why was the soviet afghan war called the soviets vietnam

That caused a loss of support for the Soviet military presence and eventually created a nationwide resistance during the conflict. Massive military campaigns against the Mujahideen, who blended in with the local population, caused extensive destruction of local infrastructure and death, which made the local population to side with the Mujahideen. The Soviets' entry to the country caused an immediate increase in the presence of foreign involvement. Without proper equipment and training, the government was unable to resist the opposition, called the Mujahideen, and eventually sought the aid of the Soviet Union. The Soviet war in Afghanistan was a war initially fought between the forces of the government of Afghanistan and fightera supported from abroad.

1,000 died from disease and accidents ħ5,000–90,000 killed, 75,000+ wounded (tentative estimate) ĥ million refugees outside of AfghanistanĪround 3 million Afghans wounded (mostly civilians).

Withdrawal of Soviet forces from Afghanistan.

Afghanistan: A Military History of Afghanistan from Alexander the Great to the War Against the Taliban. Soldiers of God: With Islamic Warriors in Afghanistan and Pakistan. A Long Goodbye: The Soviet Withdrawal from Afghanistan. Under a Sickle Moon: A Journey Through Afghanistan.

The Bear Went Over the Mountain: Soviet Combat Tactics In Afghanistan. The Great Gamble: The Soviet War in Afghanistan. Down with Big Brother: The Fall of the Soviet Empire. Ghost Wars: The Secret History of the CIA, Afghanistan and Bin Laden from the Soviet Invasion to 2001. Afgantsy: The Russians in Afghanistan, 1979-1989. Afghanistan: A Cultural and Political History. Games Without Rules: The Often-Interrupted History of Afghanistan. The Broken Circle: A Memoir of Escaping Afghanistan. In this first installment of a multi-part series, we will explore how the Soviets found themselves ensnared in the “graveyard of empires”, through the eyes of the everyday people who experienced it firsthand.Īhmadi-Miller, Enjeela. Often referred to as “Russia’s Vietnam”, the Soviet-Afghan War is an overlooked, deeply misunderstood, and immensely important conflict. In an attempt to prop up a wobbly client regime, the Soviets sparked a transnational jihad, inflamed Cold War tensions, and hastened the downfall of their own empire.

When Soviet Russia invaded Afghanistan in December of 1979, few could have imagined what a seismic impact it would have on the modern world.

Why was the soviet afghan war called the soviets vietnam