Essay topic 1: The wars in Afghanistan The general theme for this essay is the failure of both the USSR and the US to achieve their broad strategic objectives in Afghanistan. In addressing this question, you should keep in mind something I said in one of the videos, that most accounts will emphasize either the political or the military dimensions of those wars, but that no complete account of them can afford to ignore either of those dimensions. In other words, you want to say something about both the political and the military dimensions of those wars. In addition, you might find it useful, at least in organizing your thoughts, to distinguish between strategic aims and military operations and tactics. The central issue, of course, is that in neither case did military operations lead to the realization of political objectives. But was that because the strategic aims were unrealistic or flawed, or because the military operations conducted by the US and/or the USSR were not suited to the strategic aims or otherwise flawed, either in design or execution? Note that any answer to this question presupposes some analysis of Afghan society and politics: don't just look at the sides with the biggest weapons. The entire point is that having the biggest weapons does not guarantee victory, at least as this is defined by one's strategic objectives.
Essay topic 1: The wars in Afghanistan
The general theme for this essay is the failure of both the USSR and the US to achieve their broad strategic objectives in Afghanistan. In addressing this question, you should keep in mind something I said in one of the videos, that most accounts will emphasize either the political or the military dimensions of those wars, but that no complete account of them can afford to ignore either of those dimensions. In other words, you want to say something about both the political and the military dimensions of those wars. In addition, you might find it useful, at least in organizing your thoughts, to distinguish between strategic aims and military operations and tactics. The central issue, of course, is that in neither case did military operations lead to the realization of political objectives. But was that because the strategic aims were unrealistic or flawed, or because the military operations conducted by the US and/or the USSR were not suited to the strategic aims or otherwise flawed, either in design or execution? Note that any answer to this question presupposes some analysis of Afghan society and politics: don't just look at the sides with the biggest weapons. The entire point is that having the biggest weapons does not guarantee victory, at least as this is defined by one's strategic objectives.
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