NOT FINISHED Lecture 3. Afghanistan+ Soviet Central Asia Cold War + beyond Flashcards
Geography 2nd half 20th century Afghanistan
bordered by Pakistan, and West Iran, but in the north by 3 republics of Soviet Union.
What economic situation played out between 1940-1950s?
Competition between Capitalism and Communism.
Situation during competition between Capitalism and Communism
1930-1950s in Afghanistan
- Afghanistan is divided by Republics named by the ethnic groups.
- Southern borders are the result of 19th century Russian Empire+ the British
- these borders do not represent people groups, a lot of Turkish men for example live there.
This is important to be aware of when we talk about state formation and
Cold war in the Third World
(undecided countries)
- Decolonization and Cold War
- Political and economic models
- History of interventions
- Resisting the Cold War: Non-Aligned Movement
- Interdsciplinary insights and ‘‘cultural turn’’
Foreign Policy of Cold War: Third World
USSR starts competing for ‘‘Third World’’ starting in 1950s.
* Sending expertise, economic aid, loans etc. Which path to modernity is best?
- increasingly involved in military support as well. Leads to Cuban Missile Crisis
- Soviet involvement in Third World is costly, but Moscow finds it impossible to abandon allies and avowed socialists. Involvement is also driven by Sino-Soviet split
- 1970s world was ‘‘going the (Soviets) way.’’
inclduing Vietnam, Ethiopia, Somalia, Angola, Afghanistan. - Afghanistan invervention is culmination of Soviet involvement.
Detente
1960s:
* Nuclear powers try to keep monopoly and balance
reduction of costs of arms race: Partial non-proliferation treaty (1963)
* Reduction of strategic arms (SALT treaties early 1970s)
1970s:
* New Eastern Policy by Germany (de-facto recognition of Polish borders, 2 German states)
* Helsinki process after 1975
* New ‘‘ice age’’: Soviet invasion of AFghanistan (1979)
Domestic Effects of Soviet Foreign Policy
- Competition for Third World changes Moscow’s relationship with Central Asia and the Caucasus. Need to overcome colonialism at home to lead anti-coloniaslim abroad
- Soviet citizens travel abroad as experts and respresentatives, become involved in transnational/ international organizations.
- Ideas circulate through newly devleoped networks, traveling in multiple directions.
- By 1980s, many Soviet citizens questioning costs of Soviet commitments aborad.
–> War in AFghanistan becomes particulary contentious
Prehistory Afghanistan- USSR
- Afghanistan as quasi-colonial state
- Amanullah Khan’s rise and fall/ backdrop to the Russian Civil War
- Afghanistan as destination for reguees
- 1920s: Russian civil war
Domestic results Soviet union of fofreign policy specifically considering Afghanistgan
New ‘‘ice age’’: Soviet invasion of AFghanistan (1979)
By 1980s, many Soviet citizens questioning costs of Soviet commitments aborad.
–> War in AFghanistan becomes particulary contentious
Afghanistan Post-War modernization
Both the United States as the SU invested in education and infrastructure:
* Afghan elite get education
* universities become centres of political movements
* poliziation did not necessary came from Soviets of Americans: leftist movements, Islamic movements.
* After WOII, and Pashtun wanting to unite their territory (part of Iran), they cooperate with the US.
* However part of this territory is from Iran, so due to the bond between US and Iran; US hesitates and Afghanistan cooperates with SU!
Polarization under Daoud (1973-1978)
- Daoud moves with support of communist movement
- SU does not want to take over Afghanistan
- Daoud brought Afghanistan closer to Soviet Union
- Rules under a small significant communist party.
- SU wanted Afghanistan to be mutual and independent
- US has AFghanistan as ally from early years of the war
- Daoud was more radical than leadership in Moscow
Daoud was more radical than leadership in Moscow (domestic reasons SU)
- Communist movement has split in two since 60s.
- Also by ethnic divisions in the country
- SU tried to reunite communists for a long time, but still a lot of intern tensions
- all during the time of protests in March 1979: major rebellion in north of Afghanistan
Saur Revolution
March 1979:
* Iranian revolution
* rise of Islamist
* Soviets scared that US will grab their chance and boraden their influence in Afghanistan: so SU decide to intervene
The Soviet Intervention
- Initially the Soviets would only defend the bases, and the Afghans would do the real work. However, eventually they would do the fighting as well. They would go up in the mountains where the resistance was based.
- Over course of 1979 SU leadership holds an intervention
o Relationship with US already has been determined
o Iranian revolution very recent still in everyone’s mind
o SU military was for European invasions, not Afghanistan
o But eventually invaded Afghanistan: their idea was not doing the fighting, but to protect the bases, Afghanistan military had to do the fighting- did not helping
o The Afghan military moral was too low
o Result: resistance had been very disorganized: but ended up having a more political shape.
State building under fire
To stop insurgency; (an active revolt or uprising:
) to make Kabul government legitimate.
legitimacy understood in terms of matericaprovision and governance.
* But also: efforts to work directly with insurgent groups, drawing on Soviet ethnographic and intelligence knowledge to envision ways of bringing these groups into the state.
* Both efforts undermined by poor coordination, competition between Soviet agencies, distrust from Afghanistan communists.
