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Soviet invasion of Afghanistan: Background and impacts

Soviet invasion of Afghanistan: Background and impacts. 1979-1989. Population: 13.9 million (1979 est) Ethnicity: 40% Pashtun (11 subcategories), 25% Tajik, 18% Hazara, 6% Uzbek Religion: 80% Sunni, 19% Shia Muslim, 1% other

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Soviet invasion of Afghanistan: Background and impacts

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  1. Soviet invasion of Afghanistan: Background and impacts 1979-1989

  2. Population: 13.9 million (1979 est) • Ethnicity: 40% Pashtun (11 subcategories), 25% Tajik, 18% Hazara, 6% Uzbek • Religion: 80% Sunni, 19% Shia Muslim, 1% other • 1973: Zahir Shah overthrown by Daoud Khan. Former PM who strengthened ties with Soviet Union. • President Khan, implements progressive agenda, Western foreign policy • GDP per capita increases 70%+ between 1973 and 1978 Afghanistan Rising

  3. Main Opposition: People’s Democratic Party of Afghanistan • PDPA has two factions: Khal and Parcham • Assassination of Mir Akbar Khyber (Parcham) April 17, 1978 • Soviets provide military intelligence (GRU), financial backing • April 28 1979 Daoud and family assassinated in presidential palace • In power PDPA, implements radical Socialist agenda killing elites/Islamic radicals and repressing traditional culture • Dec 1978 friendship treaty with Soviets • Sept 1979 PDPA General Secretary/President Nur Taraki killed by Deputy Hafizullah Amin Dino (democratic in name only)

  4. 1979, Ismail Khan starts Islamist rebellion in Herat • Spreads to 24/28 provinces in matter of months • Radical communist element kidnap, murder US ambassador Adolph Dubs in Feburary • By 1980 half of 80,000 Afghan army deserts • Brezhnev Doctrine: “When forces that are hostile to socialism try to turn the development of some socialist country towards capitalism, it becomes not only a problem of the country concerned, but a common problem and concern of all socialist countries” Creeping islam

  5. Rumored to be drunk Leonid Brezhnev orders invasion in December 1979 • 100,000 Soviet troops descend into Afghanistan with 1,800 tanks and 2,000 armored vehicles • Soviets special forces assassinate Amin, occupy gov’t buildings • Major cities, strategic infrastructure easily held by Soviet forces • Rugged countryside sees heavy fighting. Mujahideen hide in mountain landscape Soviets Fight Sharia

  6. Heats up the Cold War • US CIA and British MI6 give billions in arms, intelligence to mujahedeen • Chinese directly trained, provided hundreds of millions in arms to mujahedeen • Saudi Arabia gives billions in support, thousands of fighters • Pakistan acts as proxy for support. Inter-Services Intelligence nightmare begins due to RAM Rational Actor Model International involvement

  7. Soviet public opinion turns against the war • 60,000 casualties in a distant war • Soviet military brass receive the latest tanks, guns, planes and get to experiment with tactics requiring diversion of untold billions from domestic economy • Halted détente and technological assistance from West • Discredited Red Army, unifies veterans weakening communist hold on power, non-Russian soviets unified in Russian opposition • Withdrawal starts Jan 1987 under Gorbachev. Last troops out Feb 1989 Bakhretdin Khakimov Graveyard of empires: Impact within soviet union

  8. Destroyed any chance of further nuclear disarmament SALT II IN 1979 • Makes Pakistan crucial Western ally, gets billion in aid • Chills relations with India-West • Mujaideen still retain billions of dollars worth of military training, and weapons. Taliban creates radical Islamic state. Global impact

  9. What was the one unifying force that connected 99% of Afghanis? • Name any one of the 4 Afghani head of states covered in the presentation • True or false: The Soviets more easily took control of Afghan infrastructure/urban centers than the rugged countryside • What is one impact the conflict had in the Soviet Union? • Name one country that supported the Mujahedeen fighters in their efforts against the Soviets Quiz

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