When the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan in December 1979, the goal was to help Afghan communist forces establish a communist government. The Soviet Union believed that Afghanistan had key resources and a foothold in the Middle East to spread communist ideas. The result would be a war that the Soviet Union would never wish to get involved in and which it would compare to the "Vietnam War", which meant winning a number of battles, but not a war like the one that happened to the United States in Vietnam. The context of the war, its outcome, and its impact on the United States are essential to understanding the Soviet-Afghan War. The war began on December 27, 1979 when Soviet paratroopers invaded Kabul, Afghanistan. Soviet troops attacked key positions such as military and communications centers. The main objective was to kill Hafizullah Amin, who was the leader of Afghanistan after ordering the assassination of Nur Muhammad Taraki, who was the leader of the People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan. The Soviets managed to kill Amin after attacking his presidential palace and setting up a "puppet government". The “puppet government” would be led by Banner Party leader Babrak Karmal. Karmal had no significant power in Afghanistan, only the Soviet army to keep him in power and control Afghanistan. Within weeks of the invasion, the People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan would be ousted from the region and replaced by Soviet forces. Soviet forces would then encounter an enemy hiding in the mountains and fighting with guerrilla tactics. This Muslim rebellion group would be known as the Mujahideen. The Mujahideen opposed the Soviets and the Karmal government because both supported a communist government that rejected religion and wanted to modernize the government...... middle of paper ...... the Soviet Union, but at Eventually, radical groups would turn against the United States with terrorist attacks. The Soviet-Afghan War saw the end of communism but the rise of terrorism. Afghanistan would continue to be a breeding ground for terrorist groups and the United States would become involved in Afghanistan in 2001 to combat Taliban and Al-Qaeda groups, which grew after the Soviet-Afghan War. Time can only tell whether the United States will follow the same path as the Soviet Union in defeat. Works Cited “Soviet invasion of Afghanistan”. Encyclopedia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica online. Encyclopædia Britannica, 2011. Web. April 19, 2011. “Soviet invasion of Afghanistan.” Guide to Russia. Internet. April 19, 2011. Walton, John. "About the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan | EHow.com." EComment | How To Videos, Articles & More – Trusted Tips for the Curious Life | EHow.com. Internet. April 19. 2011.