Superpower relations and the Cold War - The Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan

The Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan

The Soviet War in Afghanistan was a turning point for detente in the 1970s - it demolished the trust that had been so carefully built up between USA and USSR.

USSR got bogged down in a war in Afghanistan

In 1978, a civil war broke out in Afghanistan. Rebels were protesting at new radical reforms brought in by the Afghan communist government, which had close ties to the Soviet Union.

The Afghan government requested help from USSR, which invaded Afghanistan in December 1979. USSR used the Brezhnev Doctrine to justify the invasion. It was also concerned by the idea of an anti-Soviet government in Afghanistan, as the countries shared a border.

This decision turned out to be a disaster - USSR found itself in a seemingly unwinnable conflict.

It had to fight in difficult mountainous terrain against determined opposition, who were supplied with weapons by USA.

Around 1 million Afghan civilians were killed and over 6 million became refugees.

The war was disastrous for USSR

15,000 Soviet troops were killed and the government spent huge amounts of money, but USSR couldnt win.

The Soviet-Afghan War led to…