 Detent is known in Russian as “Relaxation of Tension” and is known in French as “Relaxation”  During this time ( ) many summits and talks were held between leaders and treaties such as SALT 1 and Helsinki Accords that were signed.

 In Christmas 1979, Russian paratroopers landed in Kabal, the capital of Afghanistan. The country was already in the grip of a civil war. The prime minister, Hazifullah Amin, tried to sweep aside Muslim tradition. This outraged the majority of those in Afghanistan as a strong tradition of Muslim belief.  Amin captured thousands of religious leaders and the rest fled to the mountains to escape his police. Thousands of Muslims fled to join them and joined the Mujahideen who declared a holy war on the government.  Amin was shot and Babrak Kamal was put in power but needed the Russian troops to keep it

The Mujahideen knew the mountains and fought using guerilla warfare. This was the first time Russia had encountered this type of force and the second most powerful military power was loosing. Russian troops lasted no more than 10 days before falling to bits in the harsh environment. Many Russian soldiers defected and joined the Mujahideen.

Americans boycotted the Olympics which were supposed to be held in Russia and banned grain export to Russia. Treaty talks were also ended and America indirectly helped arm The Mujahideen but other than that they stayed away.

The decade-long war resulted in millions of Afghans fleeing their country, mostly to Pakistan and Iran. Hundreds of thousands of Afghan civilians were killed.

Russia was using up way to much resources in the war crippling their already weak economy so they left Afghanistan February 15 th The Mujahideen took over the country imposing very strict Muslim laws. Afghanistan has sometimes been referred to as “the Soviet Unions Vietnam” or “The Bear Trap”

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