Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan, 1979

What was the Afghan war?

The Soviet-Afghan War was fought between a group of Afghan rebels called the Mujahideen, supported by the USA, and the Soviet-supported Afghan government.

When was the Soviet Afghan War?

The Soviet-Afghan War lasted more than nine years, from December 1979 to February 1989.

Why was the USA concerned about the Afghan war?

The USA became involved because President Carter was concerned about 2 main issues:

• ❖ Increased Soviet control of the Middle East.
• ❖ The possibility of the USSR gaining control of Gulf oil fields.

Why did the Soviet Union start a war with Afghanistan?

There were 5 key reasons the USSR invaded Afghanistan:

• ❖ Afghanistan bordered the Soviet Union. For Brezhnev, this meant it fell within the Soviet sphere of influence.
• ❖ In April 1978, the Kabul Revolution occurred in Afghanistan. Taraki, a communist, became the new prime minister, an ally of the USSR, and brought in communist reforms.
• ❖ By spring 1979 a civil war broke out in Afghanistan between the communist government and the Mujahideen (Islamic fighters).
• ❖ In October 1979, Taraki was assassinated in the civil war and replaced by Hafizullah Amin.
• ❖ After the Afghan government asked the USSR for help, the Soviets invaded on the night of 24th-25th December, 1979.

What were the consequences of the Soviet-Afghan war?

There were 6 main consequences of the Afghan war:

• ❖ The USSR's invasion of Afghanistan led to the Carter Doctrine. President Carter stated the USA would not allow the USSR to expand its influence in the Middle East.
• ❖ It ended détente between the USA and the USSR. SALT 2 was not ratified.
• ❖ It led to the boycott of the Moscow Olympic Games in 1980 by the USA and 61 other countries. The USSR retaliated by boycotting the Los Angeles Olympic Games in 1984.
• ❖ It led to American economic sanctions on the USSR. The USA would not sell grain or technology to the Soviets.
• ❖ This helped Ronald Reagan win the 1980 election. His tough attitude to the Soviet Union was attractive to the American people.
• ❖ The war in Afghanistan had a devastating economic effect on the USSR. There were many casualties on both sides, which led to increased internal opposition to the Soviet leadership.