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Write 15 page essay on the topic Analyse at the operational level the planning and prosecution of the campaigns waged by the principle participants in the Soviet intervention in Afghanistan, and identify any relevant lessons for contemporary commanders.

The Afghanistan war took place between the soviet-led Afghanistan forces and the Mujahedeen, a multinational insurgent group that sought to protect the interests of the Afghanistan people. Although neither of the fighting sides showed proper planning, the fighting tactics, and the weapons used in the war played a big role in the development and subsequent end of the war. While the United States provided the Afghanistan soldiers with training and logistics of fighting the war, the soviet troupes had little training and haphazardly exercised their strategy. However, the guerrilla war tactics employed by the opponents consequentially led to the end of the war. Fighting guerrilla required similar measures by the soviet soldiers. Thus, planning was an essential tool in winning the war, something that the soviets lacked in their attempts to win against the troops. Initially, the insurgents used traditional weapons in the war. However, with time, they improved their weapons, a factor that accelerated the speed with which they suppressed the soviet soldiers. As the insurgents advanced in the weapons they used during the war, the soviets on the other hand stuck to the weapons they used in the war. The war took toll on the soviets. they could not keep up with the rugged terrain while pursuing the insurgents. Planning, as this essay argues, was one of the major contributing factors to the Soviet Union defeat of the war. After the end of the war, army commanders learnt a number of lessons on war management and winning strategy. Among these lessons, include the evacuation of the wounded soldiers, knowledge of the customs, traditions, and language of the enemy, having knowledge of the factors contributing to the outbreak of wars, the importance of information in the war and the role played by communication in war. This essay will analyse at the operational level the planning and prosecution of the campaigns waged by the principle participants in the Soviet