A look at the problems encountered by the Soviets when they tried their conventional warfare in the "Graveyard of Empires."

Includes maps of: Afghanistan - Physical and Political; Soviet/DRA Forces and Mujahadeen Strongholds, 1980s; Mujahadeen Ambush against a Soviet/DRA Convoy; Soviet Block-and-destroy Operation; Ethno-linguistic Groups in and around Afghanistan.

Introduction -- Chronology -- Background to war: the genesis of Afghan-Russian relations -- Warring sides: Moscow and the mujahideen -- Outbreak: Insurgency and intervention -- The fighting: A war without fronts -- Portrait of a soldier: Vladislav Tamarov, 103rd (Soviet) Guards Air Assault Division -- The world around war: A glimpse of rural Afghanistan -- Portrait of a civilian: Arthur Bonner, New York Times journalist -- How the war ended: UN diplomacy and Soviet withdrawal -- Conclusion and consequences.