Soviet-Afghan War

In 1979, alarmed Soviet leaders watched the growing civil war in Afghanistan with trepidation. Russia's neighbor had been a close ally for many years, acting as a buffer between Russia and British India and proving vital in the "Great Game" between the two empires. Various coups had, by this point, led to a Moscow-friendly government in Kabul, but still, things were not playing out as the Soviets had hoped.

In a country built on mysticism and religion and almost devoid of industry, socialism was proving extremely unpopular. Afghanistan's new leaders had tried to transform the country too quickly, infuriating the rural communities. With this opposition came the formation of revolutionary groups and—before long—civil war. When Prime Minister Hafizullah Amin requested help from the Soviet Union to gain control of the situation, the Soviets not only sent troops to Afghanistan but also assassinated Amin, whom they viewed as incompetent.

By intervening in Afghanistan's civil war, the Soviet Union hoped to establish a stable—and communist-friendly—government there. Meanwhile, the United States stepped in to support the rebels, the mujahideen, in the hopes of dragging the Soviet Union into a war of attrition that would lead to the destruction of communism and the end of the Cold War. This is the story of the Soviet-Afghan War.