Afghanistan, a landlocked country located in the south-central part of Asia, its land is mostly mountainous, desert, etc., the resources are poor, the country is extremely poor, there are 30 million people, and the people have been on the hunger line for a long time. But it is such an inconspicuous country, but it has repeatedly become a place that the world powers try to control, and in modern times, the British Empire, the Soviet Union, the United States and other world hegemons have occupied Afghanistan with heavy troops.
Afghanistan is in a strategic location
When we talk about Afghanistan, we have to talk about the hegemony of Britain and Russia in Central Asia. In the 19th century, the Indian subcontinent was one of the most important colonies of the British Empire, known as the "pearl in the crown of Britain". At the same time, the Russian Cossack cavalry galloped in the Central Asian region of pingchuan to the foot of the Hindu Kush Mountain, and their troops pointed to the submission of the Central Asian khanates one by one, and the Tsarist Russia tried to continue south to India, thus opening up the passage to the Indian Ocean. The barbaric expansion of Tsarist Russia to the south greatly threatened the security of the British colony of India, which alarmed the British colonists.
The barrier of the Indian subcontinent - Hindu Kush Mountain
Expand the world map, look at the Continent of Central Asia and South Asia, its terrain is flat and open, mostly plain, only the Hindu Kush Mountain is like a huge wall, separating the Indian subcontinent and Central Asia, therefore, the Hindu Kush Mountain is an excellent barrier for the British Empire to defend against Tsarist Russia, and if Tsarist Russia wants to continue to expand to the Indian continent, Hindu Kush Mountain is an obstacle that has to be crossed. So the British and Russian sides began a fierce competition around the Hindu Kush Mountain, for this reason, in the era of the Anglo-Russian Great Game in the 19th century, the British Empire launched two wars of invasion of Afghanistan, and Afghanistan, with the help of Tsarist Russia, continuously repelled the British army. Eventually, Britain and Russia compromised with each other and delimited the entire Hindu Kush Mountain as a buffer zone for both sides, which formed the territory of modern Afghanistan. So, in a sense, it was the Hindu Kush Mountains that shaped the map of modern Afghanistan.
Although the Hindu Kush Mountains are very rugged and a natural barrier to the western part of the Indian subcontinent, it is not completely impassable. The middle part of it, however, is hollowed out, forming a flat passage that is a natural passage from Central and Western Asia to the Indian subcontinent. This passage, known as the Hindu Kush Mountain Avenue, runs from the Indian subcontinent west to the Bevasha area of Pakistan, then west through the famous Khyber Pass, to the Jalalabad Basin, and through the Afghan capital Kabul, over the main ridge of the Hindu Kush Mountains, to the Kundus Valley, and after Kundus, it enters the plains of the middle reaches of the Amu Darya River, thus entering the vast region of Central and Western Asia. Historically, this passage was an important passage for the Cypriots, Aryans, Turks, Mongols, etc. into the Indian subcontinent.
A passage across the Hindu Kush Mountains
This passage, in addition to being an important military route, is also an ancient commercial avenue, where two important ancient trade routes from China to Central and Western Asia converge. These two ancient trade routes are the "Shu body poison road" and the "Ji Bin [jì bīn] road". Among them, the so-called "Shu body poison road" is the route from the Yunnan-Guichuan area of China, through Dali, Baoshan, Tengchong and other places to the Myitkyina area of Kachin State in northern Myanmar, and along the northern plains of India at the southern foot of the Himalayas, and to Central and Western Asia. As for the "jì bīn] road", that is, from China's Tashkurgan to the south through the hongqirav or Mingtiai and other mountain passes, connecting the upper tributary of the Indus River to the Hunza Valley to the important town of Kirgit in Kashmir, and then along the Indus Valley south to the northern Pakistan Ofvasha, Islamabad, the ancient trade route is named because of the existence of an ancient country called "jì bīn" in the ancient White Wahsha area.
Shu Body Poison Dao and Gu Bin Dao
The two routes meet in the northern Pakistani metropolis of Bevashah, and further west is the famous Khyber Pass. The Khyber Pass is the flattest and most important mountain pass in the Hindu Kush Mountains, and its control passage is actually an east-west canyon. The highest point of this canyon is in Randy Kotal, about 40 kilometers long, on both sides are cliffs, the narrowest point is less than 600 meters, very steep, has always been a place of contention for soldiers. From Pewasa to the west through this mountain pass, there is Jalalabad, an important town in northern Afghanistan, and further west, Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan. This canyon is a necessary place for Central and Western Asia to pass through the Indian subcontinent, and in history, Persians, Greeks, Mongols, etc. have all entered India from this mountain pass.
Topography near the Khyber Pass
From the Jalalabad Basin out of the Khyber Pass, the vast and flat Indian subcontinent is therefore a very important strategic position since ancient times. However, the Khyber Pass is mostly surrounded by low hills, its terrain is not as steep as imagined, and there are many trails near the Khyber Pass that can be detoured behind it, and in history, it has been easily broken by foreign enemies. In fact, far more steep than the Khyber Pass is the Sarang Pass in the northern kabul basin. The Sarang Pass is located on the main ridge of the Hindu Kush Mountain, at an altitude of more than 3600 meters. From Kabul to the north through the Sarang Pass over the Hindu Kush Mountains, and then to the Kundus Valley, through Baghlan, it can reach the important town of Kunduz in northern Afghanistan, thus entering the middle reaches of the Amu Darya River. Thus, the Sarang Pass is the most convenient mountain pass from Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan, to Kunduz and to the Amu Darya Valley, and in modern times, the Sarang Pass is the main mountain pass of Kabul's northern route and has an important military status. However, the roads of the Sarang Pass are very dangerous, and the climate here is very complicated due to the indian ocean currents and air currents from Central Asia hedging here. Natural disasters such as avalanches and mudslides often occur here, often causing a large number of deaths, such as an avalanche in 2010, which caused more than 150 deaths.
The main road guarded by the Sarang Pass
Although the Sarang Pass is the most convenient mountain pass from Kabul to Kunduz, its large-scale use is a modern event, because the Sarang Pass Tunnel was only opened in 1964. Prior to this, people traveled from Kabul to Kunduz by the Shibar Pass. The route, from Kabul north to Charikal, then turns west along the Valley of the Golbend River, a tributary of the Kabul River, through the Shibar Pass and then to the Sultanhab Valley, a tributary of the Kunduz River, and through Balfaq, Baghlan and other places, to Kunduz. As we can see on the satellite map, the route is actually more winding relative to the route through the Sarang Pass. However, this route is in the river valley, the road is relatively gentle, and there are no dangers such as avalanches. In ancient times, this route was the main route from Kabul to the Amu Darya River Valley, and the caravans of ancient Rome, Persia and other places, most of which led to India and China, were the avenues of economic, trade and cultural exchanges between ancient South Asia and Central and West Asia.
Pass by the ancient route of Bamiyan and the modern route of the Sarang Pass
You may not be familiar with this route, but you are certainly familiar with the Bamiyan Valley. To the north of the Bamiyan Valley is mount Devayaj, a tributary of the Hindu Kush Mountains, and to the south is the Baba Mountains, where the Bamiyan River flows between the two mountains to form a narrow valley, known as the Bamiyan Valley. Because the Bamiyan Valley is the main road, ancient Buddhists built the Great Buddha in the valley in order to spread Buddhism, and excavated many grottoes, which is the famous Bamiyan Buddha. There are 2 Bamiyan Buddhas, one of which is chiseled in the 1st century, 37 meters high, wearing a blue robe, commonly known as the "East Buddha"; the other is chiseled in the 5th century, 53 meters high, wearing a red robe, commonly known as the "West Buddha". Both the Chinese Jin Dynasty monk Fa Xian and the Tang Dynasty Xuanzang visited the Bamiyan Buddha. Regrettably, however, such an important common cultural heritage of mankind was destroyed in 2001, when the Afghan Taliban blew up the two 1,500-year-old Buddha statues, despite the strong opposition of the United Nations and the rest of the world.
In addition to the Bamiyan route, there is another route that also leads to Kunduz, the famous Panjshir valley. The Panjshir River is a tributary of the Kabul River, which cuts deep into the Hindu Kush Mountains, forming a natural passage. Through this passage, it is possible to go from the northern town of Kabul, Charik, to the northeast to the Hahuak Pass, and then to the west, along the valley of the tributary of the Kunduz River, through Baghlan, to Kunduz, and from the Hawak Pass to the northeast of the Panjshir Valley, to the Amu Darya Tributary Valley, to Badakhshan, or to the northeast, via Zebak, to the Wahan Corridor of the upper Purchi River Valley.
The three main roads guarded by the Sibar Pass, the Sarang Pass and the Hahuak Pass
Panjhir Valley
As a result, routes to the Kabul Basin, such as the Wakhan Corridor, Badakhshan, and Kunduz, are almost always in the Panjshir Valley, making it a military stronghold. The terrain of the Panjshir River Valley is very steep, with peaks on both sides, steep mountains, snow all year round, and the narrow terrain in the valley is difficult to unfold.
In the 19th century, the British built forts in the valley and controlled the main roads. During the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in the last century, the Afghan guerrillas also used the Panjshir Valley as an important base for the Afghan guerrillas to resist the Soviet army, relying on the harsh terrain to block the continuous attacks of tens of thousands of Soviet troops. Until now, along this valley road, you can still see the rusty remains of Soviet tanks, armored vehicles, artillery and other debris abandoned on the side of the road. It is worth noting that in recent times, with the withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan, the Taliban have returned to power, and the Panjshir Valley has once again become the base of the Tajiks against the Taliban.
These are the main situations in northern Afghanistan, which are no less important than the north. In western Pakistan, there are two parallel mountain ranges, Namely Mount Suleiman and Mount Giltel. The two columns of mountains are like a wall, blocking the way from Central and Western Asia. Although Mount Suleiman and Mount Giltel are continuous, they are not very steep, and there are many easily accessible mountain passes, the most important of which is the Bolun Pass. The Pollon Pass is located at the junction of Mount Suleiman and Mount Gilter in the middle, where the mountain is the narrowest.
The main road at the southern foot of the Hindu Kush Mountains
From Pakistan through the Bolun Pass over the Giltel Mountains, through the Pakistani border city of Quetta and other places, along the southern foothills of the Hindu Kush Mountains to the west, and through Kandahar, Helmand, Herat and other places, you can enter Central Asia. This route is also an ancient trade route, from which many caravans from ancient Rome, Persia, Arabia and other places entered India. At the same time, along this route, the terrain is flat and there is no obstacle, so it is an excellent military route from Central and Western Asia to the Indian subcontinent. In ancient times, Persians, Arabs, etc. repeatedly invaded the Indian plains from this road.
The route to southern Afghanistan, unlike the Northern Avenue of Afghanistan, does not have to cross the steep main ridge of the Hindu Kush Mountains, but is blocked by the vast Registan Gobi Desert. The Registan Desert is a desert area in southern Afghanistan, which stretches from the southern foothills of the Hindu Kush Mountains in the north, to the Helmand River in the west, to the border with Pakistan in the east and south, covering an area of more than 60,000 square kilometers, which is a barrier to southern Afghanistan and blocks the east-west passage route. However, between the northern edge of the Registan desert and the southern foothills of the Hindu Kush Mountains, there is a corridor of oases. Among them, the most famous is the Kandahar Oasis.
Kandahar controls the main road
After traveling eastward from Central Asia along the southern foothills of the Hindu Kush Mountains to Kandahar, in addition to entering Pakistan through the Quetta and Bolun Pass, it can also travel northeast along the valley formed by the Tarnak River, a tributary of the Helmand River, through Chabul, Ghazni and other places, to Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan. The terrain along the route is flat, and the Road, Alexander, the Mongols, etc. once detoured to Kabul. Especially in modern times, this route is well suited for panzer corps movements. In the last century, when the Soviets occupied Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan, they followed the route south of Kandahar with an armored corps. As a result, Kandahar is the hub of southern Afghanistan and a place of contention. Kandahar was also a major trading town in southern Afghanistan and once became the capital of Afghanistan. In modern times, Kandahar is the core of southern Afghanistan and is the second largest city in Afghanistan.
In summary, the reason why Afghanistan has such an important strategic position is because of its central Asian access to the Indian subcontinent. From Central Asia to India through Afghanistan, there are two main roads. That is, the first is to cross the Hindu Kush Mountains from Kundus to the east, and then through Kabul, Jalalabad and other places, out of the Burr Pass and into northern Pakistan; the second: from Herat along the southern foothills of the Hindu Kush Mountains, through Farah, Kandahar and other places, out of the Bolun Pass into south-central Pakistan. Almost all of Afghanistan's major cities are along these two major transport routes. The invasion of Afghanistan by foreign forces has led to the attack of these two main roads. For example, in the 19th century, the British Empire invaded Afghanistan, in order to attack Kabul through the Khyber Pass. When the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan, the army was divided into two routes, the northern route was Balkh and Kunduz directly attacking Kabul, and the southern road was from herat in western Afghanistan along the southern foothills of the Hindu Kush Mountains to attack Kandahar. The US military's occupation of Afghanistan basically followed the Soviet union's routine and controlled these two main roads. As long as the cities along these two major transportation routes are controlled, the Afghan resistance will have done little and can only flee into the Hindu Kush Mountains to fight guerrillas.
2 main roads from Central Asia to the South Asian subcontinent via Afghanistan
However, historical facts tell us that even if foreign forces controlled the cities along these two major transportation routes, they were far from conquering Afghanistan. Such as Britain, the Soviet Union, the United States, etc., even if they can successfully overthrow the Afghan government in power, but in the end they all returned home, so Afghanistan has always been known as an "imperial graveyard". But this does not mean that it is wrong to control the cities along these two major transportation routes, after all, the initial military operations of Britain, the Soviet Union and the United States were relatively successful. The reason why these powerful empires ultimately failed was because Afghanistan was a place where various forces converged, and they had to face not only the Afghan government, but also the powerful forces behind the Afghan authorities, such as the British Empire's rival Russia, the Soviet Union's opponent, the United States, and even China. The United States had the best conditions, but it was too benevolent, afraid of casualties, and did not use iron and blood to lead Afghanistan into the orbit of secularization in order to eradicate the barbaric soil of the vast Afghan countryside.