Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan and its impacts

Question 1

background to afghanistan

Answer 1

middle east had been a hotspot for proxy wars
Afghanistan was just below the Soviet sphere of influence, bordering soviet republics like tajikistan, turkmenistan and uzbekistan

in 1973 the afghan monarchy was overthrown in a coup. the new republic was then toppled by the People’s Democratic Party of Afghanistan (supported by the Soviets)

new regime was very unpopular amongst the people - deeply religious nature made it difficult to accept communism - rebel groups began to form

Question 2

catalyst for soviet invasion

Answer 2

in 1979, the leader was assassinated by a communist who wanted to pursue closer ties with the US. On December 24, 1979, between 50,000 and 75,000 Soviet troops invaded afghanistan, installing Soviet-friendly Babrak Kamal as leader

Question 3

reasons for soviet invasion in afghanistan

Answer 3

soviets wanted to annex afghanistan into the soviet sphere of control, rescue the fledgling communist regime and restore soviet influence, suppress religious extremists and maintain access to the Persian gulf and indian ocean
American saw it as an example of soviet expansionism

Question 4

US response

Answer 4

SALT II treaty was suspended
US undertook economic consequences including ending wheat exports and a reduction of fishing rights
carter increased defence spending by 5%
led to the promulgation of the Carter Doctrine which stated that America would intervene if their economic interests were thretatened in the persian gulf - return to policy of containment

Question 5

end of the soviet invasion

Answer 5

mujahideen (american funded anti-communist rebels) received arms and economic aid from america and dominated rural areas
Soviets could not sustain the high cost of war
1988 - gorbachev signed a deal with america, pakistan and afghanistan
by 1989 all soviet troops had withdrawn from Afghanistan

Question 6

impact of the soviet invasion of afghanistan

Answer 6

cost of war meant that domestic issues in russia were neglected - key factor in the breakdown of the soviet union
afghanistan was completely destabilised by the invasion, and thousands of Afghan refugees fled to pakistan and iraq, while many others were killed in the conflict
the Taliban formed out of the mujahideen and filled the power vacuum left in Afghanistan
soviet invasion was the end of detente, and it launched the second cold war