About the Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan

The 1979 Soviet invasion of Afghanistan is one of those key historic events that is not very widely understood (or even remembered), but has had a key role in shaping our world. It not only set the stage for the creation of such modern menaces as the Taliban and Al Qaeda, but also was a major contributing factor to the collapse of the Soviet Union.

Time Frame

The Soviet invasion of Afghanistan began on December 27, 1979. It was followed by the Soviet occupation of the country and a bloody war that lasted until 1989.

History

In late April of 1978, the Marxist People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan (PDPA) joined with the Afghan army to overthrow the government in a largely bloodless coup. PDPA leader Nur Muhammad Taraki assumed power and requested Soviet military assistance. The PDPA's program of Marxist reforms produced popular discontent, resulting in local uprisings against the government. These uprisings merged with small groups of already existing insurgents (these would later evolve into the mujaheddin). Meanwhile, the PDPA itself was rent by factionalism, with many members being openly opposed to the leadership of Taraki.
The Soviets resolved to intervene in Afghanistan militarily to preserve the Marxist regime there under the so-called Brezhnev Doctrine---namely, that once a pro-Soviet Communist regime was established, especially on the periphery of the Soviet Union, it was permanently part of the Soviet Bloc.
The PDPA's regime was threatened not only by Islamic and anti-communist militants, but also by Hafizullah Amin, Takari's one-time deputy. Amin arranged for the assassination of Takari and became the leader of Afghanistan. The KGB believed that Amin was in secret negotiations with the U.S. to adopt a neutral or pro-Western tilt.
Soviet advisers to the Afghan military laid the groundwork for the invasion by ordering the military to put its equipment into maintenance on December 7, guaranteeing that a sizable portion would still be in the shop and out of service during the invasion. Soviet airborne forces joined troops already on the ground in Afghanistan, increasing Soviet strength within the country substantially. Amin had previously requested more Soviet ground forces, but it is unknown if he was aware of just how many more troops were sent into the country.
The invasion began on December 27, 1979, when KGB and Soviet Army special-forces troops already in the country occupied major government, transportation and communications sites within Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan. The Presidential Palace was assaulted, and Amin was killed. Meanwhile, the 40th Army under Marshal Sokolov crossed the Afghan border. The next morning, the 103rd Guards Airborne Division flew into Kabul's Bagram Airport and secured it. In a matter of days, the suspect PDPA elements were ousted from power and the country was substantially occupied.

Identification

In all, the invasion force was 80,000 strong, including 1,800 tanks and 2,000 AFVs. Soviet forces known to have participated in the invasion were:
40th Army, comprising the 108th Guards Motor Rifle Division, 5th Guards Motor Rifle Division, 201st Motor Rifle Division, 58th Motor Rifle Division, 860th Motor Rifle Regiment, 56th Airborne Assault Brigade and 36th Mixed Air Corps.
103rd Guards Airborne Division.
700 to 1,000 special-operations troops drawn from the KGB and the Soviet Army's Spetsnaz (special forces).

Effects

At the time, the Soviet invasion was the first exercise of the Brezhnev Doctrine since the 1968 invasion of Czechoslovakia. Also, as it came at the end of the perceived height of Soviet power (the early and middle 1970s), it was seen as a menacing demonstration of Soviet military capability. President Jimmy Carter boycotted the 1980 Moscow Olympics the following year, and the invasion fed the intentions of Carter's successor, Ronald Reagan, to resume a more hostile stance in the Cold War.

Significance

The United States and Pakistan were already providing token support for Afghani rebels prior to the invasion. Afterward, this support grew to enormous proportions, turning Afghanistan into a festering Soviet ulcer. The subsequent Afghan War proved to be one of the major elements in bringing the Soviet Union to a state of collapse.
The invasion and subsequent war also proved to be the training ground for many of the mujaheddin, who would metamorphosize into today's transnational Islamic terrorists. When the war ended, the United States and Europe largely abandoned Afghanistan, leaving it to Pakistan to create a settlement. Pakistan did this by creating the Taliban and helping it to take over the country. The Taliban, in turn, proved welcoming hosts for former mujaheddin sponsor Osama bin Laden, who brought his Al Qaeda followers there. The ultimate result of the Soviet invasion, war and years of neglect that followed was the attacks of September 11th, 2001.