Activity 1 - Why were the Soviets defeated?

  1. Review - Cut out and examine these cards which show the various reasons for the defeat of the Soviets.
  2. Rank - Rank these 12 cards in a diamond formation with the most important reasons for defeat at the top, and the least important at the bottom. 
  3. Link - Are any of these reasons linked? Draw arrows between them to show the links between different reasons. 
  4. Discuss - Show your completed diamond formation to a partner and explain your perspective on why you think the Soviets were defeated in the Soviet-Afghan War.
  5. Write - ‘Soviet defeat or Afghan victory?’ - Which perspective best explains the Soviet-Afghan War? Using your notes, write an extended paragraph summarising your perspective on this question.

Activity 2 - What do historians think?

  1. Review - Read the two historical perspectives that can be taken on why the Soviets were defeated on this worksheet. Then identify key events and historical examples that could be used to support each viewpoint. Use the following sources to help you gather arguments for each perspective:
    1. 10 myths about Afghanistan | Afghanistan 
    2. Leaving Afghanistan: Enduring Lessons from the Soviet Politburo | Journal of Cold War Studies | MIT Press
    3. Parallels with the Past: How the Soviets Lost in Afghanistan, How the Americans Are Losing 
    4. Experts: Lessons of Soviets in Afghanistan Ignored 
  2. Evaluate - Which historical perspective do you agree with the most and why? Write a paragraph answer explaining your view on the historiography of the Soviet-Afghan War.
  3. Explore - Try to research and identify other perspectives on the Soviet-Afghan War. How do people view the war today? What new perspectives have emerged?

Activity 3 - Could the Soviets have won?

  1. Reflect - Read this article from the LA Times and this article from the Guardian exploring the idea that the Soviets were actually winning. According to the article, what were the real reasons for Soviet defeat and how could this have been avoided?
  2. Identify - With a partner, discuss three things the USSR could and should have done to have avoided defeat in Afghanistan. Try and consider the impact of each of your strategies for victory. Share your ideas with the class.
  3. Discuss - Why is it useful to sometimes think counterfactually about history? Examine this article about how computer games force us to think counterfactually. What benefits are there in thinking counterfactually about the Soviet-Afghan War?

Further Reading
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