Product Description

The Great Game was the struggle between Russia and Britain for imperial influence over southern and central Asia, immortalised by Rudyard Kipling in his novel Kim. For the British, the threat to India s frontiers compelled them to dispatch diplomats, or more clandestine agents, to survey, map and monitor the approaches to the Indian subcontinent. Anxieties about Russian ambitions in central Asia were magnified by the discovery of military plans and the arrival of shooting parties and scientific explorers on the mountains adjacent to India's northern border. The British faced major problems compounded by the unresolved status of Afghanistan, the interception of agents, and the division of opinion in British military and political circles about the real or imagined nature of the Russian threat to India. The situation was further complicated by the instability of the Indian border area, a region through which British and Indian troops would need to operate in wartime, but which was inhabited by bellicose tribesmen who fought the imposition of British rule every step of the way. Spying for Empire gives a fascinating insight into how the British intelligence network worked in the 1800s. It also examines how the intractability of Afghanistan plagued imperial defence planners, and how the threat of conflict with Russia coloured Britain s dealings with the peoples of south-west Asia.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #80951 in Books
• Published on: 2006-03-15
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 304 pages

Review
'This fine contribution from Robert Johnson, while lacking the stimulating writing style of semi-popular works such as Peter Hopkir's 'The Great Game, ' or Karl Meyer and Shareen Brysac's 'Tournament of Shadows, ' provides much of the archival documentation missing from these earlier works and in the process both widens the definition of intelligence and the time frame and geographical scope to present a more positive assessment of British efforts ... Johnson is to be commended for providing an excellent overview of British intelligence efforts in Asia which draws on extensive archival research in Britain to update, and in many cases surpass, much earlier work.' --The Great Game was the struggle between Russia and Britain for imperial influence over southern and central Asia, immortalised by Rudyard Kipling in his novel Kim. For the British, the threat to India s frontiers compelled them to dispatch diplomats, or

A well-written and gripping account of the development of the British intelligence system for the defence of India, this book is particularly valuable because it does not only focus on the nineteenth century, but also takes the story forward in order to consider Soviet and Japanese threats in the twentieth century, as well as the nationalist challenge. Johnson has made excellent use of the available information. --Jeremy Barker, History Today

This is a well-written, carefully researched work which follows agents on often extraordinary adventures, much like those young Kim has in Kipling's novel of that name . . . Worthwhile reading for anyone interested in intelligence and covert operations, the British Empire, or India --NYMAS Review

From the Author
In this book I try to take a fresh look at the fascinating story of British espionage and the colourful characters that filled the ranks of Britain’s early intelligence services. Following the excellent, high-paced drama of Peter Hopkirk's Great Game, I wanted to explore the connections with the evolution of British Intelligence and the contribution made by the Asian personnel as well as the British. I wanyed to investigate the accusation that British Intelligence was a hopelessly amateur business until the First World War. What I found was quite a surprise.

It seems that Asian personnel were absolutely essential to the intelligence effort, although their work was not always recognised, and the employment of local staff was a long established practice. And a few of them were exceptional characters.

Moreover, British Intelligence, which developed within the expanding empire, evolved into a larger and more efficient organisation than previously thought. That is not to say there weren't problems and failures, but some of their successes were stunning.

About the Author
Rob Johnson is a History Lecturer at Warwick University, England. He graduated from the University of Warwick in 1989 and gained his PhD, on British Intelligence in the Great Game, with the University of Exeter in 1999. The intervening period was spent in the British Army and lecturing in History. Rob is the author of a number of publications including British Imperialism: Histories and Controversies (Palgrave, 2002), and A Region in Turmoil: South Asian Conflicts, 1947-2001 (Reaktion, 2005). He is currently writing a study entitled Pomp, Power and Post-colonialism: A Short History of the British Empire and a new regional study of Central Asia since 1945.In his spare time he leads adventurous expeditions to remote parts of the world.