Počátky sovětské politiky vůči Afghánistánu v období let 1917 až 1919

Abstract

The Beginnings of a Soviet Policy towards Afghanistan, 1917 –1919

By the 1880s Afghanistan had definitely fallen under a British influence, and it subsequently served as a buffer zone between the British and Russian empires. However, the Bolshevik Revolution of 1917 shattered the reality of Afghanistan being effectively closed for Russia, and it opened prospects for the new Soviet government to establish direct ties with the Afghans. This study explores the beginnings of a Soviet policy towards Afghanistan between 1917 and 1919. It concludes by arguing that while this Soviet policy might have been initially driven by defense and security concerns, offensive intentions soon prevailed, with the Soviets striving to weaken the positions of Britain, their main rival in the region, and to spread the Bolshevik Revolution further across Asia.

Keywords: Afghanistan, Soviet Russia, Great Britain, Central Asia, Bolshevik Revolution