Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan

Submitted by Ivysyn on July 27, 2018

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.

Mike Harman

5 years 8 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Mike Harman on July 27, 2018

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!).

Reddebrek

5 years 8 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Reddebrek on July 27, 2018

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,

wojtek

5 years 8 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by wojtek on July 27, 2018

War reporting:
https://granta.com/boys-in-zinc/

Adam Curtis talks about it in 'Bitter Lake'. I've never seen such archival footage before.

Ivysyn

5 years 8 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Ivysyn on July 27, 2018

Yea I've been watching Bitter Lake and he covers it very well.