The Hidden War: A Russian Journalist's Account of the Soviet War in Afghanistan [Paperback]

Artyom Borovik (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 10, 2001

Until his death in 2000, Artyom Borovik was considered one of the preeminent journalists in Russia. With The Hidden War he provided the world its first glimpse inside the Soviet military machine, capturing the soldiers' terror, helplessness, and despair at waging war in a foreign land against an unseen enemy for unclear purposes. When first published, Borovik's groundbreaking revelations exposed the weaknesses beneath the Soviet Union's aura of military might, creating an enormous controversy both in Russia and around the world. A vital and fascinating portrait of the Soviet empire at the twilight of its power, this is a book that still resonates today. "An honest and graphic account of individual and general disillusionment during the very worst kind of war." -Christopher Hitchens, New York Newsday; "Alternately fascinating and horrific.... A fascinating look at the life and death of Soviet soldiers." -- Bill Wallace, San Francisco Chronicle; "I have read no other account of the war in Afghanistan equal to this ... this is literature." -- Graham Greene

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Borovik, foreign editor of the Soviet weekly Ogonyok , spent a month with Soviet troops in Afghanistan near the end of the 1979-1988 war. His subjective, impressionistic account is of interest mainly for its startling echoes of the American experience in Vietnam: The Soviet soldiers' awed respect for the elusive enemy, their disgust over the waste of lives, their resentment of the harassment accorded returning veterans by an antiwar populace. And like our GIs in Vietnam, these men found solace in rock music, odd garb and drugs. The pathology of the Vietnam war is mirrored also with stories of Soviet atrocities: rape, murder and a My Lai-like massacre of civilians. Borovik summarizes the prevalent theories as to why the Soviets intervened in '79. The most interesting: Moscow's fear that the U.S., expelled from Iran, would attempt to turn Afghanistan into an anti-Soviet outpost. Although in its raw candor the book stands as a manifestation of glasnost , the writing is uneven, often jarring: "Oh, how harsh is my fate!" cries one veteran. Photos. Author tour.
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

A maverick young Russian journalist, Borovik covered the Soviet military involvement in Afghanistan from early 1980 through the final phase of withdrawal in February 1989. Currently foreign editor of Ogonyok , the USSR's leading weekly news magazine and a staunch supporter of glasnost, he offers in this work an introductory essay which speculates on the scenario for the Soviet Union's entry into Afghanistan in late December 1979, followed by two gripping accounts of Russian soldiers under fire--one in the spring of 1987 ("Meet Me at the Three Cranes") and one dur ing the withdrawal ("The Hidden War"). While this is a subjective account of what Borovik labels "a nine- year-long tragedy," The Hidden War catches the human drama in what was clearly the Soviet Union's Vietnam. The book will appeal to a general audience as a fresh reminder of the universally grim reality of war.
- James Rhodes, Luther Coll., Decorah, Ia.
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: Grove Press (May 10, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 080213775X
• ISBN-13: 978-0802137753
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.5 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (31 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #126,767 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #88 in Books > Politics & Social Sciences > Current Events > War & Peace
  • #95 in Books > History > Asia > Afghanistan

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A valuable look at how not to fight a war, November 1, 2001

By 

J. N. Mohlman (Barrington, RI USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Hidden War: A Russian Journalist's Account of the Soviet War in Afghanistan (Paperback)

The "The Hidden War" is a remarkably powerful work about the physical and mental scars that war can leave. What it is not is a detailed history of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. That's not to say that one can't find lessons for our current situation, but they aren't the ones you might expect. There aren't any clues as to how to fight the Afghans in this book, and the Soviet Army bears essentially no resemblance to our current force structure. They were fighting a war of aggression, were ill led and were provided with almost negligent training.

However, "The Hidden War" provides tremendous insight into the Afghan mindset: why they fight (or don't), why their country lies and ruins, and why they have such conflicted feelings towards the West. More than anything this book teaches us what we shouldn't do: We shouldn't try to hold large areas of territory, we shouldn't alienate the average Afghan with our superiority, we shouldn't disrespect their culture, however alien it may be to us.

If you're looking for a parallel to this work, I personally found myself time and time again thinking of Michael Herr's "Dispatches". In the same way that he captured the nightmare maelstrom of drugs, violence and disillusionment that was the Vietnam War, so too does Borovik paint a picture of a hopelessly misguided Soviet effort. He leaves no doubt as to the futility of fighting a conflict with no strategy (let alone tactics), no goals, and no support at home.

...

19 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Book, September 2, 2001

By 

"startrekfan" (Tarzana, CA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Hidden War: A Russian Journalist's Account of the Soviet War in Afghanistan (Paperback)

This is a great book. I just bought it a couple of days ago and have been reading it constantly. It is trilling, and tells the story of the Soviet/Afghani soldiers during the Russo-Afghan war. I suggest this book to anyone who wants to read a real good book on this subject. I also suggest reading 'Afghanistan: Soviet Vietnam'. These two books are the best about this mainly unknown subject to the Western world.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A reference tool for coming conflict?, September 22, 2001

By 

John "jdosiris2" (Canton, Oh United States of America) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Hidden War: A Russian Journalist's Account of the Soviet War in Afghanistan (Paperback)

I purchased this book a few years ago and read it at the time. Then after the events of 09.11.01, i had to pull it back out and give it another read. This work shows how a war in Afghanistan was fought in the 1980's. It shows the fears and fraility of soldiers at the fore frontof a war without front lines. It gives graphic accounts of the difficulties found in fighting the Afghanis. It is a book the leaders of the world who will be deciding on whether to put ground troops into Afghanistan should take heed of and take copious notes.
Mr. Borovik does the fighting men of the then Soviet Army a proud service by showing the war as it was, not as the Soviet propaganda portrayed it.
His insights are invaluable to todays fighting men and women who may be going into harms way in the near future.