Nov 06, 2015 the soviet afghan war lasted nine long, bloody years. The war was caused when the pro soviet nur mohammad taraki government began to lose control of afghanistan. Some of the most important documents on the soviet war in afghanistan were published in the english translation in the cold war international history project bulletin, no. Initially, the soviets had underestimated the strength of their enemy. Of the ones mentioned, ive only read the soviet afghan war. Author of the bear went over the mountain and the other side of the mountain a retired u. In many respects, the tactics of the angloafghan wars 18391842, 18781880, 1919 still applied. The afghanistan war and the breakdown of the soviet union. The soviet afghan war how a superpower fought and lost the russia n genera l staff translated and edited by lester w. The tactical threat to mujahideen were su25 close air support aircraft, helicopter gunships and helicopter liftships carrying air assault forces.
Historiography sovietafghan war flashcards quizlet. These fighters were collectively known as the mujahideen for struggles or people performing jihad. The estimaic of the cost of the afghan war to the soviets reported in that. The afghan war quickly settled down into a stalemate, with more than 100,000 soviet troops controlling the cities, larger towns, and major garrisons and the mujahideen moving with relative freedom throughout the countryside. The soviet afghan war was one of the wars that have no excuse. While tactics are continuingly evolving, the afghans have a well documented history of using similar techniques against foreign militaries. Jalali and lester grau skip to main content this banner text can have markup. Soviet troops attack mujahideen positions in afghanistan. Other readers will always be interested in your opinion of the books youve read. 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 intense images of afghanistans long and distant war. In the great gamble, gregory feifer examines the conflict from the perspective of the soldiers on the ground. Indeed, during the war the soviet armed forces made innovations in tactics, structure, and equipment. The sovietafghan war is a solitaire game that simulates the soviet invasion of and the war in afghanistan, 197989. About 500 fighters deployed around the district center, while therest were engaged in fulltime logistic support. Outnumbered and outgunned, they used classic guerrilla tactics to gradually wear down and finally defeat the soviet army.
Primer on russian afghan war, 19791989, lessons learned 16. The soviets and communist forces were trying to take over afghanistan against the mujahideens, who were poorly equipped islamic rebels against communism. Baumann when on 2425 december 1979 soviet forces invaded afghanistan, they intended to conduct a neat, surgical intervention to. Afghan insurgent tactics, techniques, and procedures field. Mujahideen tactics in the sovietafghan war 1995 by ali ahmad jalali. Feb 12, 2018 page 206 the other side of the mountain. The mujahideen obtained weapons from many sources, mostly supplied by the cia during operation cyclone and channeled through pakistan. Sovietafghanistan war overview history of war in the 20th. An essential skill that will be necessary to do well is the. The afghanistan war forced the 40th army to change tactics, equipment, training and force structure. This book tells the story of the soviet afghan war in the words of the mujahideen guerrillas themselves. Each vignette focuses on a particular mission pro file, such as raids, ambushes, and defending against a cordon and search. Soviet intelligence in afghanistan baltic defence college. Cant compare it to the others, but it was a fascinating read.
The documents presented below provide an insight into some of the most important aspects of the soviet decision making on the afghan war from the. Cold war, the soviet afghan conflict, and your own characters interests. Jan 01, 2009 the soviet war in afghanistan was a grueling debacle that has striking lessons for the twentyfirst century. List of military equipment used by mujahideen during soviet. Among the legacies of the soviet invasion, and the factional conflicts that followed the d. Many weapons were also captured from soviet or dra forces. We aim to produce four documentaries this summer, please help us reach this goal by becoming a patron. For ten years the mujahideen fought a military superpower that had invaded their homeland. The siege lasted 45 days while the mujahideen gradually tightenedthe noose around the militia positions. A wide variety of knowledge will be critical to your success in this committee as the crises that you will encounter will encompass a wide range of topics. 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 player controls soviet forces, but the opposition force the resistance is controlled by the game system. During this time, he was able to study the files on the japanese attack on singapore and the malayan emergency. Operation cyclone was the code name for the united states central intelligence agency cia. Lessons learned from the soviet intervention in afghanistan. The ussrs invasion of afghanistan in december 1979 provided a. The soviet war in afghanistan, 1979 1989 the atlantic. The soviet afghan war by members of the russian general staff, and translated by lester grau and michael gross, is a summary overview of the soviet experience in the afghan invasion and war of the 1980s. In his books he details the tactics used by both the soviet dra forces and the mujahideen to explain why the mujahideen were able to prolong the war. Baumann when on 2425 december 1979 soviet forces invaded afghanistan, they intended to conduct a. Reflections on soviet intervention in afghanistan pdf. Not a lot about politics except for a brief introduction. Mujahideen tactics in the sovietafghan war jalali, ali ahmad. Jun 01, 2011 the introduction of the stinger shoulderfired air defense missile toward the end of the war helped, but the soviets countered the new system with a change in tactics. This list shows military equipment used by the mujahideen during the sovietafghan war.
Mujahideen tactics in the sovietafghan war by ali ahmad jalali paperback online at lulu. The rest of it is purely about operations and tactics. Mujahideen in the sovietafghan war afghan resistance fighters who fought against the sovietbacked kabul govern ment and soviet troops during the sovietafghan war 19801989. Soviet strategy and the state of the resistance author. Sovietafghan war operations this document is designed to be used with the soviet afghan war scenario location map.
Given such tactics it is not surprising that soviet operations exact a heavy toll from among the non combatant population. Full text of the soviet afghan war how a superpower fought. Mujahideen tactics in the sovietafghan war jalali, ali ahmad, grau, lester w. Soviet invasion of afghanistan, military action carried out in late december 1979 by soviet troops. Primer on russian afghan war, 19791989, lessons learned dave shunk 26 december 2008 col dave shunk, usaf, ret. Jan 31, 2017 a brief overview of the soviet afghan war.
Mujahideen tactics in the sovietafghan war center for security. The author discusses three dimensions of the soviet strategy to defeat resistance and consolidate its rule in afghanistan created date. Gau oeig miiay suies oice, o eaewo, kasas ioucio y ieuea geea o e. The sovietafghan war was a conflict wherein insurgent groups known collectively as the. Security zone for a garrison and airfield 235 map 29. Documents released from the soviet kgb bureau archives by vasily mitrokhin in the.
The sovicts have used conservative tactics to minimize human and matcricl losses. The sovietafghan war how a superpower fought and lost the russia n genera l staff. 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. Mujahideen tactics in the soviet afghan war conflict studies research centre isbn 1903584590 january 2002 background.
Its borders were arbitrarily drawn by outside powers. Technology has added rangeand accuracy, but the terrain still dictates tactics and the mujahideen were quite comfortable applying their timehonored tactics against a modern foe. Securing part of the kabuljalalabad highway 238 map 30. In many ways, the mujahideen rank and file were natural guerrillas.
The soviet war in afghanistan is also known as the soviet afghan war. Soviet troops tried to crush the insurgency by various tactics, but the guerrillas generally eluded their attacks. Files are available under licenses specified on their description page. They were hardy, stoical, courageous, accustomed to the use of weapons in a land where. Mujahideen tactics in the sovietafghan war chapter 7, vignette 2 page 207 road. In the west, the soviet invasion of afghanistan was considered a threat to global. They continued until february of 1989 when the withdrawal phase was completed. Insurgent tactics in southern afghanistan 20052008 jerry meyerie.
The battles for zhawar in the sovietafghan war the journal of slavic military studies, vol. At the time, it was reported that the afghan capital of kabul returned to normal for the first time since bloody anti soviet rioting erupted there, killing more than 300 civilians and an unknown number of soviet and afghan soldiers. An emotional mother embraces her son, a soviet soldier who has just crossed the soviet afghan border in termez, during the withdrawal. Full text of the soviet afghan war how a superpower fought and lost see other formats. Soviet operations began officially in afghanistan in december of 1979. During the last years of the cold war, the soviet union sent some of its most elite troops to unfamiliar lands in central asia. All structured data from the file and property namespaces is available under the creative commons cc0 license. Aug 04, 2014 the soviet war in afghanistan, 1979 1989. The book consists of separate chapters on various aspects of the war, including the experiences of various components of the soviet army. Whether youve loved the book or not, if you give your honest and detailed thoughts then people will find new books that are right for them.
Robert johnston last updated 19 april 2015 fatalities in afghanistan conflicts, 1979present. This publication discusses the tactics employed in the conflict between the mujahideen and the soviet union from 1978 to. A retrospective in kabul from his book, a distant war. Afghanistan marks the 15th anniversary of the withdrawal of soviet troops from the country on 15 february. However, despite these changes, the soviet army never had enough forces in afghanistan to win. Organization, armament, and tactics of the mujahideen 53 4. Ambushspetsnaz company and recon company of the 345th parachute regiment 225 map 27. This was a civil war in afghanistan that involved the soviets.
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