Soviet-Afghan War

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When the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan on December 1979, the goal was to help Afghan communist forces set up a communist government. The Soviet Union felt Afghanistan had key resources and a foothold in the Middle East to spread communist ideas. The result would be a war that the Soviet Union wishes it never got involved in and likened to their “Vietnam War”, meaning winning a number of battles but not the war like what happened to the U.S. in Vietnam. The background of the war, outcome of the war, and impact on the United States are key to understanding the Soviet-Afghan War.

The war began on December 27, 1979 when Soviet paratroopers invaded Kabul, Afghanistan. The Soviet troops made assaults on key positions like military and communication centers. The main objective was to kill Hafizullah Amin, who was the leader of Afghanistan after ordering the assassination of Nur Muhammad Taraki, who was the leader of the People’s Democratic Party of Afghanistan. The Soviets succeeded in killing Amin after assaulting his presidential palace and set up a “puppet government”. The “puppet government” would be led by Banner party leader Babrak Karmal. Karmal had no significant power in Afghanistan, only the Soviet army to keep him in power and control Afghanistan. Within weeks after the invasion, the People’s Democratic Party of Afghanistan would be ousted from the region and replaced by Soviet forces. Soviet forces would next encounter an enemy that hid in the mountains and fought with guerilla tactics. This Muslim rebellion group would be known as the Mujahideen.

The Mujahideen opposed the Soviets and Karmal government because both supported a communist government which rejected religion and wanted to modernize the government away ...

... middle of paper ...

...viet Union but in the end radical groups would turn on the U.S. with terrorist attacks.

The Soviet-Afghan War saw the end of communism but the rise of terrorism. Afghanistan would continue to be a breeding ground for terrorist groups and the U.S. would get involved in Afghanistan in 2001 to fight Taliban and Al Qaeda groups, who developed after the Soviet-Afghan War. Time can only tell if the United States will follow the same path as the Soviet Union in defeat.

Works Cited

"Soviet invasion of Afghanistan." Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. Encyclopædia Britannica, 2011. Web. 19 Apr. 2011.

"Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan." Guide to Russia. Web. 19 Apr. 2011.

Walton, John. "About the Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan | EHow.com." EHow | How to Videos, Articles & More - Trusted Advice for the Curious Life | EHow.com. Web. 19 Apr. 2011.

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