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

by Artyom Borovik (Author) "Exactly how much time passes from the moment a man is wounded until he starts to feel the pain?..." (more)
Key Phrases: armored carrier, airborne troopers, political deputy, Soviet Union, Rita Sergeevna, Colonel Dolin (more...)

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: 4.1 out of 5 stars See all reviews (24 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #126,578 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 18 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 (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

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.

...

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good, but thin..., February 19, 2002

By	"uffda_bill" (Aloha, OR USA) - See all my reviews

First: I am a big fan of Military History. I love first-hand accounts, books that relive strategies/tactics/lives.

This book was good, but it was missing something... First hand descriptions of what actually was going on.

Borovik references a great deal of events, but never delves into them. This comes about primarily because the book is a collection of articles about the Soviet-Afghan experience. Mainly though, it was a depressing half-hearted diatribe against Soviet authorities who drove the war effort.

Being a student of Soviet Studies, it was clear to me that the style was quintessentially Russian. Meaning, it talked about hardships, was vivid in visual details, and rich in melancholia. However, it lacked details on what really happened there, how troops conducted themselves, what the Afghans were like, and how the war was waged.

Frankly, the book left me a bit cold. However, if you are looking for a book that gives the somber nature of the Soviet feelings towards the Afghan war, this is a decent book to read.

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 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.