From the East to Central Asia: The Anglo-Russian Cold War of the 19th Century (1821–1907)

From the early nineteenth century to the beginning of the twentieth, Britain, the dominant maritime power, and Russia, the great land power, engaged in a contest that lasted nearly a hundred years. Known as the "Cold War of the Victorian Era," it was also called the "Great Game." Using the two focal points of the Great Game, the Eastern Question and Central Asia, this book traces the military and diplomatic actions of Britain and Russia, vividly depicting their contest for power over nearly a century. It also focuses on the geopolitics of the period, explains the logic of power at work, and discusses nineteenth-century geopolitical thought. By placing late Qing China in a global perspective, the book offers an important comparative historical lens through which to understand China and the world. It also provides a valuable historical perspective for understanding the significance of the unprecedented changes China has undergone over the past century of modernization.