It would have able to maintain Afghanistan as a British colony or protectorate if the Governor-General of India had not been convinced by his inept and ambitious subordinate and send someone as a military and politically capable and responsible in command of the expedition that will ensure that should be isolated in Kabul, could survive the winter? Or we are in the 'Germania' of the British Empire?
How the Russians might have reacted to a permanent British military presence in Afghanistan? In my opinion they had tried to take Northern Afghanistan ... that would become to a condominium in fact Russian-British.
Would increase the incidents and risks of war between the two empires and probably alienate the possibility of a future alliance. The French to ally with the Russians, alienate any possibility of a future alliance with England.
Here I bring you a short story of one of the greatest and most Avoidable disasters in the European military history (OTL). (In my opinion of course) ..:
To Begin General surely other commanders in place of Sir Willoughby Cotton and his replacement major General William Elphinstone (infamous memory).
These Generals were able to that the men in charge would suffer from a reverse Anabasis: the annihilation of about 16,500 people among sepoys, officers and civilians and British soldiers (4,500 soldiers and 12,000 workers and civilian supporters including women) who, upon hearing the news, (by the only survivor), shocked Britain, the India and the Governor General, the Earl of Auckland who suffered a massive stroke (CVA) upon hearing the news.
The latter had been left convinced by his ambitious and inept subordinated
William Macnaghten (who was killed along with his bodyguard then that he had agreed to go to take you with Afghan rebels... were ambushed and massacred.).
It all started when in the newly conquered Kabul and ruled by an unpopular British puppet city, lived and behaved as in their garrisons of origin in India after sending back most of the troops to the India and instead devote himself to the tasks of a forces of occupation in a city occupied but not conquered had fun organizing games of crickethorse racing and hunting parties. In the evenings of amateur theatre officers and their wives made a work of Shakespeare, A Midsummer Night's Dream. It was considered an honor invitation to the feast of the Lady Florentia sale where large and exclusive banquets were held. Leaving the Raj of paying bribes to the tribes they rose up against the British leaving them isolated in a city in full rebellion and here begins the tragedy of the Expeditionary Corps and the infamy of Elphinstone.
This to the horror of his officers, term for signing the capitulation on January 1, 1842 delivering their gunpowder reserves, their newest muskets and most of its cannons. However, he was promised a safe haven to the troops and civilians, among them children, women and elderly, who began to leave the city on 6 January. It is planned to retire to Jal praise for 140 km of snow-covered mountains.
At that time the British troops consisted of the 44th infantry, 5th regular regiments, Regiment 37 ° and 54 ° of infantry native of Bengal (BNI), a regiment of Levy Shah Shujah (a force supported by an ally of the British in the India), 6 Anderson irregular Cavalry, the 5th light cavalry in Bengal and 4 cannons of the Gunners of Bengal. Altogether 700 British and 3,800 Indian along with the 12 thousand civilians.
The wounded were left behind because Akbar Khan ensured his safety, but as soon as the last soldiers leave were massacred. The first step threatening the troops of Elphinstone was the Khord-Kabul step, 24 km from Kabul.
Instead of hurry and make the pass, Elphinstone ordered a break after covering only 9.7 km. Any effort to maintain the military organization in the retirement was not performed. It was so slow the advance were two of the morning before when the last unit reached the resting place. This gave Afghans the chance to prepare an ambush.
When the British continued their slow March through step was fired from all sides by rebels armed with rifles captured the British and their traditional weapons. In the evening of 9 January around 3,000 of Elphinstone's column had died due to enemy action, freezing time, or even suicide. The column advanced only another 16 km when some hundreds of soldiers deserted and tried to return to Kabul, but all were massacred. Elphinstone stopped giving orders and was quietly seated on his horse. His men were constantly marching down the bottom of narrow gorges to 20 degrees below zero while from the mountains they were constantly harassed by Afghans (armed with firearms, swords, knives, arrows or stones thrown from above) especially in the rearguard.
On 11 January the English women had accept be taken captive, promising that they could ransom for them, while the Indian servants and wives of the sepoys were massacred by not worth any rescue.
The same day Akbar Khan persuaded Elphinstone and his second in command, brigadier Shelton, also become hostages. It was a degrading act unique in British military history, that high-ranking officers surrendered to save their lives, while his soldiers had to fight and face almost certain death. Elphinstone died in captivity on April 23.
The remaining troops, now led by Brigadier John Thomas Anquetil managed to reach the crest of Jugdulluk, the next day, only to discover that it was blocked by Afghan forces. Only a few soldiers of the 44th Regiment managed to pass through the blockade, the rest were killed, around forty survivors reaching the village of Gandamak where they were ambushed and surrounded. Accountability were offered but the British refused to continue believing in the Afghan people and decided to resist. All were killed, except for Captain James Souter, the Fair Sergeant and seven soldiers who were made by prisoners.
The dozen riders who also escaped were hunted down until only one live, William Brydon, to publicize the disaster, although later it was reported that some sepoys would have also managed to escape.
The leadership of Elphinstone is seen as a bloody example of how inept, prejudices, and the indecision of a high-ranking officer could endanger morals and the effective and effectiveness of an army.
Elphinstone completely failed to lead his soldiers, but fatally exercised his authority enough to prevent any of its officers to Lead in place.
Notwithstanding the foregoing or because of it this remains one of the episodes most shameful and
humiliating episodes of the British Empire.