Original version

BBC World Service Europe and the Middle East

The History Hour

Podcasts

Factual: Life Stories

Factual: History

A compilation of the latest Witness History programmes

A compilation of the latest Witness History programmes.

BBC World Service News Internet

BBC World Service South Asia

BBC World Service East Asia

BBC World Service Australasia

BBC World Service schedule for American satellite radio and the Caribbean

BBC World Service Americas and the Caribbean

BBC World Service

BBC World Service East and Southern Africa Schedule

BBC World Service East and Southern Africa

BBC World Service Online

BBC World Service West and Central Africa Schedule

BBC World Service West and Central Africa

The History Hour: The Soviet invasion of Afghanistan

Discussion & Talk

The Soviet invasion of Afghanistan

28/12/2019 GMT

BBC World Service - The History Hour, The Soviet invasion of Afghanistan

The Soviet-Afghan war, the invention of chemotherapy, and Cirque du Soleil.

The start of the Soviet-Afghan war, plus the invention of chemotherapy, the Vietnam War's "Christmas bombing", the hidden history of the board game Monopoly, and Cirque du Soleil.

On 24th December 1979 Soviet troops poured into Afghanistan in support of an anti-government coup. The Soviet occupation would last for nine years. 

Plus, the hidden history of the board game Monopoly, the invention of chemotherapy, the heaviest aerial bombardment of the Vietnam war at Christmas 1972, and the street-performer origins of the global circus phenomenon Cirque du Soleil.

Picture: Russian tanks take up positions in front of the Darulaman (Abode of Peace) Palace in Kabul, January 1980. (Henri Bureau/Corbis/VCG via Getty Images)

Accessibility links

Programme Index

The History Hour

The Soviet invasion of Afghanistan

Genres

Formats

Brand

BBC World Service Europe and the Middle East

About BBC World Service