The Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan and the United States Response
In December 1979, the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan in an attempt to preserve communist rule in that country. The military and political campaign to defeat the anticommunist resistance spanned nine years. The Soviet occupation of Afghanistan severely strained American-Soviet relations and resulted in a renewed American commitment to resist Soviet expansionism. This thesis examines the conditions that led to the Soviet invasion, the conduct of the war, and the Soviet decision to end its occupation in 1989. Also examined is the response of the United States to the occupation and Washington's role in providing assistance to the guerrillas in a successful application of the Reagan Doctrine.
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