Get Fast, Free Shipping with Amazon Prime & FREE Returns

FREE delivery Thursday, July 14 if you spend $25 on items shipped by Amazon

Or fastest delivery Saturday, July 9. Order within 11 hrs 36 mins

In Stock.

[{"displayPrice":"$19.95","priceAmount":19.95,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"19","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"95","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"ruo5GURqg0ITP%2FgjexlVkGMJhkhiv6HioXCGfVbG9CXEKcFbBVRfDRL51sY3CiBP5aeMO3ZqpqMTk98S%2BFmNotI4vWPp%2B9IqZ%2FjKSa%2FI3Zl8tMsDyZz5BIJHMYHmUj8zdjr0uafnWpo%3D","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"NEW"},{"displayPrice":"$11.77","priceAmount":11.77,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"11","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"77","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"dFxnxRcbIZgoYXg9Khk7TIJND29CodxHFlzmAmW5U5FMsvIwIoIcUA3of6%2FTw54h9KOc4EnZIY9rgbS8twzdyBOmFCm7WK0Ok2tjWW%2BolpiWFkfOdnQ%2Blu%2FX4G1nqozxwe%2Fy%2Ba%2Bgc2yWA5GXcLcMZlDlCMvlv%2B3yF3KguJ5MCipi3MNsOjBiWaLiSV0Kw1WP","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"USED"}]

$$19.95 () Includes selected options. Includes initial monthly payment and selected options. Details

Secure transaction

Ships from

Amazon.com

Sold by

Amazon.com

Details

Ships from

Amazon.com

Sold by

Amazon.com

Return policy: Eligible for Return, Refund or Replacement within 30 days of receipt

Add a gift receipt for easy returns

Get Fast, Free Shipping with Amazon Prime

FREE delivery Thursday, July 14 if you spend $25 on items shipped by Amazon

Or fastest delivery Sunday, July 10. Order within 11 hrs 36 mins

Select delivery location

Used: Good | Details

Sold by Surfin' Jonny's Used Books.

Fulfilled by Amazon

Add to List

Added to

Unable to add item to List. Please try again.

Share

Have one to sell?

Sell on Amazon

Other Sellers on Amazon

Added

Not added

$14.96
+ $3.99 shipping

Sold by: Bestsellone

Added

Not added

$24.99
FREE Shipping on orders over $25.00 shipped by Amazon.

Sold by: Bookworm_CT

Flip to back Flip to front

Listen Playing... Paused You're listening to a sample of the Audible audio edition.
Learn more

See all 3 images

The Soviet-Afghan War: How a Superpower Fought and Lost Paperback – February 5, 2002

by Lester W. Grau (Translator), Michael A. Gress (Translator)

69 ratings

See all formats and editions

Price

New from

Used from

Hardcover

"Please retry"

—

$159.99

—

Paperback

"Please retry"

$19.95

$14.96

$2.90

Enhance your purchase

The War in Afghanistan (1979-1989) has been called "the Soviet Union's Vietnam War," a conflict that pitted Soviet regulars against a relentless, elusive, and ultimately unbeatable Afghan guerrilla force (the mujahideen). The hit-and-run bloodletting across the war's decade tallied more than 25,000 dead Soviet soldiers plus a great many more casualties and further demoralized a USSR on the verge of disintegration.

In The Soviet-Afghan War the Russian general staff takes a close critical look at the Soviet military's disappointing performance in that war in an effort to better understand what happened and why and what lessons should be taken from it. Lester Grau and Michael Gress's expert English translation of the general staff's study offers the very first publication in any language of this important and illuminating work.

Surprisingly, this was a study the general staff never intended to write, initially viewing the war in Afghanistan as a dismal aberration in Russian military history. The history of the 1990s has, of course, completely demolished that belief, as evidenced by the Russian Army's subsequent engagements with guerrilla forces in Chechnya, Azerbaijan, Tadjikistan, Turkmenistan, and elsewhere. As a result, Russian officers decided to take a much closer look at the Red Army's experiences in the Afghan War.

Their study presents the Russian view of how the war started, how it progressed, and how it ended; shows how a modern mechanized army organized and conducted a counter-guerrilla war; chronicles the major battles and operations; and provides valuable insights into Soviet tactics, strategy, doctrine, and organization across a wide array of military branches. The editors' incisive preface and commentary help contextualize the Russian view and alert the reader to blind spots in the general staff's thinking about the war.

This one-of-a-kind document provides a powerful case study on how yet another modern mechanized army imprudently relied upon the false promise of technology to defeat a determined guerrilla foe. Along the way, it vividly reveals the increasing disillusionment of Soviet soldiers, how that disillusion seeped back into Soviet society, and how it contributed to the collapse of the Soviet Union. The Red Army had fought their war to a military draw but that was not enough to stave off political defeat at home. The Soviet-Afghan War helps clarify how such a surprising demise could have materialized in the backyard of the Cold War's other great superpower.

Print length

392 pages
Language

English
Publisher

Univ Pr of Kansas
Publication date

February 5, 2002
Dimensions

6 x 1 x 9 inches
ISBN-10

9780700611867
ISBN-13

978-0700611867
See all details

Frequently bought together

+
+

Total price:

To see our price, add these items to your cart.

Choose items to buy together.

by Lester W. Grau Paperback
$19.95
Get it as soon as Thursday, Jul 14 FREE Shipping on orders over $25 shipped by Amazon
In Stock.
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
by Lester W. Grau Paperback
$17.95
Get it as soon as Thursday, Jul 14 FREE Shipping on orders over $25 shipped by Amazon
In Stock.
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
by Ali Ahmad Jalali Paperback
$22.95
Get it as soon as Thursday, Jul 14 FREE Shipping on orders over $25 shipped by Amazon
In Stock.
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.

Similar books based on genre

Page 1 of 1Start overPage 1 of 1

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

The stark contrasts between the current American-Afghan war and the traumatic events of the Soviet conflict that ended more than a decade ago are dramatically apparent in this book. Translator and editor Grau (Lt. Colonel, U.S. Army, ret.; The Bear Went Over the Mountain: Soviet Combat Tactics in Afghanistan) had help deciphering the Russian General Staff papers from Gress, a Soviet migr who served in the Soviet army. The main body of the book is about Soviet army and air force tactics, operations, and armaments. At the end of each section, Grau offers "editor's comments" to explain and draw perspective on the accounts from the Russian General Staff. Several recurring themes are that the Soviets/Russians have not given accurate statistics on the war, the Soviet military had thoroughly penetrated the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan before the invasion, and the Marxist-Leninist framework kept the generals from making a proper assessment of their task. Although of some historical interest, this book is ponderous with details and is not a light read. Recommended for public libraries with Soviet history collections and academic libraries. Harry Willems, Southeast Kansas Lib. Syst., Iola
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

"A formidable contribution to our understanding of this war."--War in History

"Includes numerous evaluations and comments by the editors that are just as valuable as the Russian text. . . . Reading [this book] may help us avoid the costly mistakes made by the Soviets."--Marine Corps Gazette

"If one is interested in the nuts and bolts of Russian military approaches to counter-guerrilla warfare, it would be hard to find a better analysis."--Journal of Military History Quarterly Review

"Indispensable to students of military tactics, as well as area specialists, as its lessons continue to be pertinent to conflict in Central Asia."--Naval War College Review

"This superb translation will generate widespread and unprecedented interest in the subject. Offering a candid view of a war that played a significant role in the ultimate demise of the Soviet Union, this book presents analysis absolutely vital to Western policymakers, as well as to political, diplomatic, and military historians, and anyone interested in Russian and Soviet history. It also provides insights regarding current and future Russian struggles in ethnic conflicts both at and within their borders, struggles that could potentially destroy the Russian Federation."--David M. Glantz, coauthor of The Battle of Kursk

"Provides a treasure trove of information and analysis."--William E. Odom, author of The Collapse of the Soviet Military and On Internal War

Product details

ASIN ‏ : ‎ 070061186X
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Univ Pr of Kansas; 1st edition (February 5, 2002)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 392 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 9780700611867
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0700611867
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.2 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 1 x 9 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #657,304 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #1,526 in Military Strategy History (Books)
- #1,753 in Russian History (Books)
- #2,426 in Middle East History

Customer Reviews:
69 ratings

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.

Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Help others learn more about this product by uploading a video!

Upload video

Products related to this item
Sponsored Hide feedback

Page 1 of 1Start overPage 1 of 1

Customer reviews

5 star		72%
4 star		13%
3 star		4%
2 star		2%
1 star		8%

How customer reviews and ratings work

Top reviews from the United States

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.

JTM

I dare you to find an adjective.

Reviewed in the United States on January 1, 2006

Verified Purchase

Ah, the great literary prose of Nabakov and Dostoyevsky this is not. Keep in mind this is an official Soviet study of the conflict. For those wondering just how colorful an after-action report from the monolithic socialist empire can be, wonder no more.

You get what you pay for, this is the literary equivalent of the cold, soul-killing, concrete block architecture employed by the soviets through Eastern Europe and Afghanistan.

If you can get past all of that, and it is a DIFFICULT read, you will find a level of detail and thoroughness without peer. It is similar to books published by our own government. Lots of numbers, lots of diagrams, and tons of information (20 pages on Ammunition Combat Service Support anyone?). The reader will need a decent level of understanding of military science - because the book does not stop long to explain concepts, and assumes quite a bit of the reader.

In conclusion, it is the type of book you only really begin to enjoy when you have finished it. A worthy undertaking.

10 people found this helpful

Helpful

R. Bragassa

Lessons to be Learned

Reviewed in the United States on September 20, 2012

Verified Purchase

This book was recommended as a history of a loss with the comment that military losses are much more informative than wins. Bryan Suits was right.

The translator/editor established his credentials with his first two books on this subject. With this review of the Soviet General Staff's analysis, he has become a leader on current Russian military history. The book is readable. The prose is almost that of very good fiction. Nothing is ignored. And only fact is presented. The only drawback is a lot of acronyms. (Realistically, militaries are known for acronyms.) But there is a glossary, timeline and index.

It also shows how America is making similar mistakes for political reasons.

Excellent. Perhaps Grau will do a similar thorough review of the American Revolution from the British side.

Helpful

Trixxie

Only useful to tactician and strategists.

Reviewed in the United States on January 23, 2021

Verified Purchase

Too soon to tell.I've only barely started it yet you email asking for a review.Wait,and I will fill this in once read./A very dry,boring,overview from the format of a war college.Strategy and tactics,not personnel accounts.Perhaps one could say,"useless" to the layman-student of history.

Helpful

Alejandro Casalegno

The war than change my mind

Reviewed in the United States on May 27, 2013

Verified Purchase

As a young boy in Argentina, in 1984 i read in a newspaper about a "Soviet offensive in the Panjsher valley, Afghanistan", from this day my passion for military history began and today is more stronger than ever.
The book is a superb analysis of the soviet intervention, not communist propaganda, every tactics and weapons is shown in a professional way.

The great irony is than the same locations of battles than i follow in the 80's are in the news now and the US Army is in the same crossroad than the Soviets.

Afghanistan is a easy place to invade, impossible to be conquer.

3 people found this helpful

Helpful

G. Bahlman

Detailed, insightful, yet incomplete.

Reviewed in the United States on July 7, 2010

Verified Purchase

The translators and editors went to great pains not only to bring this detailed product of the Russian General Staff's analysis to English speakers, but have added their own analysis as well, with more up-to-date and more objective perspectives. This book will inform the readers on every aspect of Soviet operations inside Afghanistan, from logistical and medical issues, to large-scale motorized infantry tactics. Seemingly nothing was left out, except for one thing: why the Soviets lost! Also lacking was more detail on the Mujahideen perspective on the war. Accounts of Mujahideen activity were told entirely from the Soviet perspective. In fairness, this book sources only one document, and information about the inner workings of Mujahideen forces and Afghan society might have been sparse prior to 2002. But the book fails to address the non-military reasons for the war's failure, and let's face it, the Mujahideen were no match for the LCOSF in open warfare, which leaves the non-military aspects of Soviet occupation as the deciding factor in the outcome. The author makes only vague references to the effects of the occupation on the populace, the problems with the legitimacy of the DRA government, and the extent of foreign support to the Mujahideen, leaving the reader to draw his or her own conclusions about what finally forced the Soviets out. Overall, a very comprehensive, if limited, analysis of the war. I would recommend supplementing this book with other publications, such as the US Army Counterinsurgency Field Manual (ISBN-13: 978-0226841519).

4 people found this helpful

Helpful

Kyle V

A valuable resource!

Reviewed in the United States on April 26, 2012

Verified Purchase

I purchased this item for a school paper on Afghanistan in Vietnam, comparing the political and military actions of the Soviet Union and the United States, respectivly. This staff study is, refreshingly, harsh and even-handed in its criticism, a rarity in today's age of reporting only the good and minimizing the bad. It provided me with an in-depth look at Soviet military tactics, especially by the VDV and Spetsnaz forces. I would recommend this to anyone who is interested in Soviet military history, or to anyone who is attempting to understand the history of Afghanistan.

One person found this helpful

Helpful

Ruby21

The Place to Start

Reviewed in the United States on May 19, 2014

Verified Purchase

This book is a factual top-down officer's view of the Soviet Afghan Intervention in detail. Some of the side commentaries by Grau are interesiting, some are biased, and some are sadly dated by the reality that the United States Military is now in Afghanistan and as a consequence the U.S. public knows a little bit more about conflict there then they used to. This is a text book, a school book if you will, about what the Soviet Military faced and went through as a whole during the course of it's years in Afghanistan.

One person found this helpful

Helpful

Brett Thompson

If you read any book on this conflict, this is the book to read to understand it.

Reviewed in the United States on December 27, 2014

Verified Purchase

This is the 7th book on the Soviet-Afghan War I've read, and Lester Grau kept up his reputation with this book for historical investigative detail. I learned more about the details of this war in a single chapter from this book than I have in all the other books combined. American Veterans of our Afghan war may be particularly interested in this book, noting the differences and similarities in both super powers' strategies.

2 people found this helpful

Helpful

Top reviews from other countries

Hogyn Fawr

Thorough and detailed account of Soviet Union's Vietnam...

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 7, 2021

Verified Purchase

... more honest than accounts of America/Nato recent adventures. In fact, if the Americans had not been so keen to give SU it's own Vietnam, the Taliban would never have come to power, Islamists would not take themselves seriously as a threat to the West, and many needless deaths avoided!

G G MACLACHLAN

Four Stars

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 5, 2016

Verified Purchase

A present for my son- he enjoyed it?

Grant M.

A fantastic book. I only wish my copy hadn't been ...

Reviewed in Canada on February 28, 2018

Verified Purchase

A fantastic book. I only wish my copy hadn't been stolen from a military library that was quite happy to accept it back.

See all reviews