The Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan
The Afghanistan state
When did the period of Détente end for the Cold War superpowers?
1979
What invasion marked the beginning of the “Second Cold War?”
The invasion of Afghanistan
What neutral policy of the Afghanistan government in the 1970’s?
Receive USA asistance but get soviet military aid
In terms of international diplomacy, what sphere of influence did the world generally see Afghanistan in?
Soviet
In 1978, what happened to the government of President Daoud? What system replaced the government? What was this new state called?
The president was executed, and army took power, and renamed it as Democratic Republic of Afghanistan
What kind of reforms did this new government enact?
land reform
By the end of 1978, what had the PDPA and the USSR agreed to?
a bilateral agreement
The rebels
Your book claims the government of Afghanistan lost it’s “moral authority” and faced opposition from religious groups in particular. Why do you think this was the case?
Marxists think religion is the opium of the masses
What caused civil strife under the PDPA? What methods did the PDPA use to deal with this strife?
reforms are imposed through violence, and religious and villiage leaders were arrested
Where many dissidents did the PDPA government execute during this period?
27000
Who were the Mujahadeen? What was their general goal?
The rebel forces oppose the state
What sweeping phenomena was spreading through Afghanistan, Iran and Pakistan in the late 70’s and early 80’s that effectively changed societal dynamics in the Middle East?
religious fundamentalism
Why did rebel forces kill 100 Soviets and 5000 Afghans in the city of Herat?
The y hear the plan of install woman in the government
How did PDPA forces respond to rebel attack on Herat?
They kill 24000 inhabitants
How did the PDPA’s response to Herat backfire?
Half of its army deserted or join the rebel force
Through a series of events in the Civil War, Hafizullah Amin became the leader of Afghanistan during this period. What did Amin do that deeply worried the Soviets?
He request the USA for assistance
USSR's intervention
What did the Soviet’s specially fear about the USA’s intentions with Afghanistan?
To move Afghanistan out of soviet sphere of influence
What were the 3 main concerns for the Soviet’s in regarding the Afghan Civil War?
1.losing Afghanistan to USA 2. Brezhnev Doctrine would be useless 3. The growth of religious fundamentalism
The Soviet government was divided on the prospect of invading Afghanistan. What were the arguments for and against the invasion?
1.Pro-invasion: soviet security, and only down when Amin was overthrowned 2.Anti-invasion:INcrease oppose to PDPA, and SALT 2
After deciding to go through with the invasion, how long did the Soviets predict the intervention would take?
3-4weeks
When did the Soviets officially begin their invasion of Afghanistan?
December 1979
Although the circumstances were extremely murky, what did the Soviet’s argue as a justification for invasion?
It was a invitation
What happened to Amin? Who replaced him?
Killed, and replaced by Karmal