Khartoum: The Ultimate Imperial Adventure

Since I saw the film Khartoum in CINERAMA, in Paris (of all places) with the sister of my second parental grandmother (she was a Russian noble by marriage!... the sister not the second wife of grandad... that was Miss Aragon 193... something...lol) but I digress. I was impressed by the stubborn folly of Gordon Pasha (I know we all think Charlton Heston but that can not be helped). That a single man could shake Whitehall to "do something", ruin the reputation of one of the best Victorian Generals (Wolseley) with no guilt at all from him...An epic History well written and fascinating in its complete folly.Thoroughly recommended.

This is quite simply one of the finest military histories I have ever read; detailed, accurate, well presented with exciting descriptions of conflict situations carried out during some of the bloodiest encounters in Victorian times. Beautifully written, zero typos and an absolute joy to read.If you enjoy this genre of book do not think of missing out on the opportunity of reading this.I am already checking out this author's other books.Just superb!

This is the story of the rise of a Mahdi religious leader in Sudan and his attack on General Gordon in Khartoum. It describes in detail the attempts to rescue General Gordon and after his death to exact vengeance. It is not an easy read. It requires concentration. There are foreign words used where a translation might help. The details of battles and marches are not digested in a few hours at the beach. In other words, this is a serious and masterly account of a turbulent, violent epoch in African history. Mr. Asher is a serious historian.Michael Asher displays his mastery of the subject and his strong, vivid style when he describes the battles that pitted hordes of natives against foreign troops. The disastrous battle at Tokar resulted in the massacre of two thousand Egyptian and European soldiers with their British officers. The natives, "Fuzzie-Wuzzies" clad in loin-cloths and armed mostly with sabers, displayed fanatical determination and courage. Within hours they had slaughtered two-thirds of the foreigners. When British reinforcements reached the site days later, they found only traumatized survivors. The author outdoes himself again, later in the book in Section 5, Part 4, when describing the battle at Tanai. His style here is superlative -- strong, incisive, detailed and moving...in short, a powerful narrative of horror, blood, and death. It is the finest and most thorough battle scene I have ever read.The gradual crumbling of British influence in Egypt is sometimes under-emphasized by writers focusing on Gordon's service in Khartoum. This author makes it clear that England was no longer able to govern those ungovernable desert tribes once the Mahdi had proclaimed himself. In the end, the reinforcements sent to rescue General Gordon were not intended to enable him to hold on in Khartoum; they were sent to evacuate him if that was possible. But, in any case, he would not have left his post, and outside help reached him far too late.The death of Gordon is poignantly told, the circumstances fearful, his courage unquestionable. Whether he fought to defend himself on the upper floor of his official residence, his pistol against a dozen sabers, or he was cut down on the outside staircase, will never be certain, but the author does full justice to that terrible, futile struggle. After Gordon's head was hacked off and stuffed into a leather bag, his body was probably tossed into the Nile.Kitchener's return twelve years later to exact a fearful vengeance on the Sudan is an exciting story magnificently told. The young war correspondent Winston Churchill figures in those pages as he would in so many pages of so many history books.I highly recommend this vivid account of the struggles, the savagery, the casual cruelty, and the indifference to others' suffering and death that are all part of the bloody history of Saharan Africa.

Michael Asher, KHARTOUM--The Ultimate Imperial Adventure © 2005Publ. Penguin Books, ISBN 978-0-140-25855-4Whatever the knowledge of the reader, this 400-plus page, breath-taking history of the Victorian British's vain attempt to master control of the Nile (1883-1898), coupled with an array of sketches as well as photographs of soldiers and officers offers a phenomenal opportunity to appreciate both the Sudanese dervishes as well as the inhospitable geography that made warfare more as a series of hideous and deadly routs. As might be expected of any book on Khartoum, the focus falls on the futile attempt to rescue Major General Charles George Gordon.The book maps the beginnings leading to the rise of the Mahdi that soon engulfed the Sudan in bloodshed resulting in multiple defeats of both the Egyptian and English armies, most notable Lt. General Hicks Pasha and General "Chinese" Gordon. To be sure, Darfur and the Sudan have been in armed revolt to this day with little obvious remedy. This book leads the reader through many vicious conflicts from the early 19th century to Osama bin Laden of al-Qaeda fame.The author's grasp of the geography of the Turco-Egyptian Sudan is remarkable and he provides a great amount of untiring pleasure to the reader by his detailed "observation" of the landscapes, as well as, of course, the many Arab tribes and their lifestyle. The author skillfully weaves the story of the remarkable finding of the Mahdi--the presumed savior and leader of the Sudanese masses who systematically massacred all who opposed their quest for freedom from the Ottoman-British empire.Mahdi? The Holy Qur'an is silent. But a hadith--a tradition of the Prophet Muhammad, found in the text al-Muqaddima--reveals the tradition: first, the Madhi was the savior; second, he would be a direct descendant of the Prophet; third, he would defend the faith restoring unity; forth, his appearance would herald the coming of the Day of Judgment! This Mahdi--Muhammad Ahmad ibn `Abd Allâh (1843-1885)--and his call to fight, his conquests, and his successes over seemingly incredible odds are one focus of this remarkable narrative.Where we see the gruesome end of such notables as Lt. General Hicks Pasha and General Charles G. (Chinese) Gordon, we read of the rise of Wolseley, Kitchener, and other notable British officers who, of the survivors, with great fortitude re-won what had been lost to the Mahdi. The Union Jack again waved over Khartoum on 3 September 1898--three years after the unexplained death of the Mahdi. This final attack was recorded by a lieutenant in Kitchener's advancing army, Winston Churchill's "The River War."Throughout the book the author entertains the reader with short biographies of notable characters who played important roles in the incessant battles described in this narrative.Finally, every reference of note is found in the author's excellent Bibliography.

This book combines very deep historic research with a bit of storytelling to really bring the events of the Mahdist War to 'life'. Asher gives a detailed and balanced account and analysis of all key events and phases, but has a wonderful talent for describing the scene as it would have been in that time; e.g. the traffic in and out of the local trade town, the life and lifestyles of the nomad tribes who joined the Mahdist cause... This for me makes it far more compelling and memorable than a purely referential history. A phenomenal amount of 'personal history' is blended in from innumerable letters, newspaper cuttings, eyewitness accounts etc. which again connects you with the human element of the conflict.From the opening act of Hick's column being routed to the final gruesome killing fields at Omdurman this takes you through quite a journey. Most striking is the contrasting approach to the war from the British side; bullish aristocrats on a jolly day out give way to 'thinking' officers, conscripts replaced with professional soldiers, military technology takes a leap forward, and the final ruthlessly efficient campaign utilises an all-arms approach of ships, infantry, artillery and cavalry backed by an advanced supply and communication plan which almost certainly lays the way for the 'modern' armies which followed.All in all a very worthwhile book - took much longer to read than expected but was thoroughly worth the investment of time and I never once felt bored.

Like many I suspect, my only knowledge of Khartoum and the Sudan Wars came via the Charlton Heston movie, Corporal Jones' occasional comments in Dads Army and some scanty references during history lessons at school.When I discovered, while researching the family history, that a distant relative had been part of the Gordon relief expedition, I wanted to learn more. I found this book.Very readable and illuminating. The political background to the campaigns was particularly interesting. In the context of the decline of the British Empire and looking back from 100 odd years hence, I found it the continuity and change both contrary and comforting. There is little new is the human condition.The detail in this work is impressive and a credit to the author. The style too was engaging, turning what could have been a turgid history (like so many, sadly) into a thoroughly entertaining yet educative experience. If only my school history texts had been as good! Highly recommended.

This book is a tour de force. If you like detail, the author gives it a-plenty, with much information on the story's places, characters and battles. At times, the author's detailed descriptions of the sunrises, for example, may even have you believing you're reading a novel. There are numerous illustrations - mostly drawings from the time - and some useful maps. I still have some questions about why the Sudan was invaded over ten years after the death of Gordon, but that does not take anything away from the fact that this is a 5-star book.

Half way through this book, and find it easy to read, the author writing in a style which can keep the reader interested. Lots of pertinent detail about the Sudan, character sketches of the main players in this period of history, their physical appearance and personalities. I do indeed recommend this to all interested in late Victorian history, and the country's colonial years in Africa & the Near East.

I borrowed this book from our local library a couple of years ago and, after reading it, ended up purchasing a hardback version. I could not put this book down easily and lost a lot of sleep as a result!Michael Asher's respect for all sides in this campaign shines through his writing. His vivid descriptions brought into sharp focus the bravery, courage, ingenuity, fortitude and loyalty of men; officers, ranks and tribesmen. The author's knowledge and cultural understanding of this, often misunderstood, part of the world is enlightening.Books such as this should be compulsory reading for politicians in the hope that history would inform their opinions and decisions.This is not a stuffy, academical account, but, one which transports the reader and places them firmly in the heart of the campaign. Yes, you can almost "taste the dust". This story has inspired me to read much more about Kitchener and has generally rekindled my interest in history.As far as I am concerned this is the best book I have ever read. Five stars are not enough!Well done Michael Asher. May you carry on educating the less aware.