Afghan Invasion Flashcards
when?
1979
parties involved?
- Brezhnev + (Later Andropox and Gorbachev)
- Carter + (later Reagan)
- Hazifullah Amin
- Babrak Kamal
- Muhajedin
- Nur Muhammad Taraki
- Daoud Khan
origins
Background;
1970’s; Afghanistan government seen as pro-US faux government
Mohammad Daoud receives US assistance + neutral policy
Soviet Military trains Afghan soldiers (makes them more sympathetic to Marxist cause)
Afghanistan seen in the Soviet sphere of influence due to shared borders
Afghan army seizes power + kills President Daoud and installs the Marxist People’s Democratic Party of Afghanistan (PDPA); NUR MUHAMMAD TARAKI takes power and creates the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan
Ideology; marxist, land reform, gender equality and secular education
Issues: factionalism in new government, problems in poor, rural countries
long term causes
- April 1978- Afghan Army overthrows government + creates Marxist government
- December 1978 USSR and Afghanistan sign a bilateral agreement in which USSR agrees to provide assistance and advisors to modernize country; PDPA dependent on Russians now (weakened moral authority of government + anti government attacks increase)
- Reforms by government resisted (especially in rural areas); violence + civil strife + religious and political leaders persecuted (afghan elite go into exile)
- Mujahideen (rebel forces) oppose the Marxist PDPA;
- Rebel forces start attacking Soviet Leaders as well (1979; 100 soviet advisors killed);
- Marxists responded by attacking Herat (city were mutinied army was); instead of suppressing resistance a lot of the army leaves the PPDA and joins the resistance
PDP
- People’s Democratic Party; took power 1978
- pro Sovie Organization; recieves economic assistance from Moscow
- social and economic policies; land reform, womens richts, secular education; resisted by Muslim Groups + Factions
Hazifullah Amin
- leader of a faction that commited a coup 1979 to overthrow PDP
invasion?
- relations between Soviet-Amin are strained but Amin regime increasingly dependent on Soviet Aid
- Amin begins to intiate contact with CUA and US; triggers rumours that Amin recruited by CIA: Soviets intervene military and replace Amin with Pro SOviet Babrak Kamal
10000 paratroopers dropped into Afghanistan to take Kabul; Amin killed and replaced with Karmal
Soviets want to keep socialist government but don’t want to solve Afghan domestic problems
PDPA
- People’s Democratic Party; took power 1978; establish the marxist regime
- pro Soviet Organization; recieves economic assistance from Moscow
- social and economic policies; land reform, womens richts, secular education; resisted by Muslim Groups + Factions
Marxist People’s Democratic Party of Afghanistan (PDPA); NUR MUHAMMAD TARAKI takes power and creates the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan
unoficial reasons for invasion
- moderate Western response to invasion of Czechlosovaikia
2. detente already in difficulties; impact of invasion on US invasions not a major concern
Mujahedin
- Declare Holy War against Amin Supporters
- anti-muslim policies; continued instability
- guerilla troop with religious fundamentalism; get support of war lords
Odd Arne Westad
The basic policy failure of the Soviet Afghan INvasion was the belief that foreign power could be used to secure he surivval and ultimate success of a regime that demonstrably couldn’t survive on its own
post-revisionist view
Soviet Union responded defensivley to genuine threat to its sceurty as its within their spehre of influence
post-revisionist view
Soviet Union responded defensivley to genuine threat to its sceurty as its within their spehre of influence
official and unofficial rationale of Sovie tInvasion
‘ Official rationale’ murky; Soviets try to justify invasion by making it seem like invitation.
Different reports stating reasoning for invasion
E.g. “rival PDPA leader, Babrak Karmal, asked for soviet assistance in broadcast (later revealed that the frequency originated from USSR)
E.g. Amin requested assistance from USSR (made less sense)
3 soviet concerns to Afghan exist from Soviet sphere
3 soviet concerns to Afghan exist from Soviet sphere
; 1. Lose power relative to US,
2. Brezhnev Doctrine would seem like a toothless document + eastern european countries may also detach,
3. Growth of religious fundamentalism (fear it will go into other central Asian republics such as Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan)
USSR LEADERS divided
Against invasion
Kremlin doesn’t want to send troops
Brezhnev + Carter wan to meet in Vienna to finalize SALT II;
GENERAL STAFF don’t want intervention because they don’t want to increase opposition to PDPA government
USSR LEADERS divided
For invasion
Soviet defence minister Ustinov + KGV head Yuri Andropov; want intervention
Think it’s necessary to protect Soviet security; only possible if Amin is overthrown
USSR LEADERS divided
Against invasion
Kremlin doesn’t want to send troops
Brezhnev + Carter wan to meet in Vienna to finalize SALT II;
GENERAL STAFF don’t want intervention because they don’t want to increase opposition to PDPA government
= NO CLEAR AIM??
Martin Ewans
The soviet union had unilaterally sent troops into an independent, non-aligned Islamic country; killed its president and installed a puppet regime
Major James T. McGhee
The Soviet Leadership miscalculated the political and military situation in Afghanistan; unable to anticipate anti-soviet western reaction
-failed to understand enemy + power of Islamic nation
Major James T. McGhee
The Soviet Leadership miscalculated the political and military situation in Afghanistan; unable to anticipate anti-soviet western reaction
-failed to understand enemy + power of Islamic nation
detente context
period of reduced tensiosn
- vietnam shocked people
- cost of maintainign weapons and forces too high
- growing fear of nuclear weapons
- poor living standards
benefits of soviet intervention
- creation of communist puppet state
- geographic benefits (oil, land)
- communism is athiest; against religious principles
- was seen as ‘freeing’ the suprresing afghans
short term causes
- September 1979; Taraki overthrown (by Hafizullah Amin) and executed; Civil war starts to arise
- Amin more radical + unpredictable; alienated public and makes 19 requests to USSR for help
3 Beings to approach US; USSR scared that his allegiance may shift= invade using brezhnev doctrine
- revolutions in Iran and Pakistan also scare soviet; want to intervene
- due to detente; hope and think US wont intervene or care
Brezhnev Doctrine
The Soviet Union wanted to come to an agreement on arms limitation with the USA as it wanted to limit the possibility of war
However Brezhnev’s main interest was to maintain a communist regime
When the Czechoslovak government introduced reforms that went against the communist regime Soviet troops invaded the country and reversed the reforms
In November 1968 the Brezhnev Doctrine
In his speech Brezhnev made clear that all communist regimes were to remain communist and he would not let them be overthrown internally nor externally
The Western powers criticised this however they did not offer any support for these states
