Description:
This book studies the complexities of the Soviet-Afghan War from several points of view, calling attention to the experiences of those involved.
The late-1979 Soviet invasion of Afghanistan compounded the lack of support among Afghans for their country's communist regime, which doomed the Soviet military undertaking from the start, and in turn contributed to the downfall of the Soviet system itself. Amid a battlefield of propaganda and disinformation from all sides that attempted to shape perceptions of the war, a clear undercurrent of opposition emerged within the USSR and grew over time, dominating the discourse during Mikhail Gorbachev's glasnost (openness) reform in the late 1980s.
In Smoke, Mirrors, and Memories, Jeffery W. Jones conveys a broad picture without the narrative illusion of a seamless story amid the fog of war, analyzing varied accounts relayed by a wide range of sources. He argues that an evolving narrative and discourse on the war in the latter half of the 1980s helped pave the way for the collapse of the USSR as disillusionment with the conflict grew within Soviet society.
Review Quotes:
"Showing how an attempt to support Afghan communists' rule ended up doing the exact opposite, this book is a valuable contribution to our knowledge about the USSR in the 1980s as well as about Afghanistan, its direct neighbor to the south in Central Asia at the same time."
--Martin Blackwell, Visiting Professor of History, Stetson University"Well written, strongly researched, and clearly organized, Smoke, Mirrors, and Memories provides a new perspective on the history of the Soviet war in Afghanistan. Jeffrey W. Jones makes a significant contribution in his emphasis on culture and public opinion. The book also speaks to critical political questions concerning the war's role in the progressive disillusionment of the Soviet population and in the subsequent collapse of the Soviet Union. Extremely timely, the book speaks more broadly to all those interested in war, propaganda, anti-colonial movements, and the collapse of socialism."
--Wendy Z. Goldman, Paul Mellon Distinguished Professor of History, Carnegie Mellon University