How did the Soviet Afghan war lead to the end of the Cold war?

When Mikhail Gorbachev became leader of the Soviet Union he wanted the war to end. By 1988 Gorbachev realized the war was costing Soviet troops and hurting their economy. He signed a peace treaty to end the war. The last Soviet troops departed Afghanistan on February 15, 1989.

Why was the Soviet Union interested in Afghanistan?

The Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan on December 24 1979 under the pretext of upholding the Soviet-Afghan Friendship Treaty. Afghanistan borders Russia and was always considered important to its national security and a gateway to Asia.

What was the impact of the Soviet Afghan war on the USSR?

The long-term impact of the invasion and subsequent war was profound. First, the Soviets never recovered from the public relations and financial losses, which significantly contributed to the fall of the Soviet empire in 1991. Secondly, the war created a breeding ground for terrorism and the rise of Osama bin Laden.

When did the Soviet Union take over Afghanistan?

The Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan and the U.S. Response, 1978–1980 At the end of December 1979, the Soviet Union sent thousands of troops into Afghanistan and immediately assumed complete military and political control of Kabul and large portions of the country.

How many Muslim-majority areas were there in the Soviet Union?

Of the 16 states that comprised the Soviet Union, Muslims were in majority in eight of them when the Communists took over in 1917. The Muslim majority areas in what was the Soviet Union were: 1. Uzbekistan, 2. Tajikistan, 3. Azerbaijan, 4. Georgia and Armenia, 5. Kazakhstan, 6. Kirghizia, 7. Tatar and Bashkar, 8. Caucasia and 9.

How did the United States respond to the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan?

The administration also enacted economic sanctions and trade embargoes against the Soviet Union, called for a boycott of the 1980 Moscow Olympics, and stepped up its aid to the Afghan insurgents. In sum, these actions were Washington’s collective attempt to make the Soviets’ “adventure” in Afghanistan as painful and brief as possible.

What caused tension between the United States and the Soviet Union?

However, the Soviet stance on human rights and its invasion of Afghanistan in 1979 created new tensions between the two countries.