The Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan in 1979 to prop up the communist government that came to power after a 1978 revolution. However, many Afghans opposed communist rule and fought back as mujahedeen rebels in a civil war. The Soviet invasion was intended to ensure communist control and give the Soviets access to oil, but they faced guerrilla warfare tactics from the mujahedeen. After 10 years of fighting, the costly and unwinnable war became a disaster for the Soviets similar to the US in Vietnam, and Soviet troops withdrew in 1989.

3. LEARNING INTENTIONS
• Explain why the Soviet Union invaded
Afghanistan
• Describe the problems this invasion
caused the Soviet Union

5. Russian involvement Afghanistan goes back to the
1800s and the ‘Great Game’ played with the UK. But
why did the Soviets invade Afghanistan in 1979?

6. In 1978 a revolution in
Afghanistan led to a
Communist government
taking over.
Unsurprisingly, this
Communist government was
supported by the Soviet
Union, found on
Afghanistan’s border.

7. In the 1970s, the USA
and Soviet Union had
been involved in many
disagreements in this
area of the world.
This included the USA
signing agreements with
Israel and Egypt, and
also Saudi Arabia.

8. Not everyone in
Afghanistan supported
the revolution and
Communist control.
Many people wanted an
Islamic government. This
group was called the
Mujahedeen. This divide
caused a civil war in
Afghanistan.

9. The Soviet Union
badly wanted to keep
the Communist
government in power.
This was important to
promote
communism, but also
to give the Soviets
good access to oil.

10. In December 1979 the
Soviet Union invaded
Afghanistan.
They claimed the
Communist government
had invited them
(meaning not really an
invasion) but the USA
was very angry.

11. The invasion led to the
end of détente.
A symbol of this was the
Olympic Games; the USA
refused to compete in
Moscow in 1980 and the
Soviet Union did
likewise at the Los
Angeles games in 1984.

12. The Soviets would
ultimately stay in
Afghanistan for ten
years (leaving in 1989).
Many people have said
that this was a big a
disaster for the Soviets
as Vietnam had been for
the USA.

13. The Soviet Army was
simply not prepared to
fight such a war.
Like in Vietnam, the
Afghan rebels fought a
guerrilla war. Their
knowledge of the country
made them hard to find
and kill.

14. The Soviet soldiers did
not have the resources
they needed to fight
this type of war.
Army boots lasted only a
few days in the Afghan
mountains. And Russian
tanks were of use in
such terrain.

15. Again like the USA, the
Soviet used mass bombing
as a tactic.
As they bombed poor
rural areas, millions of
Afghans fled the
country, moving to
Pakistan and Iran.

16. At the same time the
USA was secretly
funding and training
the Afghan rebels.
This was partly to
stop a Communist
government, and also
revenge for Russian
actions in Vietnam.

17. Many people argue the
USA’s actions
ultimately hurt them.
It was been claimed –
although the USA
disputes this – that
one rebel trained and
funded by the USA was
Osama Bin Laden.

18. Just like the US in
Vietnam, the Soviets
ultimately had to withdraw
from Afghanistan.
It became clear they could
not win, they could not
afford it and in 1989
Soviet leader Mikhail
Gorbachev ended the
invasion.