The Soviet–Afghan War

1979–89

Gregory Fremont-Barnes

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Paperback

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English

Osprey
04 June 2024

History; Postwar 20th century history, from c 1945 to c 2000; Military history; Irregular or guerrilla forces & warfare; Battles & campaigns

Series: Essential Histories

A fully illustrated overview of the USSR’s bloody conflict in Afghanistan and its long legacy.

The Soviet invasion of its neighbour Afghanistan in December 1979 sparked a nine-year conflict until Soviet forces withdrew in 1988–89, dooming the communist Afghanistan government to defeat at the hands of the mujahideen, the Afghan popular resistance backed by the USA and other powers. Gregory Fremont-Barnes reveals how the Soviet invasion had enormous implications on the global stage; it prompted the US Senate to refuse to ratify the hard-won SALT II arms-limitation treaty, and the USA and 64 other countries boycotted the 1980 Moscow Summer Olympics. For Afghanistan, the invasion served to prolong the interminable civil war that pitted central government against the regions and faction against faction.

Updated and revised for the new edition, with full-colour maps and new images throughout, this succinct account explains the origins, events and consequences of the Soviet intervention in Afghanistan, shedding new light on the more recent history – and prospects – of that troubled country.

By: Gregory Fremont-Barnes
Imprint: Osprey
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions: Height: 210mm, Width: 149mm, Spine: 25mm
Weight: 454g
ISBN: 9781472861801
ISBN 10: 1472861809
Series: Essential Histories
Pages: 144
Publication Date: 04 June 2024
Audience: General/trade , Professional and scholarly , ELT Advanced , Undergraduate
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active

Gregory Fremont-Barnes holds a doctorate in Modern History from the University of Oxford. As a Senior Lecturer in the Department of War Studies at the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst, he has written extensively on a range of military subjects, and has a particular interest in insurgency and counterinsurgency. He travels widely for the Ministry of Defence, running courses for foreign military and intelligence officers, and spent two years in Afghanistan on Operation Toral.