10. Soviet War In Afghanistan

Question 1

What was happening in the early 1970s? (5)

Answer 1

• There was a softening on relations (détente)
• It lasted between 1969 and 1979
• Relations improved between the USA and USSR and the USSR and China
• Examples of détente include US President Nixon visiting China in 1972
• The SALT 1 Agreement signed between the USA and USSR in 1972 and SALT 2 was agreed in 1979. These agreements limited missiles

Question 2

What did the Afghanistan War do ?

Answer 2

Start of this war brought an end to détente

Question 3

What did the SALT1 (Strategic Arms Limitations Talks Agreement) in 1972 do?

Answer 3

Limited the number of inter-continental ballistic missiles (ICBMs)

Question 4

Reasons for USSR involvement (4)

Answer 4

• Afghanistan was a centre of Muslim unrest, with continual attacks on Afghan government leading to a violent uprising in March 1979
• The soviets feared that this might unsettle Muslim populations in the USSR
• Afghanistan also had valuable gas fields which USSR wanted to exploit
• September 1979 Amin (communist but anti-soviet) seized power in Afghanistan

Question 5

Actions of USSR (4)

Answer 5

• 25th December 1979, soviet forces invaded
• By New Year they reached the capital city of Kabul
• Killed Amin
• Established a ‘puppet ruler’ Babrak Karmal

Question 5

UN, USA and China reaction to this (2)

Answer 5

• They condemned it
• Didn’t cause a hot war
• But instead Americans funded ‘Operation Cyclone’ between 1981-1987, a supply of $3.2 billion of guns, missiles and money to the Mujahideen

Question 7

Tactics of the Mujahideen against soviets (3)

Answer 7

• Mujahideen ambushed Soviet supply convoys
• shot down their helicopters
• Hid in the mountains, neighbouring Pakistan or amongst the civilian population

Question 8

Result of the war (5)

Answer 8

• Lasted 10 years
• USSR has 125,000 troops, with tanks and helicopter gunships, but found itself in a similar situation as the Americans faced in Vietnam
• Soviet forces attacked villages, but they couldn’t defeat the Guerilla forces
• Mikhail Gorbachev, the new Soviet leader, in 1988 decided that the USSR was never going to win the war
• He began a process of withdrawal, and in 1989 the last soviet troops left Afghanistan

Question 9

Consequences of the war (7)

Answer 9

• A Million Afghans died, mainly civilians
• 3 million refugees fled to Pakistan
• War split Afghan society and created a country full of local warlords, ruling over a bitter and war-hardened population
• The cost of the war bankrupted USSR
• leading to its collapse in 1989 and fall of the Berlin Wall
• Within USSR for the first time, people spoke out against the government
• War can be said to have helped create the international terrorism that came to dominate early 21st century

Question 10

Impact on relations (9)

Answer 10

New Soviet communism:
- Cost and criticism of war led to changing polices in terms of Soviet Communism

Destroyed Détente :

• US President Carter withdrew from SALT2 negotiations and stopped trade with USSR
• USA boycotted the 1980 Moscow olympics
• Pres. Reagan was passionately anti-communist and didn’t trust the USSR

More weapons and increased tensions :

• US nuclear missiles placed in Britain and Europe from 1979 onwards
• USSR was keep up with continuing their arms stockpile
• Many people protested this and attended huge protests held by peace groups such as CND against this threat of war
• Reagan went further, supporting the development of the SDI (Star Wars Programme 1983) which was a laser system that would effectively create a shield around the USA to drive away soviet missiles.
• USSR boycotted 1984 LA olympics