Afghanistan History: Cold War--Soviet Invasion (1979-89)



Figure 1.--This young Soviet soldier was given flowers to make the point that the Soviets had been invited in to support a friendly government threatened by terrorists.

The Sovier War in Afghanistan is a conflict that spans the Cold War and the war on Islamic terrorism. America still had a Cold War fiocus, but the Islamic Revolution in neigboring Afghanistan occurred in the same year as the Soviet invasion. Soviet motivation was less clear cut. The Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan to support the beleagered communist regime (1979). Russian paratroopers landed in Kabul (December 1979). A civil war was raging between the Communist Government and much of the tradition-bound population in the countryside. Loyal Communist, Prime Minister Hazifullah Amin, was trying to uproot centuries of Islamic tradition and repace it with a Soviet-stle people's repulic. Much of the country was outraged. The Government arrested thousands of Muslim leaders and many more fled Kabul to the mountains in an effort to eavade Amin's secret police. It was not just a matter of tradition, Amin's communist government was atheist and wanted to pdopt atheist campaign. President Carter was shocked. His response was to boycott the Olympic Games held in Moscow. Thousands of Afghanis flocked to join the Mujahdeen, both to resist the Russians and to protect Islam. They were determined to overthrow of the Amin government. The Mujahedin declared jihad, holy war , on the Russians and Amin. The Soviets claimed that they had been invited in by the independent Amin government and that they were protecting a friendly government from the Mujahdeen that they saw as terrorists. The Soviets and their Afghan allies proved both brutal and increasingly unpopular. Disatisgied with Amin's performance, the Soviets shot him and installed Babrak Kamal. Besieged in the countryside, Kamal was totally dependent of the Soviets. Many soldiers in the Soviet equipped Afghan Army deserted to join the Mujahdeen. Kamal needed 85,000 Soviet soldiers to remain in power. The Soviets were able to control the cities, but at first not the countryside. Soviet airpower gradually gained increasing control and wreaked heavy casualties on the Mujahedin. An unlikely partnership between Texas congressman Charlie Wilson and the CIA saw to it that the Mujahideen got Stinger missles. This erased the Soviet airpower factor. And without it the Soviets could not extert effective control beyond the cities. After 10 years of bitter fighting, the Soviets finally withdrew (1989). They left their Afghani allies to their fate. Few would have guessed at the time of the Soviet invasion that this poor, isolated central Asian country would play a major role in the Cold War and set uin motion a chain of events that woukd lead to the end of the Cold War and the duisolution of the Soviet Union.

Cold War/War on Terrorism

The Sovier War in Afghanistan is a conflict that spans the Cold War and the war on Islamic terrorism. America at the time still had a Cold War focus, but the Islamic Revolution in neigboring Afghanistan occurred in the same year as the Soviet invasion. And the Soviet pull out vame in the same year as the fall of the Berlin Wall. Few Americans could have imagined that elements of the same Mujahedin they saved would launch the 9-11 trror attack two decades later. Soviet motivation was less clear cut.

Beleagered Communist Regime

The Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan to support the beleagered communist regime (1979). After years of medling in Afghani affairs, the Soviet Union invaded the country in 1979. The rebellion in the countryside had begun to threaten the PDPA Government. The Soviets were not prepared to let a fratenal socialist reime fall. Russian paratroopers landed in Kabul (December 1979). A civil war was raging between the Communist Government and much of the tradition-bound population in the countryside. Loyal Communist, Prime Minister Hazifullah Amin, was trying to uproot centuries of Islamic tradition and repace it with a Soviet-style people's republic.

Afghan Resistance

Much of the still very traditional country was outraged. The Government arrested thousands of Muslim leaders and many more fled Kabul to the mountains in an effort to evade Amin's secret police. It was not just a matter of tradition, Amin's communist government was atheist and wanted to adopt atheist campaign.

World Reaction

The United Nations immediately condemned the invasion (January 1980). A Security Council motion calling for the withdrawal of Russian forces was vetoed by of course the Soviet Union. President Carter was shocked. The United states banned grain exports to the Soviets. Russua had been an important grain exporter, but Soviet agriculture could not even feed its own population. to Russia, ended the SALT talks taking place then and boycotted the 1980 Olympic Games in Moscow. Carter was unwilling ton go furthe to challenge the Soviets. The United States gave little attention to Afghanistan, even after the PDPA coup. American focus in the region was focused on the Islamic Revolution which overthrew long-time ally Mohammed Resa Shah Pahlevi. he Soviets for their part claimed that they had been invited in by the independent Amin government and that they were protecting a friendly government from the Mujahdeen that they saw as terrorists.

The Mujahedin

Thousands of Afghanis flocked to join the Mujahdeen, both to resist the Russians and to protect Islam. They were determined to overthrow of the Amin government. Islamic fundamentalist groups began organizing and became the core of an evolving guerilla warfare. Afghani resistance lacking military training and modern weapons was at first inefectual in the face of Soviet power. The Mujahdin declared jihad, holy war, on the Russians and Amin. Many soldiers in the Soviet equipped Afghan Army deserted to join the Mujahedin. The Mujahdeen proved to be a formidable opponent, if poorly organized and armed. They were equipped with a hodge-podge of old rifles, but an intimate knowledge of the local terraine, especially the critical area around Kabul. Their lack of central organization may have been an advantage, making it difficult for the Soviets to root them out. One estimate suggests that the Mujahedin controlled 75 percent of the country (1982).

Panshir Valley

The Panshir Valley is situated northeast of Kabul and surrounded by the famed Hindu Kush mountains. The Panjshir Valley has played a major role in struggle for Afghanistan because it was located so close to Kabul. The Valley was also strategically located along the main road goes to Tajikistan and the Khawak Pass. Mujahideen commander Masoud organized a legendary resistance to the Soviets from the Valley and became known as the Lion of Panjshir. After the withdrawl of the Soviets, the Panshir Valley became the power base for the Northern Aalliance. The Panjshir River runs through the Valley which is dominated by peaks of up to 2,000 meters.

Soviet Opeations

The Soviets and their Afghan allies proved both brutal and increasingly unpopular. Soviet officials were disturbed by the ineffectiveness of the PDPA radical wing. They turned over the Goverment to Karmal who led the moderate PDPA wing. Disatisgied with Amin's performance, the Soviets shot him and installed Babrak Kamal. The Soviets under estimated the strength of the ressistance. Assiciation with Russian invaders only made the PDPA more unpopular. As a result, the Soviets were forced to deploy more and more forces to prop up the PDPA regime. Besieged in the countryside, Kamal was totally dependent of the Soviets. Kamal needed 85,000 Soviet soldiers to remain in power. The Soviets were able to control the cities, but at first not the countryside. Soviet airpower gradually gained increasing control and wreaked heavy casualties on the Mujahedin. The Soviets unleased their formidable fore power on the Afghans, including napalm, poison gas and helicopter gun ships. Soviet operations proved that the Red Armyb had feet of clay. The young draftees had no commitment to the War and were poorly trained. They had not of the zeal of the Muhajadin.

American Support

The Soviet invasion changed American thinking about Afghanistan and the Cold War. President Reagan replaced President Carter a year after the invasion. He was less willing to accept what the Soviets did. Although President Reagan was at first unwilling to give the Mujahedin what they needed. An unlikely partnership between Texas congressman Charlie Wilson and the CIA saw to it that the Mujahideen got Stinger missles. This erased the Soviet airpower factor. And without it the Soviets could not extert effective control beyond the cities. Covert American assistance helped to invigorate the Islamic resistance or Mujahadeen. The Mujahadeen were able to operate from safe-haven camps set up by the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and Pakistani Intelligence (PI) across the border in Pakistan. Soviet air power had prived very effective in the early years of the occupation. Once provided with modern weapons, especially hand-held Stinger missles, through American and Pakistani covert operations, the Mujahadeen were even able to contest control of the air. This left isolated Soviet outposts increasungly vulnerable. Soviet casualties steadily increased. The Mujahadeen were not only supported by the Americans and Pakistanis. The Saudis and Persian Gulf Emirates also contributed billions of dollars to finance the resistace. Thousands of Arabs responded to the Mujahadeen’s call for jihad against the infidel Soviet invaders. The Soviet military gradually became discouraged. They were able to hold the major cities, but were unable to maintain control of the country side.

Soviet Withdrawl

The War proved unpopular in the Soviet Union, especially when General Secrtary Mikhail Gorbechov's Glasnost campaign permitted accurate reports to appear in the Soviet press. The situation in Afghanistan began to be shown in a truthful way on Soviet television. After 10 years of bitter fighting, the Soviets finally withdrew (1989). Gorbachev realised what many Russian leaders had been unwilling to admit, that the military could not win the war and the cost of maintaining such a large force in Afghanistan was straining the Soviet Unions moribund economy. The Soviets left their Afghani Communist allies to their fate.

Fall of the PDPA (1992)

The PDPA was on its own after the Soviet withdrawl (1989). American interest in Afghanistan was largely associated with resistance to the Soviet Union. The CIA operation was thus wound down. The PDPA probably would have been defeated earlier, but different Mujahadeen factions began fighting each other as much as the PDPA. The Mujahadeen finally defeated the PDPA and entered Kabul (1992). The country, however, was in chaos because of the different Mujahadin factions an war lords.

End of the Cold War Beginning of the War on Terror

Few even late in the 20th century would have guessed that isolated Afghanistan would play major role in both ending the Cold War and in the developing Terrorist asault on the West.Few would have guessed at the time of the Soviet invasion that this poor, isolated central Asian country would play a major role in the Cold War and set uin motion a chain of events that woukd lead to the end of the Cold War and the disolution of the Soviet Union.







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Created: 5:39 AM 11/21/2013
Last updated: 6:06 AM 4/17/2019