A

FGHANISTAN WAR

) 1979-88 (S

OVIET AFGHAN

By: Anmol Gupta & Bavika Atputhajeyam

G

ENERAL

O

VERVIEW

 Duration 10 years     Started on Dec. 27 th , 1979 Afghans (Mujahideens) used guerilla warfare to drive the Soviets out Result: stalemate => Soviets forced to withdraw 1988 – Ceasefire   1989 – Soviets withdrew Ended on Feb. 15 th , 1989

C

AUSES

   Soviets – expand communism to neighbouring countries Afghanistan – Marxist government was opposed by many Afghans 1978 - Overthrow of Afghan central gov’t and a Marxist gov’t was placed.  Rebellion of Mujahideens => Soviets intervention in 1979

K

EY PLAYERS

 Communists: USSR & Afghan Government    Anti-Communists: Mujahideens, US, UK, Pakistan Leaders: US =>President Jimmy Carter (1979 81), President Ronald Reagan (1982 – 88) USSR =>Leonoid Brezhnev (USSR) (1979-82), Yuri Andropov (1982-84), Konstantin Chernenko (1984-85), Mikhail Gorbachev (1985-88)

M

OTIVATIONS

/

GOALS

Soviets

    Geographic benefits: Access of Indian Ocean through India Trade with India Natural resources: iron, natural gas, uranium, copper Goal: Make Afghanistan communist and get rid of the mujahideens

Afghans

 Saw Soviets invasion as a threat to their culture and religion – engage in “jihad” (holy war)

E

VENTS

 Taraki Regime in Afghanistan    A jihad against communism launches Brezhnev Doctrine: Right of S.U. to militarily get involved to prevent the overthrow of a neighbouring communist government. 1979 – Soviet control over cities    1980-81 - Mujahideen took control of countryside 1982 – war was at a stalemate 1982-83 - Soviets tried to eliminate the opposition by bombing areas

E

VENTS

C

ONT

    1983 – US, UK, Saudi Arabia became supporters of Mujahideens Foreign aid was received from US 1984-88 – Mujahideens gained the upperhand through shipments of weapons such as shoulder fired anti aircraft missiles from US and UK through Pakistan 1985 – Soviets close in on Kabul

E

VENTS

C

ONT

  Early 1989 – US, Pakistan, Afghanistan and S.U. signed an agreement to withdraw Soviet troops and return Afghanistan to peace Soviets, with the leadership of Michael Gorbachev, agreed to withdraw troops within a 10 month period  Mujahideen take over Kabul

US’

S VIEW ON THE WAR

   President Jimmy Carter believed that Soviet’s action was a “blatant violation of accepted international rules of behaviour” Limitied his sales with the USSR Following Carter, President Ronald Reagen despised the Soviets even more and referred to them as the “evil empire”