Islamic fundamentalists had taken over Iran's government in 1979 and the USSR did not want Muslim fundamentalism to spread through the Soviet Union as the Soviet government believed in atheism
What did Afghanistan act as between the USSR and Iran?
Buffer zone
What were the events of the invasion of Afghanistan?
September 1979: Hafizullah Amin led a pro-Soviet government
Pro-Muslim groups attempted to overthrow him
Amin started talking to the USA to gain their support
24th Dec 1979: USSR invaded Afghanistan on the claim that Amin had invited them and asked for their support
27th Dec 1979: Amin was assassinated
Amin was replaced by Babrak Kamal who was a pro-Soviet leader
USSR remained in Afghanistan until 1989
What were the consequences of the invasion of Afghanistan?
The USA supported the Mujahideen (rebel fighters) with weapons and money
Creation of the Carter Doctrine: The USA would not allow the USSR to take oil from the Middle East and they would use force to prevent the USSR from taking control of the Gulf region
Detente was over
60 countries boycotted the 1980 Moscow Olympics
USA withdrew from SALT II
Economic sanction were imposed on the USSR: The USA stopped exportation of grain to the USSR
