3.2 EOY 11 Soviot Invasion Of Afganistan Flashcards
Why were the soviets intrested in Afganistan?
-buffer zone between Iran and the soviet union
(Muslim fundamentalist goverment replaced the Shah Iran through revolution)
-the soviet union had many muslims in it and didn’t want Muslim fundamentalism to spread into its borders. Afganistan prevented this as a buffer zone)
What happened in April 1978
A pro-Soviet goverment took control in Afganistan-the received economic assistance from the soviets
What caused the soviets to invade?
September 1979: Amin overthrows the pro-soviot goverment in a popular coup
- the soviets support Amin but his his goverment became increasingly unpopular(pro-muslim fractions tried to overthrow him
- Brezhnev receives rumors that Amin was talking to the USA about possible American support
- BREZHNEV INVADES AFGANISTAN ON 24 Decmeber 1979
What shows that Amin’s goverment was unpopular?
Pro-Muslim fractions tried to overthrow him
What directly caused Brezhnev to invade Afganistan on 24th December 1979?
Rumors that Amin was talking to the USA about possible American support
What did the soviots claim when they invaded Afganistan in 1979?
They claimed that Amin invited them in
When do the Soviots assasinate Amin?
27th December 1979
Who do the Soviets replace Amin with?
Babrak Kamal(a pro soviet)
What did the Americans view the Soviet Invasion of Afganistan as?
The Soviet Union attempting to spread Communism aborad
What did President Carter claim about the Soviet invasion of Afganistan?
It was the biggest threat to peace since the end of WW2
What do the USA do in response to the Soviet invasion of Afgsnistan(fivethings)?
- withdrew the SALT 2 proposal
- increased spending on arms
- Carter Doctrine: the USA would repel by force, if necessary, any threat to American intrests in the Persian Gulf(said in a speech)
- imposed economic sanctions on the Soviets
- began sending weapons and funds to the mujahideen
What was the impact of the invasion on USA-Soviot relations?
- Détente finished
- Reagan who believes Communism is ‘evil’ is elected in 1980 by a landslide
Reagan believed communism was evil and should be directly opposed- more CONFRONTATIONAL RELATIONS
What are the 10 consequences of the invasion of Afganistan
- SALT 2 abandoned
- War costs soviots 10 billion a hear(lasts 10 years)
- end of Détente
- Afgan goverment replaced
- 1.5 million civilian deaths
- USA impose economic sanctions on the Soviots
- Carter doctrine announced
- boycott of LA and Moscow olympics
- USA suplies the Mujahideen with money and weapons
What caused the Boycott of the Moscow olympics?
Invasion of Afganistan
How many nations joined the Americans in their Boycott and what was the soviot reaction?
60 nations support the American boycott
-Soviots were angry as it was a good chance to promote Commuism on a world stage, as a result the events looked second rate(USA had undermined the soviots)
