Détente + Afghanistan

• Detente


  A period of improved relations between the United States and the Soviet Union in the 1970s
• Afghanistan


  A country in Central Asia that was invaded by the Soviet Union in 1979
• 3 Agreements


  • Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty - Prevents other new countries from gaining nuclear technology in 1968
  • USA allows China into UN - 1971
  • Seabed Treaty - 1971 USA, USSR + 85 other countries agree not to use the seabed for testing weapons
• 3 Diplomatic Visits


  • US table tennis team played in China In May 1972
  • Nixon signed the SALT1 agreement in Moscow
  • Brezhnev visits Nixon in Washington June 1973
• Causes of Detente


  • Vocal CND movement and the US wanted to be more isolationist following the Vietnam
  • Arms Race was expensive
  • The price of Oil rocketed in the 1970s and both superpowers experienced economic problems
• Fundamentalist


  A person who believes in the strict, literal interpretation of scripture in a religion
• Mujahideen


  Guerrilla fighters in Afghanistan
• Jihadist


  A person/group involved in the struggle/fight against the enemies of Islam
• When the Detente ended

  Christmas Day 1979
• What happened in September 1979?

  • Anti-Soviet communist Hafizullah Amin seized power
  • Mujahideen declared a jihad on Amin's supporters
  • The USSR declared Amin was a CIA agent
• Why did the general population dislike Amin?

  • Many rejected it because his atheism was at odds with their Muslim faith
  • The government imprisoned, tortured, and killed Muslim religious leaders led to the formation of the Mujahideen
• How did Soviet use intimidation?

  • launch airborne and armored ground attacks to destroy villages, livestock, and crops in troublesome areas
  • bomb villages nearby guerrilla attacks
  • locals forced to flee to deprive guerrillas of resources
• How did the Russians use subversion?

  • Sending spies to join resistance groups and report information
  • bribing local tribes/leaders into ceasing
• How did the Russians use search and destroy?

  • Implemented using helicopter gunships that would provide cover for ground forces
  • When villages were occupied inhabitants were frequently interrogated/tortured
• How did the Russians use intelligence?

  • Soviets used KHAD (Afghan secret police) to gather intelligence/infiltrate the Mujahideen, Spread false information and brine tribal militias
• 125,000 troops did the USSR have
• USA condemned the invasion along with UN and China
• 1981-1987 The US supplied $3.2 billion of guns, missiles and money to the Mujahideen
• The CIA provided covert aid to Afghan resistance 6 months before the invasion
• All resources would go through Pakistan so the CIA and the USA had plausible deniability
• "Draw Russians into Afghan Trap"
• President Carter signed the first directive for secret aid to the opponents of the pro soviet regime in Kabul


  July 3rd 1979
• Carter announced he was extending the policy of containment to the Middle East
• Carter Doctrine


  announced that the USA was prepared to use force to stop any country gaining control in Middle East
• $4.2 billion after 1987 Doesn't include financial aid from China, SA and UK
• Impact on Afghanistan


  • 1 million civilians dead
  • 90,000 Mujahideen and 18,000 Afghan troops dead
  • 3 million refugees flee to Pakistan
  • Civil War raged as warlords battled over control
  • Taliban takes control in 1996
• Impact of USSR


  • 15,000 Soldiers dead
  • USSR bankruptcy led to collapse in 1989
  • Embarrassment war with a little chance of winning against guerilla fighters