Welcome to Russian History Retold.

Episode 300, the Great Game Part 1.

Last time, we listened to an interview with Professor Simon Miles, author of the book Engaging the Evil Empire,

Washington, Moscow, and the beginning of the end of the

topic that I've been wanting to talk about for quite some time. The Great Game

or as the Russians know it, Bolshaya Igrah, the rivalry between the 19th century British and Russian

empires over influence in Central Asia, primarily in Afghanistan, Persia, and Tibet.

According to most historians, the Great Game would begin on January 12, 1830,

and end somewhere between 1895 and 1907, it is depending on who you listen to.

I'm going to be open to which year as I will use as I go through my extension of research papers. But what intrigued me about this topic was that many of the books in my library didn't even reference the great game, or as some named it The Secret War. The only books I found to contain material

helpful to this episodic series were The Great Gamble, the Soviet War in Afghanistan by Gregory Fyfer, Russia, a thousand-year chronicle of the wild west

by Martin Sixsmith, and Russia the once and future empire from prehistory to Putin by Philip Longworth.

I'm going to mention another book in a minute.

But before we get to this fantastic and historical period.

I'd like to thank all my listeners for inspiring me

to continue with the topic of Russian history.

When I first launched the podcast on April 30th, 2010,

as you may well know, I expected to do this for about two years and 52 episodes.

Well, that obviously didn't go as planned. Not only if we reached episode 300, but I have plans

for at least another 25 episodes that will carry us into next year.

Now if you have any suggestions for a topic you'd like to hear about,

please drop by the Russian rulers Facebook page

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