Source: https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/history/ocr/1-3-2-consequences-of-the-soviet-war-in-afghanistan

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# Consequences of the Soviet War in Afghanistan

History: OCR A GCSE Cold War & International Relations, topic 1.3.2

## Consequences of The Soviet War in Afghanistan

The Soviet War in Afghanistan led to the rise of the Taliban and Al-Qaeda.

### Islam under threat

![Islam under threat](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-05/2f2ee439-c769-4f18-8a83-fc92fd4ac059/shutterstock_284947334.jpg)

- After the end of the Cold War, there were many in Afghanistan, especially among the Mujahidin, who believed Islam was under threat from the West and other more moderate Islamic states. 
- The movement to protect Islam was known as Al-Qaeda.

### Al-Qaeda

![Al-Qaeda](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-05/e1e989e0-bb26-4ed4-b141-1ffac30b36c7/shutterstock_234955948.jpg)

- Osama Bin Laden was the most significant leader of Al-Qaeda.
- Bin Laden was from Saudi Arabia but turned against the USA when his country took the Americans’ support over his after the Kuwait invasion. 
- The Taliban was a similar group, supported by Al-Qaeda, which was operating in Afghanistan. 
- It ruled Afghanistan when the US invaded in the 2000s.

## Al-Qaeda's Attacks

During the 1990s, Al-Qaeda launched a series of increasingly sophisticated attacks on Western targets.

### 1998

![1998](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-05/782660e4-1222-4bb2-990a-d2feb152f221/shutterstock_602432423.jpg)

- Truck bombing outside the US Embassy in Nairobi, Kenya, killed 213 and injured 4,600.

### 2000

![2000](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-05/62fed648-e997-43ba-ab7b-8a0e83c6f1dd/shutterstock_137382200.jpg)

- The US ship USS Cole was attacked by suicide bombers, with 17 crew killed.

### 2001

![2001](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-05/149dbf0b-5fe5-43ae-ab1a-a6afd36a7d58/shutterstock_650176444.jpg)

- When two planes struck the twin towers of New York’s World Trade Center on 9/11 (11th September), 2,606 were killed.
- A further 125 people died when a third plane hit the Pentagon (the US military headquarters in Washington, D.C.). 
- A fourth plane, headed for the White House, crashed into woodland in Pennsylvania.

## Test yourself on Consequences of the Soviet War in Afghanistan

- Who was the most significant leader of Al-Qaeda?
- What is the name of the group similar to Al-Qaeda that operates in Afghanistan?
- Which of the following is true about the movement to protect Islam after the end of the Cold War?
- Al-Qaeda's Attacks on Western Targets
- What name is commonly given to the plane attacks on New York's World Trade Center, the Pentagon and attempted attack on the White House?

[Practise this topic for free](https://app.senecalearning.com/classroom/course/2536af80-4f7c-11e8-9781-7528a1e10f88/section/d9e736d0-4f8a-11e8-b6ad-f959df250930/session)

- Previous topic: [1.3.1 Reagan & Gorbachev](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/history/ocr/1-3-1-reagan-and-gorbachev.md)
- Next topic: [1.3.3 End of Topic Test - End of the Cold War to 9/11](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/history/ocr/1-3-3-end-of-topic-test-end-of-the-cold-war-to-911.md)

## History: OCR A GCSE Cold War & International Relations contents

### 1 Key Topics
- 1.1 Conflict & Cooperation 1918-1939
  - [1.1.1 The Treaty of Versailles](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/history/ocr/1-1-1-the-treaty-of-versailles.md)
  - [1.1.2 The Terms of Versailles 1](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/history/ocr/1-1-2-the-terms-of-versailles-1.md)
  - [1.1.3 The Terms of Versailles 2](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/history/ocr/1-1-3-the-terms-of-versailles-2.md)
  - [1.1.4 Versailles & the League of Nations](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/history/ocr/1-1-4-versailles-and-the-league-of-nations.md)
  - [1.1.5 LoN Successes & Failures](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/history/ocr/1-1-5-lon-successes-and-failures.md)
  - [1.1.6 LoN Failure - Upper Silesia](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/history/ocr/1-1-6-lon-failure-upper-silesia.md)
  - [1.1.7 LoN Failure - Corfu & Washington](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/history/ocr/1-1-7-lon-failure-corfu-and-washington.md)
  - [1.1.8 End of Topic Test - Treaties and Agreements](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/history/ocr/1-1-8-end-of-topic-test-treaties-and-agreements.md)
  - [1.1.9 The Great Depression](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/history/ocr/1-1-9-the-great-depression.md)
  - [1.1.10 Tension in Europe in the 1930s](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/history/ocr/1-1-10-tension-in-europe-in-the-1930s.md)
  - [1.1.11 WWII & Failure of the League of Nations](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/history/ocr/1-1-11-wwii-and-failure-of-the-league-of-nations.md)
  - [1.1.12 End of Topic Test - Tension in the 1930s](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/history/ocr/1-1-12-end-of-topic-test-tension-in-the-1930s.md)
  - [1.1.13 Grade 9 - Conflict & Cooperation](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/history/ocr/1-1-13-grade-9-conflict-and-cooperation.md)
- 1.2 The Cold War 1945-c.1989
  - [1.2.1 Emerging US-Soviet Rivalry](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/history/ocr/1-2-1-emerging-us-soviet-rivalry.md)
  - [1.2.2 Communism in the 20th Century](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/history/ocr/1-2-2-communism-in-the-20th-century.md)
  - [1.2.3 The Truman Doctrine & Marshall Plan](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/history/ocr/1-2-3-the-truman-doctrine-and-marshall-plan.md)
  - [1.2.4 East-West Alliances](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/history/ocr/1-2-4-east-west-alliances.md)
  - [1.2.5 Berlin Crises](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/history/ocr/1-2-5-berlin-crises.md)
  - [1.2.6 The End of the Berlin Wall](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/history/ocr/1-2-6-the-end-of-the-berlin-wall.md)
  - [1.2.7 End of Topic Test - East & West](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/history/ocr/1-2-7-end-of-topic-test-east-and-west.md)
  - [1.2.8 Build-up to the Cuban Missile Crisis](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/history/ocr/1-2-8-build-up-to-the-cuban-missile-crisis.md)
  - [1.2.9 The Cuban Missile Crisis](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/history/ocr/1-2-9-the-cuban-missile-crisis.md)
  - [1.2.10 Cold War Conflict - Vietnam](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/history/ocr/1-2-10-cold-war-conflict-vietnam.md)
  - [1.2.11 Cold War Conflict - Afghanistan](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/history/ocr/1-2-11-cold-war-conflict-afghanistan.md)
  - [1.2.12 End of Topic Test - The Cold War 1945-1989](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/history/ocr/1-2-12-end-of-topic-test-the-cold-war-1945-1989.md)
  - [1.2.13 Grade 9 - The Cold War](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/history/ocr/1-2-13-grade-9-the-cold-war.md)
  - [1.2.14 Diagnostic Misconceptions - Russia vs USSR](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/history/ocr/1-2-14-diagnostic-misconceptions-russia-vs-ussr.md)
  - [1.2.15 Diagnostic Misconceptions - Stalin & the Atom Bomb](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/history/ocr/1-2-15-diagnostic-misconceptions-stalin-and-the-atom-bomb.md)
  - [1.2.16 Diagnostic Misconceptions - The Iron Curtain](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/history/ocr/1-2-16-diagnostic-misconceptions-the-iron-curtain.md)
  - [1.2.17 Diagnostic Misconceptions - The Truman Doctrine](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/history/ocr/1-2-17-diagnostic-misconceptions-the-truman-doctrine.md)
  - [1.2.18 Diagnostic Misconceptions - USSR vs Eastern Europe](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/history/ocr/1-2-18-diagnostic-misconceptions-ussr-vs-eastern-europe.md)
  - [1.2.19 Diagnostic Misconceptions - The Berlin Airlift](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/history/ocr/1-2-19-diagnostic-misconceptions-the-berlin-airlift.md)
  - [1.2.20 Diagnostic Misconceptions - The Berlin Wall](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/history/ocr/1-2-20-diagnostic-misconceptions-the-berlin-wall.md)
  - [1.2.21 Diagnostic Misconceptions - Hungarian Uprising](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/history/ocr/1-2-21-diagnostic-misconceptions-hungarian-uprising.md)
  - [1.2.22 Diagnostic Misconceptions - Stalin's Death](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/history/ocr/1-2-22-diagnostic-misconceptions-stalins-death.md)
  - [1.2.23 Diagnostic Misconceptions - Cuba](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/history/ocr/1-2-23-diagnostic-misconceptions-cuba.md)
  - [1.2.24 Diagnostic Misconceptions - Bay of Pigs](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/history/ocr/1-2-24-diagnostic-misconceptions-bay-of-pigs.md)
- 1.3 From the End of the Cold War to 9/11
  - [1.3.1 Reagan & Gorbachev](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/history/ocr/1-3-1-reagan-and-gorbachev.md)
  - [1.3.2 Consequences of the Soviet War in Afghanistan](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/history/ocr/1-3-2-consequences-of-the-soviet-war-in-afghanistan.md)
  - [1.3.3 End of Topic Test - End of the Cold War to 9/11](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/history/ocr/1-3-3-end-of-topic-test-end-of-the-cold-war-to-911.md)
  - [1.3.4 Grade 9 - The End of the Cold War](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/history/ocr/1-3-4-grade-9-the-end-of-the-cold-war.md)
  - [1.3.5 Diagnostic Misconceptions - Fall of the Wall](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/history/ocr/1-3-5-diagnostic-misconceptions-fall-of-the-wall.md)

### 2 Changing Interpretations
- 2.1 Changing Interpretations
  - [2.1.1 Appeasement](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/history/ocr/2-1-1-appeasement.md)
  - [2.1.2 The Responsibility for Cold War Tensions](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/history/ocr/2-1-2-the-responsibility-for-cold-war-tensions.md)
  - [2.1.3 End of Topic Test - Appeasement](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/history/ocr/2-1-3-end-of-topic-test-appeasement.md)
  - [2.1.4 Grade 9 - Changing Interpretations](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/history/ocr/2-1-4-grade-9-changing-interpretations.md)