The Soviet Union's Invasion of Afghanistan
The Soviet Union's invasion of Afghanistan in 1979 must be understood in the context of the Cold War between it and the United States. The Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan in December 1979. Its primary reason was to promote the spread of communism. The invasion occurred during the time of the Cold War in which the Soviet Union and the U.S. were in long-standing and deep conflict over the best form of government, with the U.S. promoting democracy and the Soviet Union promoting communism. The Soviet Union perceived Afghanistan as a Central Asian country in which it could advance its cause of communism. Afghanistan was a natural place for the Soviet Union to try to secure its communist footing in the world as the country was already in a state of civil war, and its prime minister, Hazifullah Amin, was sympathetic to the communist cause. The Soviet Union intended to help Amin succeed against his opponents, the Mujahideen. The Mujahideen were a broad based collection of Afghan factions sympathetic to a more traditional, religious Muslim way of life.
The U.S. and its allied forces wanted to prevent the spread of communism. To this end, they indirectly supported the Mujahedeen against the Soviets. It was in the interest of the U.S. for the Soviet Union to become embroiled in the Afghan conflict because this would greatly deplete their resources. There were approximately 85,000 Russians deployed to Afghanistan as well as tanks, etc. It was a hugely expensive operation for the Russians which lasted nine years.
The United Nations condemned the invasion early on. The U.S. banned the export of grain to Russia, ended its Strategic Arms Limitations Talks [SALT] with the Soviet Union and it also boycotted the Olympic Games which were to be held in Moscow.
The Soviets left Afghanistan in 1989, according to the New York Times, because this war had become "a domestic burd...