Quite surprised that CNN once made proper documentaries. Today it's largely a very biased political punit TV station that's quite low-intellectual. Back then CNN was not as extreme ideologically or pointless. This episode is actually... good? What's going on? But then History Channel used to be great too.
This is a great overview of the Soviet Afghanistan war narrated by Kenneth Branagh who is one of the greatest British actors and the director of plenty of movies like for example Thor. It was released 10 years post the war so they interview the Soviet leaders, soldiers, and some civilians from Afghanistan. It's a very fair doc as USA overall just seldom makes patriotic docs. So this doc doesn't stay blindly positive when talking about Jimmy Carter and Reagan. The main Soviet idea for the country is quite fine actually compared to Islam as they also make clear. Women are educated in classed with men. Overall there is a focus on giving money to poorer people which doesn't work practically, but it's still better than what the alternative was. But unfortunately the Afghanistan communist leader is bloodthirsty and fearful as the American supported mujahideen attack his government. So he executes a ton of people. Soviet soon go in and kill him to take over and make sure the communist project improves and the war effort is successful. Carter of course started the war effort. Reagan, just like the presidents after the Vietnam and US Afghanistan war, just continued it and expanded it as Soviet refused to withdraw. Soviet had some plans to withdraw after huge losses, but didn't act fast enough and only wanted a Soviet puppet in the government and didn't plan on allowing democracy or a Western friendly leader. UN agreed on a deal with them, but again it wasn't a neutral or fair deal. So Reagan gave mujahideen stinger missiles which gave them enough power to stop any talks with Soviet and just try to win the war which they did after many years. Unfortunately the bloodthirsty Soviets were actually the good guys in this war. If USA had stayed out they would have won it and then made sure the country functioned economically and didn't become extremely Muslim. But likely they would have used the Afghans in future wars, so maybe that outcome is even more horrible?
In an interview with a Russian soldier we for example hear how they gathered all women and children from a village, poured kerosine over them, and lit them on fire. Just as we hear the narrator talk about mujahideen torturing and executing Russian soldiers and the government fighters. Both sides are psychopathic and extreme. And even back then the main Russian tactic war just to kill anyone, civilian and soldier, and then bomb whole villages to the ground. We see the same in all their future wars.
This is a great overview of the Soviet Afghanistan war narrated by Kenneth Branagh who is one of the greatest British actors and the director of plenty of movies like for example Thor. It was released 10 years post the war so they interview the Soviet leaders, soldiers, and some civilians from Afghanistan. It's a very fair doc as USA overall just seldom makes patriotic docs. So this doc doesn't stay blindly positive when talking about Jimmy Carter and Reagan. The main Soviet idea for the country is quite fine actually compared to Islam as they also make clear. Women are educated in classed with men. Overall there is a focus on giving money to poorer people which doesn't work practically, but it's still better than what the alternative was. But unfortunately the Afghanistan communist leader is bloodthirsty and fearful as the American supported mujahideen attack his government. So he executes a ton of people. Soviet soon go in and kill him to take over and make sure the communist project improves and the war effort is successful. Carter of course started the war effort. Reagan, just like the presidents after the Vietnam and US Afghanistan war, just continued it and expanded it as Soviet refused to withdraw. Soviet had some plans to withdraw after huge losses, but didn't act fast enough and only wanted a Soviet puppet in the government and didn't plan on allowing democracy or a Western friendly leader. UN agreed on a deal with them, but again it wasn't a neutral or fair deal. So Reagan gave mujahideen stinger missiles which gave them enough power to stop any talks with Soviet and just try to win the war which they did after many years. Unfortunately the bloodthirsty Soviets were actually the good guys in this war. If USA had stayed out they would have won it and then made sure the country functioned economically and didn't become extremely Muslim. But likely they would have used the Afghans in future wars, so maybe that outcome is even more horrible?
In an interview with a Russian soldier we for example hear how they gathered all women and children from a village, poured kerosine over them, and lit them on fire. Just as we hear the narrator talk about mujahideen torturing and executing Russian soldiers and the government fighters. Both sides are psychopathic and extreme. And even back then the main Russian tactic war just to kill anyone, civilian and soldier, and then bomb whole villages to the ground. We see the same in all their future wars.