Bhutan: The Empire Britain Couldn't Conquer

Britain controlled a quarter of the planet but failed to conquer Bhutan. In 1864,

British forces marched into Bhutan expecting an easy victory like they had everywhere else.

But the Bhutanese turned the Himalayas into an unbeatable fortress. Steep cliffs,

hidden valleys, and warriors who attacked from nowhere then vanished. British soldiers

couldn't navigate the mountain passes without getting ambushed. Their heavy artillery

was useless on terrain where horses couldn't even walk. Supply chains broke down in the freezing

altitude. After months of losses, Britain realized Bhutan wasn't worth

the cost. They signed a peace treaty and left. While empires around them collapsed,