Soviet Failure in Afghanistan - Reasons and Consequences

The USSR invaded Afghanistan in December 1979 to assist the newly formed communist regime. At the time, the Soviet Union was already controlling the neighboring countries of Afghanistan in Central Asia, which made it easier for them to bring their soldiers directly to Afghanistan.

Soviet-Afghan War Summary

Soon after the invasion, the USSR faced stiff resistance from local freedom fighters, commonly known as Mujahideen, who received diplomatic and military assistance from a majority of Muslim and Western countries. Millions of Afghan civilians took refuge in neighboring countries. The resistance continued with its full force despite all types of cruelty and other possible measures taken by the USSR and its puppet regime in Afghanistan for ten years.

The Soviet Union realized in 1986 that they would not achieve military victory in Afghanistan. At that time, they started negotiations with the US and other concerned parties, especially Pakistan. It resulted in severe military and economic setbacks for the Soviets and ended in the withdrawal of the Soviet army in 1988 after the Geneva Accord. This war proved a nightmare for the Soviet Union. The military failure and economic weakness resulted in the disintegration of the Soviet Union and the independence of several countries in Asia and Europe.

Reasons for USSR Defeat in Afghanistan

The following are important reasons for the defeat of the USSR, once considered undefeatable, in Afghanistan.

Islam vs Communism

The Communist ideology believes in Atheism and rejects every religion. After the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan, the majority of the Muslim population of Afghanistan and other Muslim-majority countries considered it an attack on Islam. This belief gave a reason to Afghani people and Muslims around the globe to fight against the anti-Islam occupiers and their supporters in Afghanistan. Thousands of Muslims arrived in Afghanistan to enhance the resistance of Afghan guerrillas. This religious sentiment was the driving force during the Soviet-Afghan war despite atrocities committed by the Soviet Union and the Afghan government. 

Role of Pakistan

Pakistan is the eastern neighbor of Afghanistan. Pakistan joined the Western bloc during the Cold War and remained part of American-supported organizations, such as CENTO (Central Treaty Organization) and SEATO (Southeast Asia Treaty Organization). As a result, the USSR backed Pakistan’s archrival India diplomatically and militarily. Soviet and Indian Treaty in 1971 is also considered an important reason for the separation of the eastern part of Pakistan (now Bangladesh) in 1971. Therefore, Pakistan was alarmed by the arrival of the Soviets on its western border.

Pakistan also had cold relations with Afghanistan since independence in 1947 due to the latter’s rejection of the Durand Line and claim of the western portion of Pakistan (then NWFP and now the KPK province). So, it became necessary for Pakistan to resist the complete occupation of Afghanistan by the USSR. Pakistan hosted millions of Afghan refugees and trained the Mujahideen against the Soviet Union. 

Pakistan played a vital role in defeating USSR

ISI (Pakistan’s top military intelligence agency) played a vital role in the training and distribution of weapons to various groups of Afghan fighters. Pakistan’s strong military also thwarted attempts by the Soviet and Afghan forces to launch attacks on its soil. A consistent and wise strategy from Pakistan played a major role in the Soviet defeat.

Support from Muslim Countries

Many Arab and other Muslim countries were fundamentally against the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan. These countries provided military and economic assistance to Afghan fighters and urged their citizens to join their ranks. An example is the inclusion of Osama bin Laden and thousands of other Muslim men in this war against the Soviet Union. The wealth of Gulf countries ensured continuous humanitarian, military, and financial assistance till the end of the war.

Support from the West

The invasion of the USSR in 1979 was a challenging time for Western countries, especially the USA. The USA was initially reluctant to price support to Afghan Mujahideen as it considered a lost cause. However, it later started its weapon supply to the Afghan rebels by considering that revenge for the Vietnam War was possible. Even then, the weapon supply was not on a wider scale till 1984.

However, this increased markedly in 1985 when the US supplied Stinger MANPADS. These missiles eradicated the aerial superiority of the Soviets as they lost a large number of their helicopters and jet fighters at the hands of Mujahideen. Other Western nations also supplied weapons and humanitarian aid to Afghan freedom fighters and migrants via Pakistan. These countries also supported the guerilla war diplomatically.  

Friction within the Communist world

All the countries battling Communism and a few neutral nations united against the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. However, not all communist countries were backing the USSR. A prominent example was China, which was leading the opposing communist bloc. The friction became so intense between these two countries that China militarily supported the resistance against the Soviet Union instead of remaining neutral. China was also among the countries that boycotted the 1980 Moscow Summer Olympics. [1]

Guerrilla Warfare

Guerrilla warfare remained a successful strategy for occupied countries during the 20^th Century. The Soviet-Afghan War was a classic example of this military strategy. The Mujahideen were well aware of their country and used this information effectively during raids. They were enjoying a haven in Pakistan and the adjoining eastern parts of Afghanistan, which they captured in the early stages of the war. The Soviet and the Afghan military had no answer to their hit-and-run tactics except to use indiscriminate airpower. It resulted in civilian casualties and increased problems for the occupants. The arrival of stingers in 1985 took over this advantage from the Soviet Union and thus resulted in their defeat.

Geography of Afghanistan

The success of guerrilla warfare depends on local support and the geographical features of a country. In Vietnam, the forested areas assisted the Vietnamese guerrillas against the USA and South Vietnam. In Afghanistan, this happened due to the mountainous terrain of this landlocked country. This proved an ideal condition for local guerrillas. Soviets failed to use heavily armored vehicles and heavy artillery in several areas. The Afghan fighters used this suitable geographical feature for maximum advantage and launched successful attacks while remaining hidden from their enemies.

Effects of the Soviet-Afghan War

Afghan Civil War

The Soviet military withdrew from Afghanistan in 1989 as a result of the Geneva Accord. However, they left their ammunition and military equipment for the Afghan regime. They also continued their economic assistance. This military and financial support assisted the Afghan government in fighting against rebels for three years till 1996. Later, a civil war started between different factions of Mujahideen. This brutal civil war continued till 1996, when the Taliban took over the capital Kabul, and then a large part of Afghanistan.

Economic Collapse

The USSR lost billions of dollars in Afghanistan without any gain. It was the first military defeat for the Soviet Union. Previously, the country benefitted after occupying other countries. However, this war proved an economic disaster. Defeat in Afghanistan caused an economic meltdown in all parts of the USSR and countries of the Eastern Bloc that were relying on the Soviet Union for financial assistance. This situation played a major role in the disintegration of the Soviet Union and the weakening of Communism.

End of Terror

The Soviet Union was always known for its military capabilities and atrocities. They were considered undefeatable before the Afghan War. People in many countries were reluctant to show their anger due to fear. However, this fear no longer remained after this defeat. It gave hope to the people of Central Asia and Eastern Europe to demand independence.

Disintegration

The military might and economic benefits were the two reasons for countries under the USSR to remain loyal. The Afghan war ended both of these reasons. It ultimately resulted in civilian disobedience in all these countries. As a result, more than a dozen countries gained independence from the Soviet Union.

End of the Cold War

The Soviet withdrawal and its subsequent collapse effectively ended the political and economic significance of the USSR. The Soviet Union became dissolved into Russia and 14 other states. Russia also abandoned Communism, which weakened communist movements and regimes around the globe. It resulted in the end of the Cold War and the emergence of the USA as the sole superpower.