Cold War Crises - Soviet invasion of Afghanistan (1979) Notes

Key Questions

1. What were the economic causes of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan?
2. What were the ideological causes of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan?
3. How did the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan lead to an increase in Cold War tensions?
4. In what ways was this increase in tensions limited?

1. Economic Causes of the Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan (1979)

1. The Soviet economy was already under strain in the late 1970s, and instability on its southern border threatened important trade routes and regional security.
2. Afghanistan bordered Soviet Central Asian republics, and the USSR feared that economic instability there could spread unrest into these poorer Soviet regions.
3. The Soviet-backed Afghan communist government, the People’s Democratic Party of Afghanistan (PDPA), struggled to modernise the economy and faced widespread opposition.
4. Economic reforms imposed by the PDPA, including land redistribution and changes to traditional farming, damaged local livelihoods and increased resistance.
5. The USSR believed that military intervention was necessary to protect its economic influence and investments in Afghanistan.

2. Ideological Causes of the Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan

1. Afghanistan had become a communist state in 1978 following the Saur Revolution, aligning it ideologically with the USSR.
2. The Soviet leadership feared the collapse of a neighbouring communist regime, which would undermine the credibility of Marxism-Leninism.
3. The growth of Islamic fundamentalism and anti-communist resistance threatened Soviet ideology and challenged atheist communist beliefs.
4. The invasion reflected Soviet commitment to supporting communism abroad, consistent with the Brezhnev Doctrine.
5. The USSR was also concerned about potential Western influence, particularly from the USA, in a strategically important region.

3. Ways the Invasion Increased Cold War Tensions

1. The invasion ended the period of détente and was seen by the USA as aggressive Soviet expansionism.
2. President Jimmy Carter condemned the invasion and introduced the Carter Doctrine, stating that the USA would defend its interests in the Middle East.
3. The USA imposed economic sanctions on the USSR, including grain embargoes and restrictions on technology.
4. The USA boycotted the 1980 Moscow Olympics, encouraging allies to do the same, which increased diplomatic hostility.
5. The USA increased military spending and began supplying Afghan resistance fighters (the Mujahideen) with weapons, intensifying proxy conflict.

4. Ways the Increase in Tensions Was Limited

1. Despite strong rhetoric, neither superpower engaged in direct military confrontation with the other.
2. The conflict remained a proxy war, contained within Afghanistan rather than spreading globally.
3. Existing communication channels between the superpowers were not completely severed.
4. Some arms control discussions continued informally, even though progress slowed significantly.
5. Both sides remained aware of the risks of nuclear escalation, which helped prevent the crisis from developing into a wider war.

5. Overall Significance of the Afghan Crisis

1. The invasion significantly worsened East–West relations and contributed to the New Cold War of the early 1980s.
2. It exposed the limitations of Soviet military power and deepened economic problems within the USSR.
3. The prolonged war damaged Soviet prestige and weakened confidence in communism both domestically and internationally.
4. The crisis indirectly contributed to later Soviet reforms under Gorbachev.