Bayonets to Lhasa: Francis Younghusband and the British Invasion of Tibet (Tauris Parke Paperbacks)

The British Invasion Of Tibet In 1904 Is One Of The Strangest Events In British Imperial History. Conceived By Lord Curzon As A Strategic Move In The Great Game - That Colossal Struggle Between Imperial Britain And Tsarist Russia For Influence In Central Asia - The Incursion Was In Fact Ill-conceived And Inspired By Only The Weakest Of Motivations. Led By The Soldier, Explorer And Mystic, Francis Younghusband, The Mission - Doomed From The Very Beginning - Became Caught In Political Cross-fire And The Distant And Destructive Machinations Of China And Britain And Ended In Ignominy And Disappointment For This Idealistic Adventurer. Peter Fleming's Gripping Portrayal Of This Curious Episode And Its Charismatic Protagonists Brilliantly Illuminates What Is Now Seen As A Key Moment In The Great Game, The Repercussions Of Which Continue To Be Felt Throughout The Region. Machine Generated Contents Note: I.the Great Game -- Ii.emissaries And Agents -- Iii.the Unknown Land -- Iv.the Pot And The Kettle -- V.the Man On The Spot -- Vi.the Fate Of Two Spies -- Vii.the Telegram Of 6 November -- Viii.the Commander Of The Escort -- Ix.over The Top -- X.`a Close Shave' -- Xi.the Action At Guru -- Xii.pressing On -- Xiii.the Danger On His Doorstep -- Xiv.the Mission Besieged -- Xv.the Storming Of A Stronghold -- Xvi.the Fount Of Policy -- Xvii.a River To Cross -- Xviii.enter The Amban -- Xix.exit The Times Correspondent -- Xx.the Treaty Signed -- Xxi.a Question Of Honour -- Xxii.the Scapegoat -- Xxiii.a Secret Pamphlet. Peter Fleming. Originally Published: 1961. Includes Bibliographical References (pages 299-300) And Index. Published in 1961, BAYONETS TO LHASA: The First Full Account of the British Invasion of the Tibet in 1904--one of the strangest events in British imperial history.Conceived as a move in the Great Game which Russia and England had played for years in central Asia, the British incursion into Tibet was a shot in the dark. It was led by Colonel Francis Younghusband, soldier explorer and mystic.But Younghusband was caught in political cross-fire and in the end not only failed to accomplish his mission as he conceived it, but was publicly censured. The British invasion of Tibet in 1904 is one of the strangest events in British imperial history. This title presents a portrayal of this curious episode and its charismatic protagonists that illuminates what is now seen as a key moment in the Great Game, the repercussions of which continue to be felt throughout the region.