The Afghanistan War and the Breakdown of the Soviet Union
Title | The Afghanistan War and the Breakdown of the Soviet Union |
Publication Type | Journal Article |
Year of Publication | 1999 |
Authors | Reuveny, Rafael, and Aseem Prakash |
Journal | Review of International Studies |
Volume | 25 |
Issue | 4 |
Pagination | 693-708 |
Date Published | 1999 |
Abstract | The breakdown of the Soviet Union surprised most scholars of international relations, comparative politics, and Soviet politics. Existing explanations attribute the breakdown of the Soviet Union to the reformist leadership of Gorbachev, and/or to systemic factors. These explanations do not focus on the key contribution of the war in Afghanistan. This is surprising since many scholars view wars as key causal factors in empire breakdown and regime change. We argue that the war in Afghanistan was a key factor, though not the only cause, in the breakdown of the Soviet Union. [From the Article] |
URL | https://faculty.washington.edu/aseem/afganwar.pdf |
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