What better way to follow up a funny video than this. Think of this video as a Part 1 for context. The next will be a video exploring what if the Soviets never invaded Afghanistan.

"The only difference.. is America never left" is giving me some serious chills right now

So basically Britain set the stage Soviet Union lit the torch US fanned the flames Pakistan is the fan

The algorithm sure has a sick sense of humour

"The only difference is that the American never left" huh, yeah, about that....

"THIS FILM IS DEDICATED TO THE BRAVE MUJAHIDEEN FIGHTERS OF AFGHANISTAN"- Rambo lll

‘Why did it happen?’ if after WWII: ‘The Americans.’ If before WWII: ‘The British.’

This feels a lot relevant today especially what happened in Afghanistan currently

"America never left" That phrase just struck me dunno why...

"The enemy of my enemy is my friend." Well... Until the enemy is dead. Funny side note, that saying is a ancient Arab proverb.

Three great lessons here; 1. The enemy of my enemy is not always my friend. 2. Never, under any circumstances, allow religion to be weaponized. 3. Read up on Austria-Hungary circa 1911 before you get involved in an area that’s a tangle of ethnic groups.

14:46 “The only difference is American never left.” Well, they left now and to top that, the Taliban has already conquered the entire country.

Terrorists: fight Soviets US: I'm gonna fund this man's whole career.

Afghanistan was always a buffer between superpowers through it's history. Sounds familiar

Cody: *Makes video about middle east* Comment section: you have now entered the comedy area.

“America never left”… How do we tell him?

"America Never Left." 2021:…Hold my beer.

So you're saying the Soviets had a Green Scare?

Literally a reverse Vietnam, yet the impact can still be felt today.

“Afghanistan, graveyard of empires”

TLDR: The enemy of your enemy is probably your enemy too.

“Anti-Soviet warrior puts his army on the path to peace”

Americans:gets Vietnam flashbacks when they hear paint it black Russians:get Afghanistan flashbacks when they hear Islamic music

14:45 "the only difference is America never left.” Well, about that.

"The only difference is...America never left." 2 years later, and we're beginning to leave.

*Meanwhile on knowledge hub* JIMMY NEUTRON IS A GOD AND IS ABOUT FACISM

So the USA-USSR tribalism clashing with Afghanistan's internal tribalism had consequences no-one had the foresight to think about.

The United States: we can totally handle Afghanistan just watch The Russian Federation: you sure about that?

This video hits different today. The US has left and Afghanistan has fallen under an oppressive ultra conservative regime. In all this, the Afghan people, especially the women and children, will suffer most. Many times I have wished that I was part of history, after reading about history. But now that I am seeing history unfold, I wish I didn't.

US in the 80s: "Let's help the islamists, they are fighting the commies, nothing will go wrong" US in the 2010s: "Let's help the Syrian rebels, nothing will go wrong" .... *Pakistan laughing*

Ahmad Shah Massoud even warned the United States about a "great calamity" when visiting the European Parliament in April 2001.

Who’s here after hearing that the Taliban took Kabul yesterday? In just a few weeks, the Taliban effectively took over Afghanistan, and this time there doesn’t seem to be any Northern Alliance to resist them. For America, we seem to be watching a repeat of the end to the Vietnam war. 20 years building up a democratic government and military in Afghanistan, and it all crumbled in a matter of weeks. Trillions of dollars spent, and thousands of lives, civilian and military, lost and for what. I hope Americans take a moment to reflect on these events and realize that our foreign policy strategies needs to change. Of course we didn’t seem to learn anything after Vietnam, and I have no reason to believe we’ll learn anything now.

Ngl I really love the intro. Perfectly summarizes that actions we think are good in the present will bite us in the future.

A story from my dad when he was a teen. The streets of Kabul. In a market place, a kid sold some bubblegum to a soviet soldier. The soldier kept buying more, until he didn't have more to trade for bubblegum. He still had a pistol though. He traded the pistol to the kid for more gum.

"Here lies the Conqueror of Afghanistan." - Said no tombstone ever.

Who’s watching this again as Afghanistan is falling to the Taliban once again?

Till now.

"Okay it's 2:24 am and I'm gonna sleep right now. Just gonna- oh what's this notification?"

Shah Massoud gave a brilliant speech in the EU parliament a couple of months before his death (and 9/11), warning about a possible 9/11.

Guys, I'm starting to get the impression they just wanna be left alone.

KZfaq's being real cheeky reccomending this now

As an American who is the son of Afghan immigrants who fled the Soviet invasion, I must say that you gave a perfect explanation of the conflict. Pakistan’s involvement in what’s happened doesn’t seem to be recognized that often (it just gets told that the U.S. directly gave money), so thank you for including that. You left no stone unturned (based on all I’ve researched and my parents have told me about the conflict). Also, the 500k-2 million civilians killed during the Soviet invasion is a number that I thought my dad was making up when we talk about the conflict, so thank you for validating it. I haven’t clicked on one your videos so fast in a long time. I have to show my parents this video, cause they would love to see it. And I definitely have to go and pick up a copy of “The Great Gamble.” Amazing video Cody. This is easily my favorite video you’ve done by a long shot. Maybe someday Afghanistan will be free from war, and that there will be peace in the Middle East. 🇦🇫🇺🇸

I served in Afghanistan with the Canadian military, working alongside the Afghan National Army Medical Services. Our camp in Mazar-i Sharif butted up against an old Soviet FOB (forward operating base). We visited the Qala-i-jangi fortress, where the first American was killed in the Afghan war (Mike Spann, CIA) with one of the US horse warriors providing insight to the battle and Northern Alliance. My friend, an interpreter from Panshir province, spoke about Massoud and the Soviet invasion, then the Taliban invasion. This video explains so much about why the Afghan people are the way they are. And as a side note, they loved to watch Rambo 3.

Anyone else coming back here after the fall

Thank you Cody. I'm a Muslim and have been called a terrorist many times. Your videos helped educate me on how terrorism in the 21st century began and now I know I shouldn't be ashamed to be Muslim.

USSR, 1989: We've been in Afghanistan for 9 years and we've made no progress... Time to get out. USA, 2019: We've been in Afghanistan for 18 years and we've made no progress... Let's stay!

"History doesn't happen in chapters." -Joel Mason, 2018

this just appeared on my recommended... i've already watched this video

Afghanistan was basically the USSR’s Vietnam

This whole thing is such a fascinating, horrible political mess, a buffet of history; brutality, good intentions, misdirected anger, fear, intolerance, abandonment, shortsightedness, old grudges, it has it all. Humans, humans never change. 🤦

"The road to Hell is paved with good intentions." "Freedom" doesn't mean the same thing in every country. For the love of God, BRING OUR TROOPS HOME.

This hits different

"The enemy of my enemy is my friend." One of the greatest lies in history.

"the newly declared mujaheddin, or as the Soviets called them, *bandits"*

KZfaq must feel very funny recommending this now

This aged perfectly.

Totalitarian Ideology vs Totalitarian Ideology _What could possibly go wrong?_

Afghans: *Actually start fighting back* Soviets forgetting what the Finns did: You weren’t supposed to do that!

Anybody here after the US withdrawl of troops from afghanistan

The KZfaq algorithm is always on point with the timing of its recommendations

I remember that wasn't there a guy with an eye patch fighting a giant robot

Considering the British, Soviets, etc all went in seeking victory, yet completely failed just adds to the stupidity of the US going in.

And now the Taliban has finally achieved what they never truly had before, absolute control of Afghanistan.

Thank you for including a clip of 1993, because a lot of people always forget that the trade center was attacked before 9/11. Also I knew that us funding the insurgents in the 80's causes 9/11 but I didn't think it was this deep all the way to the 60's.

Even though I love and subscribed for alternative history stuff, this video also shows why I love your channel. When you cover actual history and its happenings, you talk in a way that keeps us engaged and doesn't talk down to us. Loved this video man

Good job. After 3 military tours and 2 years of contracting in the country I can say that with accuracy. I spoke with hundreds of locals, village elders, and tribesmen who paint a very interesting picture of the events from thier prospective.

Well look at that. The yt recommendations algorithm has a sense of humour

It's actually really sad watching this now Maybe their should be an edited bite away the end that said and it was all for nothing

Why didnt you mention the paramilitary group known as diamond dogs? They were a major player in the invasion

"These things happened. They were glorious and they changed the world... and then we fucked up the end game." - Charlie Wilson

War: *exists* Afghanistan: yes

What a time to get this recommended.

I joined the Army in 2018, I am 18 years old, born in 2000. We now have soldiers coming in that were born after 9/11, but still fighting the same war that was started before they were born. Crazy to think about.

In between the crossfire. There's a mercenary with an eyepatch fighting a bipedal walker controlled by a psychokinesis child whome is working for a man whom literally called himself Skullface.

Literally the best intro of any video ever made

And now here we are

CIA and Soviets: _laughs in metallic archea_ Oh, this is a realistic depiction. My bad.

"USA, USSR, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan.... What could go wrong?" - Asked a young Afghan kid.😑

The relevancy of this video today is very important as to understand, how what’s happening in Afghanistan today started.

"But the US never left..." Well....

Do what if Alexander The Great didn’t die at a young age

I'm so glad you paid homage to Ahmed Shah Massoud. The man was truly great and I highly recommend reading up on him to those who don't know.

Cant wait for the update video cody

2019:we never left 2021: we're leaving

You skipped the Iranian revolution of 1979, which ousted the greatest USA ally in the Middle East. The USSR wouldn’t have invaded Afghanistan if the USA was literally next door.

The Great Game is still being played today...

Shit. That intro was probably the best you've ever done. So cinematic, it builds up tension all the way through. I'm 1:35 mins into the video and already impressed.

“America never left” Until now, I hope

'One of the most covert CIA operations (sic)....' Had news coverage.

Unpopular Opinion: Alternate history is fanfiction for history nerds

Can we have a moment and just appreciate how good the historical introduction and the footage were in this video

When you think about it. Afghanistan is basically the Soviet Union's Vietnam.

Afghanistan sure is the graveyard for empires for a reason.... Also! Do an episode about Ataturk!

4:27 Mujahideen: E X I S T S Soviets: Bandits 9th Company: G H O S T S

I like the Afghanistan title of “the graveyard of empires” because it is kinda true

I just got this on recommended …

There's a grand sweeping lace and tangle of continuity of all events in history of all times. What follows is always influenced by what came before, from the small scale to the large. Realizing this is probably the most beautiful part about learning History, and watching this grand interconnected web we weave all fall into place. You can't really isolate one series of events from another, though many try as a teaching tool.

"Not a good start Boris."

Cody sir. This video is OUTSTANDING. Ive referred many people to this channel because i love the content. Salute.

boy this video aged well