Soviet Invasion Of The Cold War Essay

The Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in late December 1979, marked a turning point for the Cold War in the United States. The Soviet Union had sent thousands of troops into Afghanistan, and they quickly assumed political and military control of Kabul and other large portions of the country. This overt display of Soviet force formally ended the period of détente that had been used by Nixon and Ford. The invasion was significant because it was the first time the Soviet Union had invaded a country outside of the Eastern Bloc.
The expansion of Communism was a key issue that faced the United States. The United States was forced to return to the strategy of containment. The Soviet Union’s support of socialism in Third World countries was a concern for the United States. The era of détente was over, and was replaced with fear and suspicion that had existed during the height of the Cold War. The primary economic motivation for United States involvement in Afghanistan stemmed from oil.
Recent political changes in Afghanistan had caused alarm in the Soviet Union. The Soviet Union had long supported socialist regimes in Afghanistan. Initially Soviet involvement was limited to covert operations; however, on December …show more content…
He soon learned that Babrak Karmal was planning a plot to overthrow the regime. Amin retaliated by executing many of the Parchamists who had planned the coup. Continuous fighting resulted in the signing of a friendship treaty between Amin and Taraki that would allow for Soviet assistance against Islamic insurgency. The Carter administration began funneling aid to mujahedeen in response to Soviet support of Amin and Taraki. The civil war continued and in the winter of 1979, Afghan troops were unable to defend the government prompting the Soviet invasion on December 24, 1979. A puppet government headed by Babrak Karmal assumed power after Soviet troops assassinated