Mrs. Overly
12th Grade
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Afghanistan takes great pride in the fact that no
outside forces have ever been successful in
controlling their country.
Alexander the Great
Ghengis Khan
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Yet, at the same time, when they are not
chasing out Britain, Russia, and NATO forces
(including United States) their past is scarred
with civil war and racist religious persecution.
The people of Afghanistan largely accept that
religion should shape government, but since
many interpret the Koran and Shari'a Law
differently, conflict continues.
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Because of Afghanistan’s key
location as a middle east
passage route between India
and the Persian capitals, the
land was always involved with
a territory war.
Many different ‘empires’ were
raised and torn down during
300-1000 AD
Many different cultural groups
landed and stayed in the area.
At one time the area was
largely Buddhist and not
Muslim.
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Afghanistan borders are
defined and the country is
led by Ahmad Shah
Durrani
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As Britain expanded her
colonization world wide, they
tried to stretch into Afghanistan in
1800.
This effort did not pan out for
Britain despite the fact that they
tried for nearly 100 years to win
wars in Afghanistan in order to
control the leadership.
The Anglo-Afghan war placed
British troops in a terrain that was
unfamiliar and brutal. After three
tries, Britain pulled out forces in
1919
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Within Afghanistan, the separation between
the two cultural groups is marked by periods
of great tension.
Various cultural groups want more control and
voice in the government.
1919-1929: King Amanullah, a Pashtun, takes
the throne and worked to end Afghanistan's
isolation. People did not want change and the
king is overthrown by Pashtun and Tajik tribes.
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1933: Mohammad Zahir Shah becomes
the king of Afghanistan.
Shah was a Pashtun but felt strongly
about unifying Afghanistan. He worked
hard to unite the divided country and
offer opportunities to all groups and
women.
His life story is important in The Kite
Runner because he is chased out of
power and was exiled from his country.
Recently died (2007)
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1964: King Zahir Shah starts experimenting
with democracy and the legislature is partly
elected. At the same time, the communist
People Democratic Party of Afghanistan
(PDPA) emerges; this group has close ties to
the Soviet Union.
Meanwhile, there is a division in the country
where half of the Pashtun party want to work
with USSR and others do not.
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1973: Zahir Shah is overthrown by his cousin
Sardar Mohammad Daoud, a Pashtun. Daoud
abolishes the monarchy and proclaims
Afghanistan as a republic with himself as
president. His efforts to bring about social and
economic reforms were unsuccessful.
Shah was actually out of the country getting
surgery in Italy when we heard about the
takeover of his palace. He never returned.
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Shah’s younger cousin takes over as head of
Afghanistan with the help of the Soviet Union
Of course, the power went straight to his head and
he wildly misread how much control he had over
the country with the USSR now in charge.
It became quickly obvious that USSR no longer
needed Doaud and his constant interference with
their economic goals grew annoying.
1978: The communist coup, a.k.a. the April
Revolution, takes place. The coup takes place
because Daoud wanted to reduce Soviet influence.
As a result, the PDPA murdered Daoud and his
family. Taraki, a PDPA leader, takes power and
employs a Marxist government.
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Throughout the next ten years, the USSR
appointed Afghan puppet leaders but whenever
any of them started to head in a direction USSR
didn’t like, they were assasinated.
Soviet occupation in Afghanistan upset all of
Afghani people. Reports of abuse, rape, extortion,
and murders by Soviet soldiers were common
news.
Communist forces expelled religion practice.
Nobody could protect the Afghani people or their
faith…well, maybe somebody…