The Soviet-Afghan War began in 1978 when the Soviet Union intervened to support the communist government in Afghanistan against anti-communist mujahideen rebels. The intervention sparked condemnation from Western nations and the US began supporting the mujahideen to resist the Soviets. The war led to over 1 million Afghan deaths and the withdrawal of Soviet troops in 1989, marking the beginning of the end of the Soviet Union. For Afghanistan, it was the beginning of decades of continued conflict.

1. USSR Afghan War
-the Soviet’s Vietnam-
1978-1992
Daniel Hennessey, with help from various
historians and TV documentaries

2. VIPs
• Prince Mohammoud Daoud- King Zahir’s
cousin; once Priminister (fired); then again Prime
Minister and President (killed)
• PDPA- People’s Democratic Party of Afganistan
• Babrak Karmal- intellectual, co-founder of
PDPA
• Hafizullah Amin-PDPA member
• Nur Mohammad Taraki- PDPA leader

3. Causes

4. Even though Russia and Afghanistan had
a long history, going back to Tsarist
expansions,
There was no major long term factor(s)
that sparked the afghan conflict.
Unlike the 1st or 2nd World Wars, the Afghan conflict was a
result of short and immediate sparks, not long gradual
build up process

5. Background

6. • 1964: King Zahir initiated liberal constitution that permitted multi-party
elections.
PDPA formed in January 1965.
Babrak Karmal- elected to parliament
Hafizullah Amin- elected to parliament
• 1973 July 17: Military coup allowed Daoud to return to power; he dissolved
the monarchy, and established a Republic with himself as President and
Prime Minister.
• 1978 Spring Saur Coup: Daoud, already unpopular with economic and
social reforms attempts to rid suspected opponents from his government.
He tried to eliminate the PDPA by purging it’s leaders, yet was met by a
mob and coup and Daoud was killed. PDPA leader Nur Mohammad
Taraki declared the establishment of the Democratic Republic of
Afghanistan and announced himself as President, with Babrak Karmal as
deputy Prime Minister, and Hafizullah Amin as a leader of high position
• THIS NEW GOVERNMENT WAS THAT OF A LEFT-WING SOCIALIST
GOVERNMENT

7. • Taraki promoted the establishment of full women's rights and
the implementation of land reform. The great majority of the
people were peasants and had no jobs, and thus the socialist
leaders (abdul rashid for one) felt it a good idea to give the people
their land and let them work it, since Afghanistan was a agricultural
land. Women were told to not wear the veil, and they were
educated side by side with the men, many felt threatened and
widespread resistance to them began in the summer of 1978.
• Taraki Hafizullah’s prime minister Amin was the
“iron man” of the reforms. He was extremely harsh
and executed those to resisted the change.
Becoming increasingly unpopular amongst the
Soviets, Taraki and the people of Afghanistan, with
his terror campaigns, Taraki and the Soviet’s met,
and decided to oust him. However the plans were
leaked, and Amin had Taraki seized and killed
when he returned from his meetings.

8. • SIGNIFICANCE OF THE SAUR COUP:
socialist government formed

9. • Aware that he was losing favor with the Soviets, Amin
began to seek better relationships with the west, and the
USSR was increasingly concerned with him “flirting with
the Americans”
• After NATO had placed hundreds of their missiles near
the USSR, the Soviets felt it had little to lose
internationally and set their troops in and purged Amin,
replacing him with Karmal.
THE SOVIETS HAD INTERVEND,
AND BECAUSE THE SOVIETS INTERVENED,
THE USA ALSO DID

10. USA doesn’t like USSR
• “The purpose of coordinating with the Pakistanis will
be to make the Soviets bleed for as much and as
long as possible” – Zbigniew Brzenzinski (Former US
National Security Adviser)
• "It is entirely true that this was a war fought with our
gold and their blood”- Frank Anderson (Former CIA
Afghan Taskforce)

12. Why did USA intervene
Significance of Iran and it’s fall

13. Nature

14. The Soviet’s Vietnam…?

15. • Identical in political, economic, social and
military nature
• Soviets with overwhelming military
advantage, “hope to be over in a few
weeks”  Guerrillas the Mujahidin
(“Soldiers of God”) fought against
overwhelming odds to hold the Soviets

16. roughly quoted…
“it would be hard to use military force and
succeed in Afghan, one only has to look at
it’s history, it’s geography, and the resilient
nature of the Afghan people

17. Afghan Geography

18. Technology

20. Attitude of Soviets  Direct
reflection of nature?
• Soviets, much like the USA in Vietnam,
had no intention more a long war in
Afghan.

21. Criticism and Internationally
Relations
• The Soviet Interference was labeled an
invasion by Jimmy Carter and heavily
condemned by the United Nations
• The Afghan War also gave excuses for
countries in submission to the USSR to
rise out and rebel

22. Effect

23. Physical Loss
• 1 million Afghans died, over 5 million
misplaced (moved to neighboring
countries, etc)
• 15000 Soviets died, 37000 injured

24. Effect on countries:
Soviet Union: Beginning of the End
Afghan: Beginning of no end

25. Beginning of the End:
Soviets
The Red Army was not
“invincible”!
Change of Soviet
Thinking- did not have the
resources to maintain an
empire, and didn’t have
the desire to maintain
empire any longer

26. Beginning of No End:
Afghan
• The weapons and troops trained by the
USA, is now at war with the USA.