Flashpoints

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The Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan

In 1979, when the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan, its neighbour to the South, the USA responded aggressively.

The Afghan Civil War

Afghanistan sat on the Soviet Union's south border.
Nur Muhammad Taraki was the President of Afghanistan from 1978-1979.
In 1978, pro-Soviet soldiers led by Nur Mohammed Taraki overthrew the Afghani government and set up a communist state. The reforms were met with a violent reaction from local warlords. A civil war began.
Taraki signed a '20 Years of Friendship' treaty with the Soviet Union.
Then in October 1979, Taraki was killed as Afghan leaders battled for power. Hafizullah Amin became Afghan President, some think with Soviet blessing.

Soviet involvement in Afghanistan

According to the historian Braithwaite (2011), Amin was warned that the Soviets would try to topple him. As he died in the royal palace under Soviet attack in December 1979, he reportedly said "I guessed it. It's all true".
In December 1979, the Soviets invaded Afghanistan. The assault on the royal palace killed Amin.
The Soviets chose Babrak Karmal as the new President of Afghanistan.
Brezhnev chose to intervene with Soviet troops as he was worried that Afghanistan would become a US ally or an Islamist state (Ayatollah Khomeini had just taken over in Iran, which bordered Afghanistan).

The Afghan War, 1979-1989

The Soviet troops killed Amin and then ended up fighting the Mujahideen, a group of Afghan rebels for the next 10 years.
In November 1979, the US Embassy in Iran was attacked during the Iranian Revolution. The Iranian shah fled to the USA. Iran borders Afghanistan and Jimmy Carter was scared that Soviet influence could spread from Afghanistan to Iran.
- This could block off the USA's access to oil. Oil is vital to any manufacturing economy.

The Carter Doctrine, January 1980

In January 1980, Carter, the US President, broke off all relations with the Soviet Union.
The trade agreements made at Helsinki between the US and USSR were stopped.
The USA supported economic sanctions against the USSR.
Carter committed to using force in Iran and Afghanistan if needed.

A new era of confrontation and partners

In response to the invasion of Afghanistan, the USA formed new partnerships with Pakistan (next to Afghanistan) and Saudi Arabia (next to Iran).
The US gave the Afghan rebels, the Mujahideen money, and weapons. One of the Mujahideen to receive US support was Osama bin Laden, who was fighting against the Soviets in Afghanistan.
- Arms were secretly funneled to the Mujahideen (Afghan warlords) through Pakistan.

Problems Caused by the Afghan War

The failure of SALT 2

The USSR invaded Afghanistan just after the Vienna Conference. Although SALT 2 was signed by Brezhnev and Jimmy Carter, it was never ratified by the Senate and never became American law because of the invasion.

Nuclear tensions restart

After the invasion, the USA restarted its nuclear program and the USSR restarted its nuclear program. The SS20 and Pershing missiles were developed in the USSR and the USA respectively.

The Olympic boycotts

Moscow hosted the 1980 Olympic games. The USA refused to attend (boycotted).
Los Angeles hosted the 1984 Olympics. The USSR refused to attend (boycotted).

Long-term consequences

The USA was now funding the Mujahidin and its allies via Pakistan. Osama bin Laden was someone receiving American money to fight. He would orchestrate 9/11 20 years later.
The US population's distrust of the Soviet Union grew again. This helped Ronald Reagan, the actor, to win the Presidency in 1980. He was harsh towards communism and socialism.
The CIA estimate that the Afghan War cost the USSR 18bn Russian rubles between 1979 and 1986. The cost was a problem for the USSR which was struggling economically.

1The Cold War

1.1Early Tension

1.1.1The Grand Alliance

1.1.2Yalta & Potsdam Conferences

1.1.3Exam-Style Questions - Potsdam Conference

1.1.4Ideological Differences Between the Superpowers

1.1.5Early US-Soviet Relations

1.1.6End of Topic Test - Early Cold War Tension

1.1.7Grade 9 - Early Tension

1.2The Development of the Cold War

1.2.1The Truman Doctrine & Marshall Plan

1.2.2East-West Boundaries

1.2.3End of Topic Test - East & West

1.3The Cold War Intensifies

1.3.1The Arms Race

1.3.2The Hungarian Uprising

1.3.3End of Topic Test - Developing Tension

1.3.4Grade 9 - The Development of the Cold War

1.3.5Exam-Style Questions - Hungarian Uprising

1.4Cold War Crises, 1958–70

1.4.1The Berlin Wall

1.4.2Czechoslovakia

1.4.3The Cuban Missile Crisis

1.4.4End of Topic Test - Cold War Crises 1958-70

1.4.5Grade 9 - Cold War Crises

1.5Attempts to Reduce Tension Between East & West

1.5.1SALT & Helsinki

1.5.2End of Topic Test - SALT & Helsinki

1.5.3Grade 9 - SALT & Helsinki

1.5.4Exam-Style Questions - Helsinki Accords

1.6The End of the Cold War

1.6.1Flashpoints

1.6.2Reagan & Gorbachev

1.6.3The Collapse of Soviet Control

1.6.4End of Topic Test - Reducing Tensions and The End

1.6.5Grade 9 - The End of the Cold War

1.6.6Exam-Style Questions - Eastern Bloc Collapse

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