The War in Afghanistan (1979-1989) has been called "the Soviet Union's Vietnam War;" a conflict that pitted Soviet regulars against a relentless; elusive; and ultimately unbeatable Afghan guerrilla force (the mujahideen). The hit-and-run bloodletting across the war's decade tallied more than 25;000 dead Soviet soldiers plus a great many more casualties and further demoralized a USSR on the verge of disintegration. In The Soviet-Afghan War the Russian general staff takes a close critical look at the Soviet military's disappointing performance in that war in an effort to better understand what happened and why and what lessons should be taken from it. Lester Grau and Michael Gress's expert English translation of the general staff's study offers the very first publication in any language of this important and illuminating work. Surprisingly; this was a study the general staff never intended to write; initially viewing the war in Afghanistan as a dismal aberration in Russian military history. The history of the 1990s has; of course; completely demolished that belief; as evidenced by the Russian Army's subsequent engagements with guerrilla forces in Chechnya; Azerbaijan; Tadjikistan; Turkmenistan; and elsewhere. As a result; Russian officers decided to take a much closer look at the Red Army's experiences in the Afghan War. Their study presents the Russian view of how the war started; how it progressed; and how it ended; shows how a modern mechanized army organized and conducted a counter-guerrilla war; chronicles the major battles and operations; and provides valuable insights into Soviet tactics; strategy; doctrine; and organization across a wide array of military branches. The editors' incisive preface and commentary help contextualize the Russian view and alert the reader to blind spots in the general staff's thinking about the war. This one-of-a-kind document provides a powerful case study on how yet another modern mechanized army imprudently relied upon the false promise of technology to defeat a determined guerrilla foe. Along the way; it vividly reveals the increasing disillusionment of Soviet soldiers; how that disillusion seeped back into Soviet society; and how it contributed to the collapse of the Soviet Union. The Red Army had fought their war to a military draw but that was not enough to stave off political defeat at home. The Soviet-Afghan War helps clarify how such a surprising demise could have materialized in the backyard of the Cold War's other great superpower.
#3622238 in Books 2016-12-13Original language:English 11.00 x .42 x 8.50l; #File Name: 069281485X
Review
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Very thorough and enjoyableBy D. P. WilkensAs a sometime blogger and scholar on topics related to the War of 1812; I was sent this book for review by the author/ editor. I think it is an excellent addition to the body of published work on the military history and politics of the early Republic. Although this is a self-published title; it has a higher "production value" than most-- it is well-written and edited; with high quality color facsimiles of some of the documents the author used. The book is organized into two main parts: an introduction which includes some genealogical background on Major Amos Stoddard and his career after the Revolution and up to his death from a Tetanus-infected wound during the Siege of Fort Meigs in 1813. The second part is Major Stoddard's own recollections of his life as a young man; including his service in the Continental Army. His manuscript is well-worth reading for any scholar of the American Revolution; because it includes such incidents and campaigns as the execution of Major Andre; the camp at Valley Forge and the Siege of Yorktown; Stoddard also discusses his experiences during Shay's Rebellion in the period after the war. Since the autobiography manuscript ends abruptly in the 1790s; before Stoddard rejoined the regular Army; the editor has included a fairly detailed study of his career in the introduction of the book; although this leads the reader to read the "end" of Stoddard's life story before reading the early part; if they read this book straight through from cover to cover. Overall; I would say this volume is well worth having for anyone interested in the Revolution; early Republic or War of 1812 and a very valuable contribution to research on this era of American History.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. This Book Should Be In Your LibraryBy Charles M. ProvinceI can't say enough good things about this book. I have to admit that I thoroughly enjoy volumes like this. The research and detailed references within these pages indicate that it was; indeed; written by a scholar. The attention to detail is outstanding and the images in the book are marvelous. I especially like the fact that this is a true story displayed in the personal handwriting of the subject. Mr. Stoddard has done an exemplary job of publishing a beautiful volume about one of his ancestors and it would enhance any library.
