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    • Paper 1
    • Paper 2 >
      • Topic 10: Authoritarian States
      • Topic 12: The Cold War >
        • 1. Causes of the Cold War >
          • 1. What role did ideology play in the Grand Alliance?
          • 2. How did wartime disagreements affect the alliance?
          • 3. Did Soviet expansionism end the alliance?
          • 4. Was US exceptionalism to blame?
          • 5. Did events in Asia exacerbate tensions?
          • 6. Were tensions over Germany the final straw?
          • 7. Summary: Who was to blame for the Cold War?
        • 2. Conflict & Confrontation >
          • 1. How did competition unfold in Asia?
          • 2. What conflicts emerged in Europe?
          • 3. How did the Cold War shape the Middle East?
          • 4. Were tensions in the Americas unexpected?
          • 5. Why did the Cold War spread to Africa?
          • 6. How did scientific change drive the conflict?
          • 7. Summary: Who won the global struggle?
        • 3. Detente and Coexistence >
          • 1. Did peaceful coexistence work?
          • 2. What did detente achieve?
          • 3. Why did detente fail?
          • 4. Summary: Was detente a failure?
        • 4. China and the Cold War >
          • 1. Why were Sino-Soviet relations so turbulent?
          • 2. How did Sino-American relations change?
          • 3. What other relations did China cultivate?
          • 4. Summary: When did China become a global power?
        • 5. End of the Cold War >
          • 1. Did the USSR decay from within?
          • 2. Did Ronald Reagan win the war?
          • 3. Was Mikhail Gorbachev to blame?
          • 4. What role did people power play?
          • 5. Why did the USSR finally collapse?
          • 6. Summary: Who, or what, ended the Cold War?
        • 6. Leaders, Crises and Nations >
          • 1. What was the impact of leaders?
          • 2. How significant were Cold War crises?
          • 3. In what ways were nations affected?
          • 4. Summary: What was the role of leaders, crises and nations?
        • Exam Questions
    • Paper 3 - Asia/Oceania >
      • Topic 9: Imperial Decline in East Asia 1860-1912
      • Topic 11: Japan 1912-1990
      • Topic 12: China and Korea 1910-1950
      • Topic 14: The People's Republic of China 1949-2005
      • Topic 15: Cold War Conflicts in Asia >
        • 1. The Malayan Emergency >
          • 1. What triggered conflict in Malaya?
          • 2. How did the Emergency evolve?
          • 3. Why was the insurgency defeated?
          • 4. What was the impact of the Emergency?
          • 5. Summary: Why was communism defeated?
        • 2. The Korean War >
          • 1. What caused the Korean War?
          • 2. How did the Korean War evolve?
          • 3. How was the Korean War resolved?
          • 4. What was the impact of the Korean War?
          • 5. Summary: Was the Korean War a turning point?
        • 3. The French Indochina War >
          • 1. What caused the French Indochina War?
          • 2. How did the French Indochina War evolve?
          • 3. How was the war in Indochina resolved?
          • 4. What was the impact of the Indochina War?
          • 5. Summary: What accounts for the French defeat?
        • 4. The Vietnam War >
          • 1. What caused the Vietnam War?
          • 2. How did the Vietnam War evolve?
          • 3. How was the Vietnam War resolved?
          • 4. What was the impact of the Vietnam War?
          • 5. Summary: Was the Vietnam War inevitable?
        • 5. The Cambodian Civil War >
          • 1. What caused the Cambodian Civil War?
          • 2. How did the Cambodian Civil War evolve?
          • 3. How was the Civil War resolved?
          • 4. What was the impact of the Cambodian Civil War?
          • 5. Summary: Who can be blamed for events in Cambodia?
        • 6. The Soviet Afghan War >
          • 1. Why did the USSR invade Afghanistan?
          • 2. How did the Soviet-Afghan war evolve?
          • 3. How was the Soviet Union defeated?
          • 4. What was the impact of the Soviet-Afghan war?
          • 5. Summary: Why did the USSR withdraw?
        • Exam Questions
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5. Summary: Why did the USSR withdraw?

Activity 1 - Which events should we revise?


  1. Mind-Map - Create a concept-map using Padlet, Mindmup or any other similar mind-mapping tool (or create a sketchnote by hand!). In the middle write ‘The Soviet-Afghan War 1979-89’.
  2. Summarise - Now fill in your mind-map with key historical information and facts about the main events of the unit. Review your notes and summarise using the following headings and events:
    1. Causes - Long-term: Soviet interests and development, PDPA party creation 1965; Short-term: 1973 Coup, 1978 Saur Revolution, Factional Infighting, Unpopular Reforms; Trigger: Herat Uprising, Jihad, Taraki overthrown by Amin, Amin and US rumours, Soviet Invasion and execution of Amin
    2. Course - Phase 1 - Invasion and Consolidation (1979-80), coup de main invasion, zastavas, garrison duty, Kabul riots, desertions; Phase 2 - Pursuit of Victory (1980-85), Guerilla warfare, 40th Army HQ attack, Soviet combined operations, Panjshir Valley Operations, Attacks on Herat, Bagram Airbase attack, depopulation strategy; Phase 3 - Height of Fighting (1985-86), Role of Gorbachev, Battle of Zhawar, COIN, Spetznav, new President Najibullah; Phase 4 - Period of Withdraw (1988-89), Policy of National Reconciliation, Role of stinger missiles, Tajikistan attacks, Operation Magistral, Use of terror, Kandahar airport plane shot down, Rocket attacks on Kabul, Geneva Accords, Soviet withdrawals
    3. Resolution - Soviet Failures - strategy, tactics, poor leadership; Afghan Army Failures; Unpopular Government; Mujahideen Successes; Foreign support; Soviet Domestic Weaknesses; Gorbachev
    4. Impact - End of detente, Moscow Olympics, Carter Doctrine, Trade Embargo, Costs of War, End of USSR, Afghan Civil War (1989-1992; 1992-1996; 1996-2001); Rise of the Taliban and Al-Qaeda; Impact of Pakistan and Islamic World; Refugee Crisis
  3. Revise - Use your mind maps to help you revise the historical content for your upcoming assessment and final exams. 

Activity 2 - What was our inquiry?


  1. Recall -  Examine the statement of inquiry for this unit again and consider how it applies to what you’ve studied:
    1. Despite significant scientific and technical innovations in warfare, conflicts are still determined by basic military principles
  2. Analyse - With a partner, discuss how this statement of inquiry could be applied to the Soviet-Afghan War. Consider the following questions:
    1. Connect - How is the statement of inquiry connected to what you have studied?
    2. Extend - Does the statement of inquiry extend your thinking about the Soviet-Afghan War in any way?
    3. Challenge - What is challenging or confusing about the statement of inquiry? 
  3. Discuss - Does the statement of inquiry apply to the Soviet-Afghan War? What else might it also apply to?
  4. Evaluate - The key concept for this unit was significance. The following criteria can be used to analyse historical significance. For each one, discuss how it could apply to the Soviet-Afghan War: 
    1. Profundity - Refers to how deeply people were/have been affected by the crisis. How deeply were people’s lives affected?
    2. Quantity - Refers to the number of people affected by the crisis. Did the event affect many, everyone, or just a few people? Were the effects widespread or localised?
    3. Durability - Refers to how long people were affected by the crisis. How durable was the event in time? Was the event lasting or only ephemeral?
    4. Relevance - Refers to the extent to which the crisis has contributed to our historical understanding. Is the event relevant to our understanding of the Cold War? Does the event carry any meaning to historians today? Is it used to make comparisons, for example?

Activity 3 - How might we be assessed?


  1. Essay Plan - Try practicing for your end of unit review by essay planning. Use this essay mark-scheme to help:
    1. "International involvement was significant in determining the outcome of the civil war in Afghanistan (1989-1992)." Discuss - Nov 2020
    2. Discuss the reasons for the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979 and the reasons for the withdrawal of Soviet troops in 1989 - May 2019
    3. Evaluate the consequences for Afghanistan of the withdrawal of Soviet troops in 1989 - May 2017

Further Reading for Revision


OBLIGATORY READING
  1. Mamaux, A. (2015). Oxford IB Diploma Programme - The Cold War, pp. 163-167
RECOMMENDED READING
  1. Williamson, D.G. (2015). Access to History for the IB Diploma - The Cold War, pp. 250-253
SUPPLEMENTAL READING
  1. Fremont-Barnes, G. (2012). Osprey Essential Histories: The Soviet-Afghan War 1979-89, pp. 7-12, 18-21, 31-36, 86-91
  2. Isby, D., & Volstad, R. (1986). Osprey Men-at-Arms Series: Russia’s War in Afghanistan, pp. 9-37

PREVIOUS LESSON - WHAT WAS THE IMPACT OF THE SOVIET-AFGHAN WAR?
TOPIC 15 MENU - COLD WAR CONFLICTS IN ASIA
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  • Home
  • Shop
  • iGCSE
  • IBDP
    • Paper 1
    • Paper 2 >
      • Topic 10: Authoritarian States
      • Topic 12: The Cold War >
        • 1. Causes of the Cold War >
          • 1. What role did ideology play in the Grand Alliance?
          • 2. How did wartime disagreements affect the alliance?
          • 3. Did Soviet expansionism end the alliance?
          • 4. Was US exceptionalism to blame?
          • 5. Did events in Asia exacerbate tensions?
          • 6. Were tensions over Germany the final straw?
          • 7. Summary: Who was to blame for the Cold War?
        • 2. Conflict & Confrontation >
          • 1. How did competition unfold in Asia?
          • 2. What conflicts emerged in Europe?
          • 3. How did the Cold War shape the Middle East?
          • 4. Were tensions in the Americas unexpected?
          • 5. Why did the Cold War spread to Africa?
          • 6. How did scientific change drive the conflict?
          • 7. Summary: Who won the global struggle?
        • 3. Detente and Coexistence >
          • 1. Did peaceful coexistence work?
          • 2. What did detente achieve?
          • 3. Why did detente fail?
          • 4. Summary: Was detente a failure?
        • 4. China and the Cold War >
          • 1. Why were Sino-Soviet relations so turbulent?
          • 2. How did Sino-American relations change?
          • 3. What other relations did China cultivate?
          • 4. Summary: When did China become a global power?
        • 5. End of the Cold War >
          • 1. Did the USSR decay from within?
          • 2. Did Ronald Reagan win the war?
          • 3. Was Mikhail Gorbachev to blame?
          • 4. What role did people power play?
          • 5. Why did the USSR finally collapse?
          • 6. Summary: Who, or what, ended the Cold War?
        • 6. Leaders, Crises and Nations >
          • 1. What was the impact of leaders?
          • 2. How significant were Cold War crises?
          • 3. In what ways were nations affected?
          • 4. Summary: What was the role of leaders, crises and nations?
        • Exam Questions
    • Paper 3 - Asia/Oceania >
      • Topic 9: Imperial Decline in East Asia 1860-1912
      • Topic 11: Japan 1912-1990
      • Topic 12: China and Korea 1910-1950
      • Topic 14: The People's Republic of China 1949-2005
      • Topic 15: Cold War Conflicts in Asia >
        • 1. The Malayan Emergency >
          • 1. What triggered conflict in Malaya?
          • 2. How did the Emergency evolve?
          • 3. Why was the insurgency defeated?
          • 4. What was the impact of the Emergency?
          • 5. Summary: Why was communism defeated?
        • 2. The Korean War >
          • 1. What caused the Korean War?
          • 2. How did the Korean War evolve?
          • 3. How was the Korean War resolved?
          • 4. What was the impact of the Korean War?
          • 5. Summary: Was the Korean War a turning point?
        • 3. The French Indochina War >
          • 1. What caused the French Indochina War?
          • 2. How did the French Indochina War evolve?
          • 3. How was the war in Indochina resolved?
          • 4. What was the impact of the Indochina War?
          • 5. Summary: What accounts for the French defeat?
        • 4. The Vietnam War >
          • 1. What caused the Vietnam War?
          • 2. How did the Vietnam War evolve?
          • 3. How was the Vietnam War resolved?
          • 4. What was the impact of the Vietnam War?
          • 5. Summary: Was the Vietnam War inevitable?
        • 5. The Cambodian Civil War >
          • 1. What caused the Cambodian Civil War?
          • 2. How did the Cambodian Civil War evolve?
          • 3. How was the Civil War resolved?
          • 4. What was the impact of the Cambodian Civil War?
          • 5. Summary: Who can be blamed for events in Cambodia?
        • 6. The Soviet Afghan War >
          • 1. Why did the USSR invade Afghanistan?
          • 2. How did the Soviet-Afghan war evolve?
          • 3. How was the Soviet Union defeated?
          • 4. What was the impact of the Soviet-Afghan war?
          • 5. Summary: Why did the USSR withdraw?
        • Exam Questions
  • Links
    • is globalpolitics
    • is history
    • is humanities