So I've never really found any conclusive leftist analysis of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, or really any conclusive analysis on it for that matter. The only thing I could find was old Trotskyist screeds from not too long after it happened, or at the time that are less than helpful. If anyone has any sources which deal with it either from a leftist perspective, or from just a historical perspective in general I'd appreciate it.
The one I've seen
The one I've seen recommended, and also in our reading guide is M H Kakar's the Soviet Invasion and Afghan Response, but I haven't read it so can't vouch either way.
There's a full PDF of that book here: http://www.kakarfoundation.com/wp-content/uploads/publications/books/Afghanistan%2c%20The%20Soviet%20Invasion%20and%20the%20Afghan%20Response%2c%201979-%201982.pdf
More books by the same person here: http://www.kakarfoundation.com/books/ and shorter articles: http://www.kakarfoundation.com/articles/
Our reading guide (I think this is technically endpage's reading guide) is here but none of these are reproduced on the site: https://libcom.org/library/afghanistan-further-reading-guide
If you find something useful we could republish, please update the thread with it (and/or just post it to the library!).
Thanks Mike, I'll peruse the
Thanks Mike, I'll peruse the links.
Back in Uni I wrote my
Back in Uni I wrote my dissertation on the Soviet War in Afghanistan, I wouldn't call it leftist but I tried to cram in everything I'd learnt. Also I had managed to grab a lot of second hand books and files on the subject, but unfortunately no one was interested in them when I had to move so I had to give them up.
Of the top of my head the most well regarded book was Mark Urbans Afghanistan, and I really appreciated Afgantsy which was focussed on the effects the war had on Soviet society,
War
War reporting:
https://granta.com/boys-in-zinc/
Adam Curtis talks about it in 'Bitter Lake'. I've never seen such archival footage before.
Yea I've been watching Bitter
Yea I've been watching Bitter Lake and he covers it very well.