The Soviet War in Afghanistan free essay sample

This view is shared in a number of accounts (Cold War Warriors, 2010; Le Nouvel Observateur, 1998; The American Peace Award, 2009). At the other end of the ideological spectrum, Leonid Brezhnev became the leader of communist Soviet Union after seizing power from his mentor, Nikita Khrushchev, following Soviet defeat in the Cuban Missile Crisis (Kris, 2004). Brezhnev’s and Carter’s ideologies were to clash at the end of the detente period. The detente period refers to the easing of tensions and competition between powers (The Free Dictionary, 2008). The fall of the detente is generally attributed to Zbigniew Brzezinski; National Security Advisor under the Carter administration (Le Nouvel Observateur, 1998; Washington University, 1997; Coll, 2005). In his 1997 interview with George Washington University, Brzezinski defended the reintensification of the Cold War by claiming â€Å"[it was] either detente across the board, or competition across the board, but not detente in some areas and competition in those areas in which we were vulnerable† (George Washington University, 1997). We will write a custom essay sample on The Soviet War in Afghanistan or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The philosopher, Aesop, claimed, â€Å"No one can be a friend if you know not whether to trust or distrust them† (Pangyre, No Date). The tenacious personalities of the US and Russian leaders during the Soviet-Afghan conflict dominated the world stage in a masquerade of manipulation and shrewdness, hidden by the age old ideals of ideology. The implementation of realpolitick, puppet presidents and sheer determination to win conflicts during the Cold War still resonates within modern society. The poor ideological excuses used during the Soviet-Afghan war are continuously being recycled, whilst true ideology has retreated to become the stories of a bygone era. Though the role of individuals in history is generally the product of complex processes and patterns, the instigators of most, if not all of humanity’s greatest blunders are people; however, cuique fortunam in manu ducitur:(each is led by the hand of fate). Appendix Appendix 1. [Brezhnev adorned with his many self awarded medals and honours.