ANGLO-AFGHAN WARS

also called Afghan Wars (183942; 187880; 1919), three conflicts in which Great Britain, from its base in India, sought to extend its control over neighbouring Afghanistan and to oppose Russian influence there. The first war demonstrated the ease of overrunning Afghanistan and the difficulty of holding it. The second war proved to be a Pyrrhic victory for the British. Though unable to occupy Afghanistan permanently, the British controlled its foreign affairs until the last war established full Afghan independence.