I learned more about the details of this war in a single chapter from this book than i have in all the other books combined. Secretly keeping a detailed journal and photographic record of his combat missions in the mountais, tamarov captured the fear, futility, and violence of an insane war. Ive been looking for novels that take place in pashtunmajority spaces, like afghanistan and pashtunkhwa, or otherwise novels aboutwith pashtuns as the main characters. Khaled hosseini goodreads author shelved 1180 times as afghanistan. The soviet invasion of its neighbour afghanistan in december 1979 sparked a bloody nineyear conflict in that country until soviet forces withdrew in 198889, dooming the communist afghanistan government to defeat at the hands of the mujahideen, the afghan popular resistance backed by the usa and other powers.
Mujahideen fighters in afghanistan during the soviet occupation of the early 1980s. He follows this account with a firsthand report of the 1979 invasion, and analyzes the intervention from political, military, and economic perspectives. The afghanistan war and the breakdown of the soviet union. In the great gamble, gregory feifer examines the conflict from the perspective of the soldiers on the ground. The russianukrainian film the 9th company, for example, became a blockbuster in the former ussr earning millions of dollars and also representing a new trend in russia in which some domestic films are drawing russian audiences away from hollywood staples. The russians held off the attackers and got the road open. Best nonfiction war books, around the world one book from each country, best iraq and afghanistan war books, best books on special forces m.
Meanwhile, we may trace the history of russiansovietafghan relations, we may consider why the u. Without proper equipment and training, the afghanistan government was unable to resist the foreign mercenaries, eventually seeking the aid of the soviet union. The documents presented here shed light on the most important moments in the history of the soviet war in afghanistan the afghan government s requests for assistance, the soviet union s initial refusal of troops, the reversal of this policy by a small group of the politburo and the soviet decision to invade. Sometimes referred to as the soviets version of the vietnam war, the soviet war in afghanistan ended up being a losing battle for the soviet union, and in many ways, accelerated the dissolution of communism in the east. The christian science monitor is an international news organization that delivers thoughtful, global coverage via its website, weekly magazine, online daily edition, and email newsletters. The secret history of the cia, afghanistan, and bin laden, from the soviet invasion to september 10, 2001 by steve coll. William dalrymples top 10 books on afghanistan the guardian. The soviet invasion had enormous implications on the.
The russians in afghanistan, 197989 main by braithwaite, sir rodric isbn. Dec 26, 2014 a selection of books related to the wars in iraq and afghanistan. Ali ahmad jalali a former mujahideen fighter who cowrote about the tactics of the mujahideen with. The sovietafghan war was a conflict wherein insurgent groups known collectively as the mujahideen, as well as smaller maoist groups, fought a guerrilla war against the soviet army and the democratic republic of afghanistan government for over nine years, throughout the 1980s, mostly in the afghan countryside. The first official deployment of the soviet army into the kingdom of afghanistan began dec. The soviet invasion and the afghan response, 19791982 new ed by kakar, m. The extraordinary story of the largest covert operation in history by crile, george. Popular afghanistan books showing 150 of 2,592 the kite runner paperback by. A darkly comic satire set at a forward operating base in iraq, by a veteran who served in the army for 20. The sovietafghan war had an important impact in popular culture in the west, due to its scope, and the great number of countries involved.
Mar 15, 2009 the scene sums up much of the folly of the soviet war in afghanistan. The intense images of afghanistans long and distant war. In his books he details the tactics used by both the sovietdra forces and the mujahideen to explain why the mujahideen were able to prolong the war. The war in afghanistan 19791989 has been called the soviet unions vietnam war, a conflict that pitted soviet regulars against a relentless, elusive, and ultimately unbeatable afghan guerrilla force the mujahideen. Jul 10, 2015 ive been looking for novels that take place in pashtunmajority spaces, like afghanistan and pashtunkhwa, or otherwise novels aboutwith pashtuns as the main characters. In this second part of a twopart interview by government book talk blog editor michele bartram, col. Soviet air confrontations with pakistan air force, during. Sovietafghanistan war overview history of war in the 20th. A selection of books related to the wars in iraq and afghanistan. It is not an exaggeration to say that he has created a masterpiece. As a result, 15,000 soviet people were killed and 37,000 wounded. Appears in 51 books from 19102002 page 207 if the soviets could consolidate their hold on afghanistan, the balance of power in the entire region would be drastically modified in their favor, and they might be tempted toward further aggression. The kite runner by khaled hosseini, a thousand splendid suns by khaled hosseini, and the mountains echoed by khaled hossein. Afghanistan war, 197892, conflict between anticommunist muslim afghan guerrillas mujahidin and afghan government and soviet forces.
In the context of the cold war, this move initially caused a considerable surprise and excitement in the west, as it was seen as an indirect threat for the situation in the persian gulf, especially after the us lost their most important ally in the area, the shah of iran, which was overthrown in february of the same. The soviet war in afghanistan was a grueling debacle that has striking lessons for the twentyfirst century. The soviet intervention in afghanistan by alfred l. The scene sums up much of the folly of the soviet war in afghanistan.
Military forces and civilians a 2012 report from the congressional research service. Afghanistan is a small landlocked country in central asia. On the 30th anniversary of russias invasion of afghanistan, russian vets talk about losing more than 14,000 lives in their afghanistan war that ended in retreat. The soviet war in afghanistan in pictures, 19791989. Novels set in afghanistan and pashtunmajority areas in pakistan. The best books on afghanistan five books expert recommendations. In 1979, the soviets invaded and occupied afghanistan, a small country in central asia. Soviet war in afghanistan simple english wikipedia, the. The sovietafghan war 197989 ebook by gregory fremontbarnes. For months after the invasion, hardly a political or military expert in the world doubted that afghanistan was now forever incorporated as a part of the soviet empire and that nothing short of a largescale global war could alter the status quo. Sovietafghanistan war overview history of war in the.
Next, we outline the role of the afghanistan war in the breakdown of the soviet union and provide evidence in support of our contention. Best books about the soviet invasion of afghanistan. Boozing through the sovietafghan war was more horrifying. From fabulous books on afghanistans history to its continuing trials and tribulations, experts recommend the best books about afghanistan. War stories from afghanistan in 1990, sixyearold nathan bradley read a magazine article about afghanistan and was fascinated, vowing to someday see it for himself. The harrison forman collection this online exhibit documents the life and culture of afghanistan in the late 1960s. The author of this book was the british ambassador to the ussr and then the russian federation but i highly appreciate his objective approach throughout the book which is about the causes of soviet involvement in afghanistan right up till the withdrawal of the troops and its aftermath from the russian point of view. In late december 1979, the soviet union invaded afghanistan. The afghan soviet war started in december 1979 research paper sample instructions. Without proper equipment and training, the afghanistan government was unable to resist the opposition,called the mujahedeen, eventually seeking the aid of the soviet union.
Existing explanations of the soviet unions breakdown. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. But the paratroopers soon left their position, the tanks below. He finally got his chance in 2009 as an army officer, and hell go back eventually. Novels set in afghanistan and pashtunmajority areas in. In the context of the cold war, this move initially caused a considerable surprise and excitement in the west, as it was seen as an indirect threat for the situation in the persian gulf, especially after the us lost their most important ally in the area, the shah of iran, which was overthrown in february of the same year. The hitandrun bloodletting across the wars decade tallied more than. Are there any good books about the sovietafghan war.
The united states supported the afghanistan rebels in order to try and overthrow the communist government and to prevent the spread of communism. The sovietafghan war was a severe challenge for both soviet and afghan people, who were real victims of the communist regime and were forced by their governments to take part in this horrible war. See more ideas about afghanistan, afghanistan war and war. The following 18 pages are in this category, out of 18 total. He brings remarkable clarity to a very complex story.
The entry of the soviet union into the country caused an. Cassidy, author of the new, critically acclaimed book, war, will, and warlords. The soviet war in afghanistan was a war initially fought between the forces of the afghanistan government and foreign mercenaries. The soviet withdrawal from afghanistan kalinovsky, artemy m. The soviet afghanistan war was fought between afghanistan rebels called the mujahideen and the soviet supported afghanistan government. The afghan soviet war started in december 1979, research. This event began a brutal, decadelong attempt by moscow to subdue the afghan civil war and maintain a. For the soviet union, the intervention proved extraordinarily costly in a number of ways. This event began a brutal, decadelong attempt by moscow to subdue the afghan. This is the 7th book on the sovietafghan war ive read, and lester grau kept up his reputation with this book for historical investigative detail. Discover the best afghan war military history in best sellers. Browse the worlds largest ebookstore and start reading today on the web, tablet, phone, or ereader. Soviet invasion of afghanistan, military action carried out in late december 1979 by soviet troops. Find the top 100 most popular items in amazon books best sellers.
If anything, this was even more the case in soviet times when the very difficulties of getting hold of booze acted as a spur to the ingenuity for which russians are also rightly known. The afghan soviet war started in december 1979 research. The politburo sessions of january 17 and 28, 1980 carried extensive discussions of the situation in afghanistan. Pratiek sparsh samantara surveys some of the best contemporary literary fiction and nonfiction to come out of afghanistan, from both afghan and international. When im working as an afghanistan cultural consultant on stage productions, people always ask me about afghanistan related books and. During the cold war, it shared borders with soviet republics to the north, iran to the west and pakistan in the south.
This revived tensions between the united states and the soviet union and helped usher in what many dubbed the second cold war. The mujahideen were backed primarily by the united states. Historiography sovietafghan war flashcards quizlet. Afghanistan books five books expert recommendations. A complete analysis of the soviet intervention in afghanistan in late 1979 must wait until enough time passes for that event to be evaluated in terms of longrange soviet military and political objectives. Jul 27, 2019 for the soviet union, the intervention proved extraordinarily costly in a number of ways. Oct 28, 2015 the photos, starting in 1988, span afghanistan s immediate postsoviet era, the agonizing civil war of the 1990s, the period of taliban rule from 1996 to 2001, the u. The soviet union intervened in support of the afghan communist government in its conflict with anticommunist muslim guerrillas during the afghan war 197892 and remained in afghanistan until midfebruary 1989.
The entry of the soviet union into the country caused an immediate increase in the. In gripping detail, he vividly depicts the invasion of a volatile country that no power has ever successfully conquered. With its remote location, mountainous terrain and harsh climate, afghanistan has been viewed in the west as a place of mystery and some instability. This list may not reflect recent changes learn more. At the end of december 1979, the soviet union sent thousands of troops into afghanistan and immediately assumed complete military and political control of kabul and large portions of the country. No wonder that russian soldiers can be amongst the hardestcore boozers around. This research paper should explain the origins of this war,unfolding of the hostilities,deliniate its outcome, and conclude with an assessment whether there could be peaceful solutin rather than a war. History of afghanistan this is a wikipedia book, a collection of wikipedia articles that can be easily saved, imported by an external electronic rendering service, and ordered as a printed book. Lyakhovsky and other authors report that at the same time, the top soviet military and political leadership held secret deliberations on the possibility of early withdrawal of soviet forces from afghanistan.
A reading list of modern war stories the new york times. The conflict had its origins in the 1978 coup that overthrew afghan president sardar muhammad daud khan, who had come to power by ousting the king in 1973. The shoulderfired, heatseeking missile supplied to the afghan resistance by the cia during the soviet invasion of afghanistan, is capable of bringing down lowflying planes and helicopters. The soviet invasion of afghanistan was a repeat of their invasion of czechoslovakia. Oct 10, 2006 the first official deployment of the soviet army into the kingdom of afghanistan began dec. The soviet war in afghanistan was a war initially fought between the forces of the afghanistan government and afghan assistance fighters, supporter from abroad. The photos, starting in 1988, span afghanistans immediate postsoviet era, the agonizing civil war of the 1990s, the period of taliban rule from 1996 to 2001, the u. Few people are more respected or better positioned to speak on the soviet invasion of afghanistan than m. The sovietafghan war 197989 ebook by gregory fremont. From 16thcentury mughal rulers, to daring victorian spies and todays taliban, the travel writer and historian picks his favourites from a rich.