A Journal of the Disasters in Affghanistan, 1841-2

"A Journal of the Disasters in Affghanistan, 1841-2" by Lady Sale is a retelling of the devastating British military actions in Afghanistan during the early 1840s, delivered as a personal record. The book looks at the failures of the British campaign through the eyes of someone who lived through it, recording the politics, military choices, and cultural differences that led to disaster. Lady Sale begins by explaining how she came to write about these events, carefully noting the everyday details as conditions worsened, portraying the strategic discussions of British leaders alongside the growing challenges they faced, this includes the clashes with local Afghan fighters and disagreements within the British ranks. The initial chapters focus on the growing chaos of the military campaign and personal conflicts; the writing creates a sense of impending doom as it leads to the infamous retreat from Cabul.