Why did the British fight wars with Burma and Afghanistan?

Answer 1

The three Afghan wars and the Panjdeh incident were mainly related to "The Great Game" a term coined by a 19th intelligence officer for the clash between the British Empire and the Russian Empire for influence in Central Asia. Afghanistan was seen as a cause of trouble in its own right with border disputes and incursions and as a necessary buffer state between British India and the Russians. The first war with Burma was fought again over border disputes and territorial integrity with an expanding Burmese state. This changed in later years to one of acquisition of Burma into what was known as the British Raj as similar to the competition with Russia, Burma was seen as moving closer or being taken over by the French who were in Laos. Taking over lower Burma and the important port of Rangoon in the second war and upper Burma including Mandalay in the third war.