Previous chapters → USSR fought proxy wars. Also supported its allies → such as Arab states in Middle East + Fidel Castro’s Cuba. Soviets provided money, technical equipment, advisors, food, medical supplies → to many of allies.
- all these → substantial financial burdens → which increased greatly → when war in Afghanistan broke out in 1979
War turned into USSR’s version of Vietnam war.
- Soviet troops entered Afghanistan to maintain power of pro soviet govt there → but were tied down for next 10 years by Afghan fighters → Mujahideen.
- Mujahideen → saw themselves as fighting against the communist regime
- make matters worse for USSR → they knew the territory + had plenty of experience in guerrilla warfare + were supplied with weapons and money by US and Saudi Arabia
USSR invested far too much → in its military power.
- particularly → nuclear weapons program + war in Afghanistan were very expensive
- USSR never revealed figures → est. 30-50% of Soviet resources when to military