For a century Afghanistan had been a theatre for the ‘great game’ of espionage between the British and Russian empires, but on the eve of the Second World War the country was in an unenviable situation. Fearing Soviet aggression and occupation, the Afghans looked to British India for assurances of its security but found few concrete promises.Explaining History is funded through advertising and donations. For more content, journalism and ideas, visit the Explaining History Patreon page here: http