The Historical Significance of Afghanistan: A Legacy of Resilience and Struggle (Part-1)
Afghanistan is often called the "Graveyard of Empires" due to its reputation for resisting foreign conquerors. Both the United States and the Soviet Union once set their sights on Afghanistan, each seeking to claim the region and demonstrate their might. Despite their efforts, they couldn't succeed. But what makes this landlocked country so unique? Why has subduing it been such a challenge? Let's delve into Afghanistan's history to understand more.
The Afghan Past
Back in 1839, Britain and Russia were at odds over controlling Afghanistan. The British deployed a large force of 16,500 soldiers to take on the Russians but painfully learned their strength was not enough, as the majority met violent deaths.
Jumping forward to 1933, King Zahir Shah was leading Afghanistan. The nation enjoyed relative stability. Zahir introduced advancements and in 1964, drafted Afghanistan's first constitution. While building legislative structures, he also kept tight control over political power, with his cousin Daoud Khan appointed as Prime Minister, but Zahir held the reigns.
When Zahir fell ill in 1973, he traveled to Italy for medical treatment. This led to Daoud orchestrating a coup, taking over control as Zahir stayed abroad. Daoud became President and claimed to bring democracy to Afghanistan.
Daoud, however, established a rule disallowing other parties from contesting in elections, aiming for a one-party rule. This upset many who felt this was a sham of democracy. He also neglected rural areas, focusing only on cities, which angered ordinary citizens.
Various social factions united to form the PDPA (People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan), a communist party supported by the USSR.
With rising unemployment, Afghanistan’s economy was shaky, and the PDPA grew stronger. Daoud tried to curb their influence, but in 1978 a prominent PDPA leader was killed, inciting more protests and instability.
On April 27, 1978, Daoud and his family were assassinated, and the PDPA took over with Noor Mohammad Taraki appointed president, a favored choice of the USSR.
Modernization of Afghanistan
The modernization of Afghanistan began under Noor, with secular reforms pushed forward. Women gained rights to education and personal freedoms, educational curriculums were secularized, forced marriages were banned, and the participation of women in the workforce and politics was encouraged. Land reforms, calling for more equal distribution, were also introduced with the USSR's advice.
However, anti-government elements, including religious leaders, scholars, students, and landowners, felt that these moves were destroying Afghan culture and were influenced too much by the USSR. In response, these groups organized and armed themselves, calling themselves Mujahideen. They claimed they were fighting to defend Islam within Afghanistan. The Mujahideen had a diverse backing, from students to tribal groups and beyond.
During 1978 and 1979, Noor served as the prime minister and Hafizula Amin as the foreign minister, while doubts about their leadership grew within the USSR.
During the late 1970s, Prime Minister Noor led the government with Hafizullah Amin serving as the foreign minister. The USSR was wary of Amin, suspecting CIA support for him. On March 20, 1979, Noor traveled to Moscow. There, Soviet leaders warned him to fire Amin and to pause ongoing reforms. Noor agreed to take these steps. However, Amin learned about this scheme from the CIA and, upon Noor's return from Moscow, had him killed right at the airport. Amin then took over as Prime Minister.
As the news of Noor's death reached the Soviet Union, they felt their grip on Afghanistan slipping away. The Mujahideen were gearing up to challenge the communist regime, and Amin had taken the reins of a government the US supported.
On December 24, 1979, the Soviet Union began its invasion of Afghanistan, swiftly seizing control over most of the country. They killed Amin and installed their leader, Kamal. The Soviets claimed their intervention was to assist Afghanistan in battling extremists.
Keep an eye out – this piece is sliced into three bits, with the other two dropping shortly!
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