8 Flashpoints Flashcards
What events occurred in Afghanistan in the late 1970s and how did it result in a Soviet invasion?
- On the 27th April 1978, the PDPA, a communist party in Afghanistan, overthrew the government and imposed a communist-style reform programme. It also enforced atheism.
- The party was led by Nur Muhammad Taraki, an ally of the USSR, but Hafizulllah Amin seized power in September 1979. The Soviets distrusted Amin.
- There was lots of instability within the country due to anti-Muslim policies and unhappiness about socialist reforms. This led to many Afghan Muslims joining the mujahideen (a faction of this group later formed the Taliban).
- A civil war broke out, and the Soviet military assistance programme which began in 1978 increased. However, Amin did not want to become too reliant on the Soviet Union and wanted to improve relations with the US
- Between 25th December 1979 and 1 January 1980, the Soviets sent more than 50,000 troops to invade Afghanistan, due to being worried about the spread of Islamic fundamentalism
- Amin was killed by the Soviets and replaced with Babrak Kamal, who was kept in power with the help of 85,000 Soviet soldiers, although many Afghan soldiers deserted to join the mujahideen
What were the reasons for the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan?
- The USSR were hostile to the religion of Islam, and feared Islamic revolution would spread to its republics
- To set an example to the 30 million Muslims in the Soviet Union that there would be no change to the way the country is run
- The Soviet Union did not want to see the collapse of a neighbouring socialist state (did not want it to have a capitalist takeover from another country such as the US)
How did the US respond to the invasion of Afghanistan?
President Carter took a firm approach with the Soviet Union over Afghanistan because:
- He was facing criticism due to being unable to solve a hostage situation in America, causing many to believe he could be a weak president
- The Soviet Union could potentially control Western oil supplies in the Persian Gulf Region.
- The Soviet Union had threatened world peace and broken agreements under Détente
What was the Carter Doctrine?
The Carter Doctrine was a policy issued by the president which stated that:
- The US would use military force if necessary to defend its national interests in the Persian Gulf Region
- All countries bordering Afghanistan would be provided with US military aid
- The passing of Salt II would be delayed (never ends up being ratified)
- All shipments of grain to the Soviet Union would stop and US companies were forbidden from selling high technology there
- Assistance would be provided to the mujahideen
What were the consequences of the Carter Doctrine?
Carter’s doctrine brought an end to détente, and superpower relations were at their worst since the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962.
Carter also boycotted the Moscow Olympics in 1980, and 61 other countries followed, further worsening relations.
What was President Reagan’s attitude to the Soviet Union and what actions did he take as a result?
President Reagan was right wing and determined to win the Cold War and fight communism. This change of policy was called the Second Cold War.
- Reagan placed emphasis on US defence spending and announced a US defence programme. This would cost more than a trillion dollars and take place between 1981 and 1987.
- The US also decided to place cruise missiles in Western Europe in response to the deployment of Soviet missiles in the western Soviet Union. This worsened superpower relations
- Reagan and his advisers believed they could win a limited nuclear war (as a result of arms limitations), if they followed NUTS (Nuclear Utilisation Target Selection), which involved targeting opponents warheads to destroy their nuclear weapons capabilities. This went against MAD, therefore superpower relations worsened.
Why were Strategic Arms Reduction Talks (START) made difficult?
- Reagan was prepared to discuss arms limitation, especially because he knew he would have the upper hand in negotiations with the Soviet’s poor economic state (Reagan also had an idea of how he would win a limited nuclear war - NUTS).
- However, the USA started to give support in secret to a Polish workers’ trade union movement, which was then banned by the USSR. The US openly criticised the USSR (now led by Andropov) for this and banned all hi-tech trade with them.
- This caused relations to worsen and the Soviets walked out of START talks in 1983
What was the Strategic Defence Initiative (SDI)?
President Reagan announced SDI on the 23rd March 1983, which planned for a ground and space-based, laser-armed anti ballistic missile system. This would be able to shield missiles launched against the USA by using satellites.
SDI would give the USA a significant advantage in any conflict. It also broke the Outer Space Treaty of 1967 however, worsening relations
Why could the Soviets not respond to SDI, resulting in them not being able to compete in the arms race?
- The Soviet economy was already experiencing problems and renewed arms spending would destroy it completely (this was part of Reagan’s plan)
- The Soviet Union were also behind the USA in computer technology, as they had initially been suspicious of computers when they became popular in 1980s, as the Soviets believed they could be used to undermine the power of the Communist Party and spread anti-communist ideas.
- SDI required good computer technology which the USA had, but the USSR did not, meaning the Soviet Union were unable to compete in the arms race
