IB HL HISTORY AFGHANISTAN WAR

Afghanistan Conflict

the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan, marking the beginning of a decade-long conflict and a major event in the Cold War, where Soviet troops fought against Afghan mujahideen rebels, who were supported by various countries including the United States. 

Leonid Brezhnev (1964-1982)

Brezhnev was the General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union when the Soviet military intervened in Afghanistan in December 1979. The invasion was seen as a way to support the Afghan communist government against anti-communist rebels. 

People’s Democratic Party of Afghanistan (April 1978)

brought to power in a military coup. USS Portrayed the coup was a popular revolution

• Nur Mohemmed Taraki was installed as president and looked to Soviet Union for Support

• Lenoid Brezhnev sent thousands for support of advisors to “advance socialism”

• first major reforms were land reforms, introduced secular education, offered literacy to women who were encouraged not to veil

Opposition to Reforms

• opposed by fundamentalist muslims who believed that they were not in line w/ traditional beliefs and challenged the authoritiy of Islamic s

• opposed by factions w/in the PDP and more widely in the countrisied who thought that the reform went againdt traditions and culture

• Some fled and joined the Mujahideen, guerrilla-stule millitary units who declared it a Jihad "or holy war”

Mujahideen and Afghan Army

• Mujahideen: peasant-based guerrilla fighters who mainly relied on society's weapons, which they had captured from government forces. Thousands of recruits from refugee camps in Pakistan crossed the border to join the Mujahideen’s Jihad

• The Afghanistan Government Army was trained and mechanized by the Soviets but there were thousands of troops who deserted everymen and Kabul made urgently please for Troops to be sent in

PM Amins Regime

resisted soviet calls to slow down reforms and instead responded to increasing opposition w/ brutal oppression and campaign of terror

Soviet Discussions with Taraki

they talked with the opposition, Taraki, and agreed that he should take power once the Soviets had Amin removed. But when Taraki returned to Afghanistan Amin had heard of this and arrested and executed Taraki.

• Started working with US

USSR Invades (Dec 1979)

• was a response to Amin’s actions

• Afghanistan was close to the Persian Gulf and hard Indian Ocean Ports, it bordered Iran in the West and Pakistan in the South and in the North It shared borders w/USSR's central Asian Republics

Rodric Braithwaite (Revisionist Western)

“According to the official version of history, CIA aid to the Mujahideen began during 1980... But the reality... is completely otherwise. Indeed, it was July 3, 1979 that President Carter signed the first directive for secret aid to the opponents of the pro-Soviet regime in Kabul.

• soviet union was on the defese”

Daniel Yergin (USA, Orthodox)

argues that USSR’s totalitarianism caused their ‘need’ for world domination. Blames USSR for start of Cold War as they wanted global communist spread. 

US AND UN Response

• condemmed it and did not accept russia’s justification that it was for homeland security as it moved outside the perimeters agreed upon in the Potsdam Conference

Soviets Airlifts Troops (24TH Dec 1979)

• thousands of troops to Kabul and 700 KGB agents stormed the palace where Amin was hiding and assassinated him

Change of Power (27 Nov 1979)

• Kamal was installedas Presjdent and soviets sent and occupation force of 115,000

• use airpower and artillery yo bombard the oppositions ==> 5 million afghans fled to the country

Zbighier Brezeinski (1977 -1981)

National Security advisor to Carter

• thought that the soviets wold move south to control oil in the Persian Gulf

• the Iran had A revolution and overthrowed the Shah (a US ally) to establish an Islamic Republic w/ Ayatollah Khomeni

carter doctorine

pledged US interventions in the Gulf if its interests were being threatened there

Carter response

• boycotted 1980n Moscow Olympic

• announced increase millitary funding for the next 5 years

• banned exports of electronics to the USSR

• 34 islamic nations supported UN resoltuion condeming intervention and demanded immediate w/drawal of UN resolutions

Reagan In Power ( 1981, and ended on January 20, 1989.)

January 20, 1981, and ended on January 20, 1989. Reagan, a Republican from California, took office following his landslide victory over Democrat incumbent president Jimmy Carter and independent congressman John B.

USA Involvement

• funding began at 20-30 million per year in 1980 to 630 milion per year in 1987

Operation Cyclone (1979 to 1989)

United States Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) covert program to arm and finance the Afghan mujahideen (Islamic rebels) in Afghanistan from 1979 to 1989, before and during the Soviet Union's military intervention in support of the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan

Reagan Doctrine

to overwhelm the global influence of the USSR in an attempt to end the Cold War.

• USA provided covert and overt aid to anti-communist guerrillas and ressitent movements to roll back Soviet backed communist gov in Asia and Africa

Stinger Missiles (1986)

played a key role in shooting down helicopters

• 1987 summer USSR lost 270 aircrafts

Pakistan intervention

• hosted 1.5 million aFGHAND

• Emphasized islamic ideology in which the war was a Jiad

• supplied food, medical supplies and shelter to Afghan refugees

PakistanImpacts on Warfare

• aopted hit and rund tactics, ambushes and sabotage operations from the pakistan intelligence service

• pakistan gov helped provide US made weapons wuch as the FM-92 and the stinger missiles which weakened

• Pakistan had traning and millitary camps for Mujahideen soldiers

  • many SOLDIRES OPERATED, RETRATED, REGROUPED AND RESUPPLIED IN Pakistan

  • Soviets did not want to invade there ==> did not want to escalate to a global war

Saudi Arabia

• matched US in fund to about 20 million per month

  • allowed mujahideen to invest more money in military

  • sentiment that the Mujahideen was strong because they were backed by neighboring countires

  • relieved pressure from Mujahideen

People’s Republic of China

• millitary aid: supplied mujahideen w/ small arms, anti-aircraft, weapons and ammunition

  • manufactured AK 47 and motars

• aid exceeded 400 million dollars

  • contributed to soviet union over extension

  • milliatry advisors from China would help in advising Mujahideen in Guerrilla warfare tactics in Pakistan

Mikhail Gorbachev (1985-1991)

Gorbachev became the Soviet leader in 1985 and, recognizing the costly and unpopular nature of the war, announced the withdrawal of Soviet troops from Afghanistan in 1987.

Geneva Accords (1988)

After years of fighting and international pressure, the Soviet Union, the United States, Pakistan, and Afghanistan signed the Geneva Accords in 1988, which stipulated the Soviet withdrawal. 

• Soviet Withdrawal:

  The Soviet Union began withdrawing its troops in 1987 and completed the withdrawal on February 15, 1989. 

• Consequences:

  The Soviet withdrawal led to the collapse of the communist regime in Afghanistan and the rise of the mujahideen, who later formed the Taliban.