Page 61

Progress in the 20th Century: Afghanistan in the latter part of the 19th century wished to acquaint herself with western civilization, but the invasions of foreign forces again for some time involved the country, causing delay to further progress. In the beginning of the twentieth century the first step taken was to adopt new method of education, Civil and military institutions were estab-lished to teach modern education. In the field of architecture modern styles we-re adopted. The extension of roads to the important points of the country was undertaken and attention was paid to ex-tending the telephone lines and establi-shing electric power-houses and woolen mills. But unfortunately at that time the commencement of the first world war brought the proposed programme to a standstill. After the end of the war, the results of which were of benefit and advantage to Afghanistan, the country gai-ned its political independence and began an era of modern progress, which con-tinued rapidly for ten years, ending with - 11 -