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NSWModern HistorySection IV (Change in the Modern World): The Cold War 1945-1991
Quick questions on Vietnam and Afghanistan: HSC Modern History Cold War proxy wars
4short Q&A pairs drawn directly from our worked dot-point answer. For full context and worked exam questions, read the parent dot-point page.
What is the Vietnam War, 1955 to 1975?Show answer
The American commitment to Vietnam built up gradually. After the French defeat at Dien Bien Phu (7 May 1954) and the Geneva Accords (21 July 1954), Vietnam was partitioned at the 17th parallel pending reunification elections that were not held. The Eisenhower administration backed the Ngo Dinh Diem government in South Vietnam with military advisers. By 1960 the National Liberation Front (NLF, Viet Cong) had begun armed insurgency.
What are vietnam's strategic impact on the United States?Show answer
Domestic: the anti-war movement (Moratorium March, 15 October 1969, 2 million participants; the Kent State shootings, 4 May 1970), the Pentagon Papers (June 1971), Watergate and Nixon's resignation (9 August 1974). The War Powers Act (7 November 1973) constrained presidential war-making.
What is the Soviet war in Afghanistan, 1979 to 1989?Show answer
The April 1978 Saur Revolution brought the People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan (PDPA) to power under Nur Mohammad Taraki. Rapid land and gender reforms provoked rural Islamic resistance from 1978. Hafizullah Amin overthrew and murdered Taraki in September 1979. The Soviet Politburo, alarmed at Amin's perceived independence and possible American ties, authorised intervention on 12 December 1979.
What are timeline of proxy wars?Show answer
<!-- Diagram: Comparison concept map of the two symmetrical quagmires - Vietnam (the US quagmire) and Afghanistan (the Soviet quagmire) - showing the parallel pattern of intervention, escalation, the rival superpower's proxy backing, and withdrawal, converging on a shared structural verdict. | reviewed 2026-06-28 --> <svg class="fig" viewBox="0 0 400 560" role="img" aria-labelledby="pw-cm-t pw-cm-d"> <title id="pw-cm-t">Vietnam and Afghanistan: two symmetrical Cold War quagmires</title> <desc id="pw-cm-d">A comparison concept map with two columns. The left column is the United States quagmire in Vietnam: intervene to defend the South 1965, escalate to 543,400 troops, the rival superpower arms the insurgents, then withdraw 1973 and Saigon falls 1975. The right column is the Soviet quagmire in Afghanistan: intervene to defend the PDPA 1979, escalate to 115,000 troops, the rival superpower arms the mujahideen through Operation Cyclone, then withdraw 1989.
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