Afghanistan War and Soviet Union Collapse

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Questions and Answers

What was a significant outcome of the Soviet army's failures in Afghanistan?

  • Strengthening of the Soviet economy
  • Decline in the legitimacy of the Soviet regime (correct)
  • Increased reliance on military strategies domestically
  • Heightened dependence on international alliances

What was one of the key factors that contributed to the collapse of the Soviet Union according to the systemic explanations?

  • Economic growth from the Cold War
  • Sufficient consumer goods production
  • State control of all markets
  • The high costs imposed by the Cold War (correct)

How did the war in Afghanistan influence Gorbachev and Shevardnadze's views on military intervention?

  • They recognized the ineffectiveness of using the army for suppression. (correct)
  • They shifted towards advocating for a stronger alliance with China.
  • They became advocates for more aggressive military action.
  • They had no significant change in military policy outlook.

What major context is mentioned about the Cold War's relationship to the Soviet Union's collapse?

<p>It was primarily a chronic problem rather than a threat to integrity. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

How did the quality of consumer goods influence the support of the urban middle class for the Soviet regime?

<p>The lack of sufficient consumer goods led to a loss of support. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What was the main intention behind initiating Perestroika in the Soviet Union?

<p>To reform the economy and political system. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What conclusion is drawn regarding the economic impact of the Afghanistan war on the Soviet Union?

<p>It did not have a critical impact on the economy. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is suggested about the perspectives of different leaders regarding the Afghanistan war?

<p>Different interpretations could have emerged under different leaders. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which statement best describes the role of internal ethnic tensions in the breakdown of the Soviet Union?

<p>Secessionist movements gained momentum after glasnost, exploiting perceived weaknesses. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What was identified as a major flaw leading to the failure of Gorbachev's reforms?

<p>A corrupt alliance sabotaged the incremental reforms. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What was one proposed reason for the USSR's negotiations in the 1980s?

<p>Rising costs associated with the Cold War arms race. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is a key argument regarding the economic state of the Soviet Union in the 1980s?

<p>The economy had nearly ceased growing, leading to collapse. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What challenge is noted about establishing a clear link between the Cold War and the Soviet Union's collapse?

<p>Demonstrating an empirical relationship is complex. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What characteristic of the Soviet system is cited as contributing to its inability to adapt and survive?

<p>A bureaucratic structure that hindered systemic reforms. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is implied about the nature of the Cold War's impact on the Soviet regime?

<p>It functioned mainly as a troublesome, ongoing issue. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What did Fukuyama argue about the collapse of the Soviet Union?

<p>It was an unavoidable outcome due to the superiority of democracy and capitalism. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What significant change did the Afghanistan war bring about in the relationship between citizens and the Soviet state?

<p>It facilitated a redefinition of the relationship between citizens and state. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

How did Army generals respond in interviews during the late 1980s regarding the Afghanistan war?

<p>They blamed politicians for continuing the war against military advice. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What role did the media play as a result of the Afghanistan war during the late 1980s?

<p>It served as an independent watchdog of public interest. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What was the timing of the Soviet Union's disintegration in relation to the Afghanistan war?

<p>Disintegration began toward the end of the 1980s, during the war. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following was a key opportunity for redefining state-citizen relationships in the Soviet Union?

<p>The Afghanistan war and its implications. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

According to Sergei Lukyanchikov, what effect did the Afghanistan war have on the Soviet mindset?

<p>It changed their psychology and contributed to perestroika. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What was a common theme in the letters published by Pravda in November 1987?

<p>Accusations of draft-dodging by party elites' children. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which event is linked to the unexpected disintegration of the Soviet Union?

<p>The Soviet withdrawal from Afghanistan. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Flashcards

Soviet Army's Role

The Soviet army's involvement was critical in maintaining regime stability.

Gorbachev and Shevardnadze

Key leaders whose perceptions changed due to the Afghanistan war.

Economic Impact of War

The war's economic effects were not critical to the Soviet Union's stability.

Secessionist Movements

Movements aiming for independence within the Soviet Union.

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Cold War Context

The Cold War should be viewed as a chronic issue, not a direct cause of collapse.

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Ongoing Arms Race

A continuous military competition that was costly for the USSR.

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Negotiation Table

The USSR's shift towards reforms was influenced by rising costs of the Cold War.

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Historical Interpretation

Difficulty in establishing a clear link between the Cold War and the USSR's collapse.

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Borovik's articles (1987)

Series highlighting war weariness in Soviet army.

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Pravda letters (1987)

Complaints about draft-dodging by party elites' children.

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Soviet withdrawal from Afghanistan

Marked transformation in Soviet media's role post-1989.

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Role of press (1989-1991)

Media became a watchdog and reflected public opinion.

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Glasnost

Policy promoting open discussion and transparency.

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Perestroika

Political reform aimed at restructuring the Soviet economy.

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Disintegration of Soviet Union (1991)

Collapse marked by Eastern Europe’s exit from the Soviet bloc.

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Afghanistan war's impact

Significant factor in the collapse of the Soviet Union.

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Breakdown of the Soviet Union

The collapse of the Soviet Union in the early 1990s due to various internal and external pressures.

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Fukuyama's assertion

The belief that the superiority of democracy and capitalism led to the Soviet collapse.

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Soviet economy stagnation

A period in the 1980s when the Soviet economy ceased to grow, leading to loss of support from citizens.

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Corruption and reform sabotage

The failure of reforms due to corrupt leaders undermining efforts for change.

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Cold War costs

Significant economic and military expenditures that weakened the Soviet Union during the Cold War.

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Ethnic tensions in the USSR

Conflicts arising from various ethnic groups seeking independence, fueled by reforms allowing more freedom.

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Study Notes

The Afghanistan War and the Breakdown of the Soviet Union

  • The breakdown of the Soviet Union surprised many scholars, who primarily attributed it to Gorbachev's reforms and systemic factors. However, the war in Afghanistan was a key factor.

  • The war impacted Soviet politics in four ways:

    • Perception effects: Changed leaders' perceptions of using the military to control the empire and intervene in other countries.
    • Military effects: Weakened the Red Army, created divisions between the party and the military, and demonstrated their vulnerability, encouraging non-Russian republics to seek independence.
    • Legitimacy effects: Provided common cause for non-Russians to demand independence, viewing the war as a Russian war fought by non-Russians.
    • Participation effects: Created new forms of political participation, transforming the press, initiating glasnost, and fostering new civil organizations.

  • Systemic explanations for the collapse, such as inefficient central planning, ethnic tensions, the Cold War, and economic gap with the West, were not sufficient.

  • The Afghanistan War was a major factor in the internal collapse. The war’s repeated failures, changed leadership perceptions, and weakened the military.

  • The war encouraged non-Russian republics to push for independence.

  • The war significantly impacted domestic politics, including anti-militarism, corruption, and looting in the army.

  • Afghanistan war veterans (Afgantsy) formed civil organizations, challenging the Communist Party's hegemony.

  • The war prompted a reassessment of the Soviet leadership's ability to maintain control within the country.

  • The war contributed to the acceleration of glasnost and perestroika, increasing criticism of the Soviet government and the military.

  • The war fostered internal unrest and dissent within the Soviet Union.

  • The Afghanistan War made the war in Afghanistan explicit.

  • Many scholars compare the Afghanistan War to Vietnam.

  • The war transformed media reporting, forcing the official narrative to change.

Existing Explanations of the Soviet Union's Breakdown

  • Systemic explanations point to the inherent problems within the Soviet system: inefficient central planning, ethnic tensions, the Cold War, and economic inefficiencies.

  • Leadership-based explanations focus on Gorbachev and other political leaders' roles in the breakdown.

  • Some posit that Gorbachev's reforms and leadership choices triggered the collapse.

  • Others acknowledge the existence of underlying systemic problems.

The Role of Gorbachev

  • Gorbachev's foreign and domestic policies played a role in the dissolution of the Soviet Union.
  • His policies were influenced, in part, by the Afghanistan War.

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