Soviet invasion of Afghanistan

• President Kennedy was assassinated in 1963 in Dallas Texas - by someone with connections with Cuba, Khrushchev lost the confidence of some of the hard liners in the country who had wanted a much tougher stance. China and Cuba had also voiced concerns that he had not been tough enough. He was replaced as leader by the hard liner Leonid Brezhnev. 
• Afghanistan had become Communist following a revolution in 1978 in which the Communist Peoples Democratic Party of Afghanistan seized control from the Afghan government. They were led by Nur TARAKI. He made Afghanistan Communist over his 18 months in charge, which had been a traditional, conservative and deeply Islamic country. He set about Soviet economic reforms and he imprisoned, tortured and killed members of the older Islamic elite as well as any others who would oppose him.
• In September 1979, Taraki was overthrown himself by his own Deputy Prime Minister Amin. However, islamic fervour was leading to a new and very powerful movement of Islamic warrior called the MUJAHIDEEN. These were grass roots Afghans (and others of Islamic faith) who were dedicated to a JIHAD (Holy war) against the Soviet occupation.

  
  

  Amin was relying on Soviet aid but at the same time was attempting to make better ties with the USA.
• The Soviet leader BREZHNEV was becoming increasingly concerned about events in Afghanistan - He had reason to fear Islamic fundamentalism as there were millions of Soviet citizens who were Islamic and could be inspired by this new movement. The USSR believed the end of 1979 was the time to strike. America was burdened by economic problems. Many of its diplomats were trapped in Iran due to a hostage situation. Its President Carter was seen to be weak and ineffective and an election was coming up which would remove him. The Soviets judged it the right time to strike
• On Christmas day 1979 the USSR invaded Afghanistan with 50,000 troops. Their excuse was that it was to restore order in the country and protect the Communist government from the Islamic insurgency. Brezhnev claimed he was acting to protect his neighbour. Amin was soon assassinated and a Soviet puppet leader called KAMAL was put in power and maintained by the USSR.
• The MUJAHIDEEN grew bigger and more powerful. Many government troops defected to the Mujahideen. Islamic fighters around the world went to Afghanistan due to the call of Jihad. Finally the USA was secretly financing and arming the Mujahideen to be a hugely effective Guerrilla force -One which would drag almost 100,000 Soviet troops into the conflict but also undermine the entire Communist world.
• • The West was appalled at the invasion. Conservative leaders in the US accused the Soviets  of using Detente as a trick to rearm and strengthen their global position.
  • The US and several other nations refused to attend the 1980 Olympics in Moscow in response to the Soviet invasion
  • Detente ended and a New Cold War began with several years of tension and hostility during the early 1980's . Treaties such as SALT II were abandoned by the USA. Grain and other materials from the US to the USSR were stopped.
• • President Carter, a moderate American President was deeply damaged by the invasion. He was seen to be a weak American President before this - He lost the Presidential election to the much more hard line and conservative Republican Ronald Reagan who was determined to defeat the Soviet 'Evil Empire' 
• • The United States ordered that the CIA increase intelligence and aid Mujahideen forces. The American Government secretly provided up to $3 Billion of aid including expertise, intelligence and weaponry to the Mujahideen fighters. Stinger missile technology was hugely successful in bringing down Soviet helicopters . This was all part of Operation Cyclone aimed at destroying the Soviet forces in Afghanistan. 
• • The war lasted 10 years and held down over 100,000 Soviet troops in a hugely expensive operation that led to the deaths of over 15,000 soldiers and 2 million Afghans. 
  • The war would damage the reputation and economy of the USSR in much the same way as Vietnam in the US. 
  • In the longer term the war would empower Islamic Fundamentalism and increase the power of the call to Jihad. This would haunt America in the next century. 
  • Nuclear tension rose especially around Germany where the US were stationing missiles and holding war games.