineteenth century. In what was called the "Great Game," the Russian Empire moved south while the British Empire moved north from its so-called crown jewel, colonial India. Their interests collided in Afghanistan, resulting in the First Anglo-Afghan War of 1839 to 1842.

A British incursion into Afghanistan ended in disaster in 1842 when an entire British army while retreating back to India, was massacred. Only a single survivor made it back to British-held territory. It was assumed the Afghans let him live to tell the story of what had happened.