How to be an effective manager Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

How to be an effective manager - Research Paper Example Research objective: How to be a manager that leads in business? Introduction Manager as the name implies is the one who manages or directs a company, industry, organization etc. Manager is the person responsible for achieving goals by getting the work done through other people. The task of manager includes planning, directing and monitoring the work done by subordinates and take corrective measures when and where required. The main quality a manager must have to lead in business is the basic knowledge and familiarity of all areas and divisions so that he/she can guide the workers and can check if the work is being done properly or not. Manager apart from performing the discussed roles and responsibilities, need to primarily look after achieving the goals and objectives of the organization while increasing the profits. The role of manager in an organization is to reach and exceed the set expectations while ensuring that every team member achieves respective objectives (Koontz, H. & We ihrich, 2006). Important functions of manager Managers are important for business so that they can coordinate and direct the activities required to achieve its goals and targets. They play a vital role in determining the future of a firm or society at large. Their function is to focus on people and their performance so that desired outcome can be achieved. And to achieve success in their strides Manager needs to design a course of action from the available alternatives and verifying if everything occurs in accordance to the plan adopted in order to make orderly arrangement of individuals and group to secure unity of action. For this Managers at all the levels in an organization perform these functions but the amount of time spend on these activities depends on specific organization. Some of these functions are Planning, Organizing, Staffing, Directing and Controlling (Marquis& Huston, 2008). Planning may be defined as the process of setting goals and strategies to accomplish a goal. It is a systematic step and preparatory activity done by manager which determines the future course of action. Manager while planning forecasts and decides in advance about the action to be pursued in future. In this process relevant facts are collected, analyzed, and action plan is then decided for future. While planning, the manager takes into consideration the available resources of the organization so that optimum utilization can be done. Manager decides the best available alternative and evaluates future contingencies in order to achieve predetermined goals of organization or business. Through planning Manager lays down objectives, policies, procedures, rules, programs, budget and strategies for proper and efficient functioning of business or organization. Planning is thus an intellectual process where in manager chooses the course of action from the available alternatives. It is the most basic but continuous function of manager. After planning is done, manager needs to organi ze the workforce and material as per the plan. Organizing is done in order to get result. Manager must synchronize human, physical and financial resources with skilled and efficient workforce in order to get results. By organizing manager divides the work amongst the employees and coordinate their efforts to achieve goals or objectives of the business (Marquis & Huston, 2008). Once planning and organizing is done, manag

Marketing plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 6

Marketing plan - Essay Example However, at later stages more specialized trainings will be given to employees. For staffing purpose, the job descriptions will be developed and the ads will be given on the website and in the printed media. Proper interviews and tests will be conducted to hire the staff. Vigor will be a created as a partnership among the three partners. The Partnership Agreement will be assigned by the three partners and they will have unlimited liability which means that in the case of the dissolution of the company, the personal assets of the partners can be also claimed by the creditors. No corporate taxes will be imposed and each partner will be liable to pay his personal tax at the rate of tax applicable to him individually. In future, if the company expands and we plan to establish more branches of Spa, then we may plan to convert our legal structure into a limited partnership or corporation. At Vigor, strong contacts will be established with health care providers. In collaboration with the health insurance companies, Vigor will offer insured services to its customers. Most of the people coming to Spas and taking massage therapies are unaware that when a physician prescribes massage therapy then it is usually paid by insurance. If insurance will not cover the expense of clients, the difference will be charged from the client. To handle insurance coverage, management software will be purchased. Vigor will also maintain a list of acceptable insurance companies and their clients will be handled. To ensure quality services, high quality products of good brands will be used. While servicing the customers their needs and wants will be understood. Moreover, a regular customer feedback will be also taken to ensure high service

Positive and Negative Effects of Social Media

Positive and Negative Effects of Social Media Abstract Social networking has changed the way people interact with each other forever. Social networking first existed as an invention created in 1975 known as email, which is still used today (Email). However social networking has advanced in to using a profile to give information about a user and his or her interests, and has integrated the use of email. Now social networking involves sharing stories, photos, and involves the use of apps as well as messaging to communicate with others. This type of social networking did not become popular until the year 2003 when MySpace and Friendster were launched. Shortly after Facebook was launched but was not open to the general public until 2006, which has become the number one social networking site today. These networks have many positive effects such as remaining in contact with friends, meeting new people, providing educational benefits, as well as the convenience of mobilly accessing it. Also there are some negative effects which include identit y theft, cyber bullying, decreased social interaction in real life, and social isolation. Increase in mobile social networking could possible cause future health problems. The first type of social networking created was Email, which was invented in 1975 (Email). Since then social networking has advanced into a profile with numerous features that can be used and has integrated the use of email. Now social networking is changing the way the world interacts with people, and has provided many useful tools for the world to use. Still these social networks are continuing to advance to provide better features for users, and these popular sites will continue to grow in size. Even though social networks can have negative effects such as wasting time, it also affects people positively by allowing people to communicate and remain in contact with friends in a much easier way. In the article Are social networking sites good for our society? (2009) social networking (or social media) is defined as an online community that allow people to develop profiles of their backgrounds and interests, communicate with friends and strangers, and share thoughts, photos, Internet links, music, and more (p.1). Once a social network is joined users are prompted to identify others in the system with which they have a relationship known generally as friends. Social networking sites vary greatly with the features they have to offer, and is what makes each site different from the other. Six Degrees was the first major social network, similar to social networking today, to be launched and was launched in 1997 (Bhutkar, 2009). Social networking as it is today did not become popular until 2003 when Friendster MySpace and LinkedIn were launched. Then in 2004 Facebook was launched but was only open to college students with a valid university email. Facebook remained a college only n etwork for two years before it opened to the general public in 2006. Since then Facebook has become the number one social networking site (Bhutkar, 2009). Positive Effects of Social Media Social networking sites allow people to communicate and remain in contact with friends as well as meet new people. These sites allow people to find others with similar interests that they can create a relationship with and get to know one another. Groups can be joined or formed to meet people with similar interests, and views. Social networking allows for creative expression by using tools such as blogging and messaging to post ideas and stories (Are social networking sites good for our society, 2009). Users also share poems, interest in music, TV shows, hobbies, photos, and many other things (Jasson). Event invitations can be made and sent to friends rather than having to mail invitations and friends can also rsvp for an event on the site. Not only is it used to talk to friends, but it is also used to discuss educational topics. Social networking is said to increase a persons quality of life, and can reduce health risks. Many people report that they have not had any negative experiences with social networking, and schools are starting to look at it as an educational tool (Thelwell, 2006). The use of social networking helps improve technological skills of students, and exposes them to many diverse views about things. It also has helped with communication skills, and allows the learning of cultures from users all over the world. Also students use social networking to discuss homework topics with peers online, and to get help on assignments (Reid, 2009). Sixty percent of students on social networks have said that they talk about education, and 50 percent specifically talk about school work assignments. These students seem to have an extraordinary set of traditional and 21st century skills including communication, creativi ty, collaboration, and leadership skills and technology proficiency. Parents are expecting schools to take advantage of using online social networking to educate children, but to do so in a safe way. Some public schools have created a secure social network for its student to be able to communicate with other students, and to do so in a more safe way (National School Board Association, 2007). Social Networking does not just benefit individuals, but it also benefits businesses as well. These sites allow businesses to advertise and market services to a large audience, and a profile is free to set up (Gillin). Numerous businesses have created profiles that provide detailed information about the business to advertise in a low cost way (Roberts, 2008). Businesses will gain more attention on social networks because the business profile is available to for all users of the social network to see. Also businesses like to use social networks to learn what potential employees are like, and make decisions based on the information provided on the persons profile (Ellison, Steinfield, Lampe, 2007). Social networking has already completely changed the way people interact in the world, but also it is advancing more to make it easier to access. Now social networking is becoming mobile and can be accessed through the use of a cell phone. It is thought to be a great idea and would increase the use of social networking since a lot of people carry cell phones with them at all times. People can use mobile phones to update their status, post comments, upload photos, send messages, and update profile from just about anywhere (Kharif, 2006). This allows people to be able to get things done as well as take some time to log onto social networks. Making social networks accessible through cell phones is also expected to increase the number of users by a significant amount (Gillin). So far mobile social networking is being used more than social networking from pc computers. The top sites that are being visited using mobile phones are Facebook, MySpace, and Bebo. Being able to access social net works from the cell phone unlocks the full potential of social network, and makes it more convenient for people to use. Since it is more convenient to use the number of users has increased and the mobile social networking has increased significantly (Hamblen, 2008). Negative Effects of Social Media Social networking does have negative effects as well, but are nothing compared to the advantages of using it. These sites reduce the amount of face to face socializing and replace it with online interaction which is believed to result in low quality relationships with other people (Mikami, Szwedo, Allen, Evans, Hare, 2010). Teens over share information to the public that can hurt them in the future when trying to get a job, and deleting the information is not good enough. Cyber bullying occurs as well, which is bullying people online in a public way, but occurs at a small percentage. People that frequently use online social networking are also prone to social isolation which can lead to depression and decreased social skills (Mikami, Szwedo, Allen, Evans, Hare, 2010). A false sense of security leaves social networking site users vulnerable to security attacks such as hacking, leaking sensitive information, and sending viruses. Identity theft can occur when a cybercriminal uses the network to gather personal information posted about people (University of the Pacific). It also has been said that social networking sites endanger children by allowing pedophiles to seek out children (Are social networking sites good for our society?). Also since they are becoming mobile it might encourage people to use cell phone to access these sites while driving just like text messaging was a popular thing to do while driving. Social networking becoming mobile use will increase cell phone use and the problem with that is that cell phones have been found to emit electromagnetic radiation that is absorbed by the brain and body. This absorption disrupts the brain sites for memory and learning and can cause confusion and forgetfulness (Thomas, 2004). It is also been reported that cell phones can cause cancer from the electromagnetic exposure to other parts of the body, but little emphasis has been placed on it. The cause of cancer in the brain has been the main health concern with cell phones, which social networking by mobile phone is not exposing the brain to the waves. Also, cell phones give small amounts of radiation off and would require a lot of use and over a long period of time for it to start to cause cancer. Research is needed to provide evidence to determine that actual health risk of cell phones. Social networking has its advantages and its disadvantages like everything else does. The sites are continuously advancing, and changing to fix the negative problems. One example would be accessing social networking sites using cell phones so that people can access the site on the go rather than sit at home on a computer. Most users have stated that they have had only positive experiences with social networking, and very few people experience cyber bullying. There are still problems that need to be fixed, but it seems that the positive effects outweigh the negative effects. Social networking is a very valuable tool that can be used to meet new people, and allow people to remain in contact with friends. Even though it can waste time, social networking positively affects the world by allowing people to communicate, and remain in contact with friends in an easy and convenient way. References Are social networking sites good for our society? (2009). Social Networking ProCon.org. Retrieved April 9, 2010, from http://socialnetworking.procon.org Bhutkar, G. (2009, January 29). Users on Social Networking Sites. Journal of HC Vistas, 5(February 2009). Retrieved from http://www.hceye.org/?UsabilityInsights/p=103 Ellison, N. B., Steinfield, C., Lampe, C. (2007). The benefits of Facebook friends: social capital and college students use of online social network sites. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, 12(4). Retrieved from http://jcmc.indiana.edu/?vol12/?issue4/?ellison.html Email: The First -and Largest- Social Network Web Strategy by Jeremiah Owyang | Social Media, Web Marketing. (n.d.). Web Strategy by Jeremiah Owyang: Web Marketing, Social Media. Retrieved April 11, 2010, from http://www.web-strategist.com/blog/2009/07/09/email-the-first-social-network/ Gillin, P. (2008). Business anywhere, anytime. Computerworld Communications Brief, 1-5. Retrieved from http://www.slideshare.net/?PingElizabeth/?the-promise-of-mobile-unified-communications Hamblen, M. (2008, September 11). Get Ready for mobile social networks. Computerworld. Retrieved from http://www.computerworld.com/?s/?article/?9114487/?Get_ready_for_mobile_social_networks_?taxonomyId=165 Jansson, Y. (n.d.). Online social networking positive aspects. In article dashboard. Retrieved March 29, 2010, from articledashboard database. (477721) Kharif, O. (2006, May 31). Social Networking Goes Mobile. BusinessWeek. Retrieved from http://www.businessweek.com/?technology/?content/?may2006/?tc20060530_170086.htm Mikami, A. Y., Szwedo, D. E., Allen, J. P., Evans, M. A., Hare, A. L. (2010). Adolescent Peer Relationships and Behavior Problems Predict young adults communication on social networking websites. Developmental Psychology, 46(1), 46-56. National School Boards Association. (2007). Creating Connecting: Research and Guidelines on Online Social and educational networking [Data file]. Retrieved from http://socialnetworking.procon.org/?sourcefiles/?CreateandConnect.pdf Reid, K. (2009, November). The rise of social networking sites. Education Journal, 119, 22. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/?login.aspx?direct=truedb=aphAN=47781789loginpage=Login.aspsite=ehost-live Thelwall, M. (2008, January 25). Myspace, Facebook, Bebo: Social Networking Students. ALT Newsletter, January 2008(11). Retrieved from http://newsweaver.co.uk/?alt/?e_article000993849.cfm?x=b11,0,w Thomas, W. (2004). Cell phone health effects: busy signals think twice before you place that call.Alive. Retrieved from http://willthomas.net/ Investigations/Articles/cellphones.htm University of the Pacific Online Social Networking Dangers and Benefits. (n.d.). University of the Pacific Stockton, San Francisco, Sacramento. Retrieved April 11, 2010, from http://web.pacific.edu/x4989.xml?ss=print

Animal Rights and Animal Testing :: Rights Equality Animals Science Essays

Animal Rights and Animal Testing Many humans use animals for testing each year. Animal testing is when the animals are put through something or injected to see how they react to what medical research they have been used for. Animals are used to find cures for diseases or to test drugs that have mild side effects. They are also used to test materials for cosmetic research. Except for severely limited medical research, animal testing should be outlawed. Animal testing endangers the animal’s lives and may cause serious side affect that last the rest of their lives. Others believe that they should not test medicine on humans because humans’ lives are more precious than that of the animals. They believe that since animals have no rights that they should be used for testing. There are three very important reasons why animals should not be used for testing harmful or dangerous materials. One of these is that testing and its use is trivial in the cosmetic industry. The second reason is that animals have rights and animals can feel pleasure and pain just as humans do. The third reason is that testing is cruel and unusual. Another reason is that animal testing and its use is trivial in the cosmetic industry. Testing on animals for the cosmetic industry is not necessary because they have many other ways to find out if it harms the human race. The testing that goes on is harmful to the animals and can cause serious side effects. The cosmetic companies hold down bunnies in vices and spray the cosmetics into their eyes to see if it cause them redness, stinging, or even blindness. They also have baboons strapped down with their heads in vices to do certain tests on them. Animals are also used by pharmaceutical companies to produce drugs and health supplements. They estimate that 17 to 22 million animals are used each year for medical research, and these estimates do not include rats, mice, fish, and farm animals. That means that 90% of all research animals are not included in the statistics. Too many animals are being tested and they do not even need to use the animals for these tests. They can use com puter software materials and get the same results. One more point is that animals do have rights.

Causes Of Stress Essay

Stress is usually caused by too much pressure being put on us by others or in some cases by ourselves and if it’s left unchecked, stress can lead to an inability to function effectively, meaning a person will no longer be able to cope with the pressures placed upon them. The purpose of this essay is to analyze these three main causes of stress. The first major cause of stress is finances. Debts are piling up. Credit Card payments, pending mortgage installments, rising costs of education, mounting expenditure on health concerns. College students stress over paying for an education, older senior citizens find that retirement income can be a major cause of stress. This is pretty significant because financial stress is linked to health problems like depression and sleep problem. The second cause of stress is work. You may be worried about your next promotion. You might be facing the negative or bullying behavior of your boss. You might not be reaching your well-deserved career goals; you might be worried due to office politics. You might be stressed about some major change that is taking place in the organization, or, you might be under stress because of the prospect of losing your job. Students, especially teenagers and college age students, cite school work as a cause of stress. Sometimes, work stress is brought on by others. Sometimes, we bring it on ourselves. The third cause of stress is Health. For some, the stress is linked to obesity, and a desire to lose weight. For others, the stress is a personal bas habit that affects health and must be changed. For example, smoking, abuse of alcohol or other drugs. Illness or injury, whether less or more serious, can be a leading cause of stress for many people. In conclusion, There are many cause of stress in nowadays, and stress have many effect for our health so how to decrease stress? There are many different ways to manage stress. They are Take Care of Yourself, Maintaining The Right Attitude, Creating The Right Atmosphere, Interactive Resources.

Great Expectations and April Raintree Essay

A key theme in Great Expectations and April Raintree is the growth and change of the characters towards their acceptance of social class. This will be proven by Pip not accepting himself in the lower class and April not accepting herself in the native class. Then, there will be proof of how Pip and April attempted to change their social class. Finally the proof of how Pip accepted himself in the social class he was in and how April accepted herself as a Mà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½tis. Pip did not accept himself in the lower class. He wanted to be in the upper class just like Miss Havisham is. Pip was ashamed of his family and its lower class status. How he wasn’t as fortunate as Estella who is a member of the higher class, especially when Estella insulted Pip saying that he is â€Å"common† and how he has â€Å"coarse hands†. He did not have a reason to think about his class status before this, and now that he does, he’s disturbed to think he might be just â€Å"common.† This ensured Pip to not accept himself in the lower class. He didn’t see any good from it. Pip felt he needed to impress Estella. She was the one who changed Pip’s perspective in everything. Before meeting Estella, Pip really looked up to Joe, blacksmith or a gentleman, Joe’s class status makes no difference. It is not until later, when he learns that the world cares about class, that’s when Joe’s status mattered to Pip. After seeing Estella’s house and everything she had, he wanted more to look forward to. Pip did not accept his life in the lower class. April is a young woman who has so many issues with her family and the people in her life. April always hid her feelings of shame from her sister Cheryl. April did not accept herself in the native class. Although she did not look native, she was sometimes ashamed that her sister Cheryl looked more native than she did. â€Å"There were two different groups of children that went to the park. One group was brown-skinned children who looked like Cheryl in most ways. They were dirty-looking and they dressed in real raggedy cloths. I didn’t care to play with them at all. The other group was fair-skinned and I envied them especially the girls with blonde hair and blue eyes. They seemed so clean and fresh. Some of them were freckled but they didn’t seem to mind. To me, I imagined they were very rich and lived in big, beautiful houses. I wondered what their lives were like and I wished we could play with them. But they didn’t care to play with Cheryl and me. They just called us names and bullied us.† (Pg. 6) Since April was young, she always wanted to be with the people who were fair-skinned. She didn’t like seeing her sister being called names especially, when they had to live with the DeRosiers. Half breeds were all that was said in that house. â€Å"I heard you half breeds were dirty but now I can see that it’s true.† (Unknown :() At one point, April hated being Mà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½tis. She felt that being Mà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½tis changed her life because when you think of Mà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½tis, you think of living off the streets and bums on Main Street. She wasn’t any of these and she didn’t want to be labelled as them. She was not happy being the person she knew she was. April did not accept her life in the native class. Pip changed his social class by going off to school to become a gentleman. He was lucky to have a benefactor. â€Å"I’ve put away money, only for you to spend. When I was a hired-out shepherd in a solitary hut, not seeing no faces but faces of sheep till I half-forgot wot men’s and women’s faces wos like, I see yourn. . . . I see you there a many times plain as ever I see you on them misty marshes. ‘Lord strike me dead!’ I says each time-and I goes out in the open air to say it under the open heavens-‘but wot, if I gets liberty and money, I’ll make that boy a gentleman!’ And I done it.† (pg. 340) Magwitch reveals himself as Pip’s secret benefactor and how he got all his wealth. This quote changed Pip’s idealistic view of wealth and social class by forcing him to realize that his own status as a gentleman is owed to the loyalty of a lower-class criminal. Year after year, he moved further away from Joe and his lower class. â€Å"Pip, dear old chap, life is made of ever so many partings welded together, as I may say, and one man’s a blacksmith, and one’s a whitesmith, and one’s a goldsmith, and one’s a coppersmith. Divisions among such must come, and must be met as they come.† (pg. 236) Joe comes with a smart and content attitude toward the changes in Pip’s social class that have driven them apart, and he shows his goodness and loyalty by blaming the division not on Pip but on the unchangeable nature of the human condition. Pip as a gentleman makes a lot of money and as he gets wealthy, he forgets his family and the people that are important to him. In other words, he worries about trying to impress people, rather than being moral. April Raintree changed her identity of a native by marrying a rich white man named Bob Radcliff. She always wanted to be rich and forget about her heritage. She moved away from Winnipeg to Toronto. She tried running away from the life she did not want, to try to live a life she wanted. â€Å"You think I don’t know why you married Bob? It was to get away from me, that’s why. I’ll be you wished you were an only child. I bet you wished I was dead.† (pg. 155) It was almost like she did not want Cheryl in her life at all. â€Å"You never loved that man. You loved his money. You figured you were going to be Miss High Society.† (pg. 158) April did not love Bob Radcliff; she only married him for his money. Pip learns from his mistakes growing up. After realizing what kind of person he has become, and how he has treated his loved ones, he felt he was better off being in the lower class. Pip realized that wealth and class are less important than affection, loyalty, and inner worth. When he is finally able to understand that, besides the esteem in which he holds Estella, someone’s social status is not what so ever connected to that someone’s character. Bentley Drummle is a symbol to this because even though he is a minor character, he gave an important message. Drummle is an upper class member. He gave Pip proof that social class has no connection to attitude, personality or moral worth. Drummle’s negative example helps Pip to see the inner worth of characters such as Magwitch and Joe, and Pip eventually scraped his immature fantasies about wealth and class. Everything changes for Pip after he learns the class status of his benefactor because he realized that Magwitch , a kind-hearted man who was never able to come out of the status into which he was born but in the end he was able to get wealthy. April realized that she wasn’t happy with Bob, so they got a divorce. From that divorce, she received a good amount of money. She immediately went back home to her sister, but things were not good between Cheryl and April. After Cheryl committed suicide, April found her diaries and read them. She finally realized what Cheryl has gone through while April wasn’t in her life and what she thought of everything especially what she thought of April. April accepted being Mà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½tis then and there. Like her sister, she is proud to be Mà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½tis. Since she loved Cheryl, she was glad that a part of Cheryl was alive in her son, Henry Liberty. â€Å"All life dies to give new life.† (pg. 184) It was tragic that it had taken Cheryl’s death to bring April to accept her identity but she would strive for a better tomorrow now. For her sister and her son, her parents and her people. In conclusion, Pip accepted himself in the social class that he used to be in. Even though he remained in the higher class, Pip realized that he still cared for his loved ones in the lower class. For April, she accepted herself in the social class she was born in. Even though Cheryl’s life had to be taken away before April realized how important her heritage was. Pip carried a snobby attitude for a great portion of his life. He treated the people he loved without realization of how he wasn’t respectful towards them. April had tried hiding, she had attempted to be someone she’s not, she had tried being with someone she didn’t love, and she had also undertook to blocking her own sister out of her life. No matter what April did, she couldn’t get away from what she really was inside. She was born Mà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½tis. She just didn’t feel proud of it nor did she want to be Mà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½tis. Pip and April both had issues with the people in their lives and they both found their true identities from being ashamed of their social class to peace with their lives.

Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan

Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan Over the centuries, various would-be conquerors have thrown their armies against the sere mountains and valleys of Afghanistan. In just the past two centuries, great powers have invaded Afghanistan at least four times. It has not turned out well for the invaders. As former US National Security Adviser Zbigniew Brzezinski put it, They (the Afghanis) have a curious complex: they dont like foreigners with guns in their country. In 1979, the Soviet Union decided to try its luck in Afghanistan, long a target of Russian foreign policy. Many historians believe that in the end, the Soviet War in Afghanistan was key in destroying one of the Cold War worlds two superpowers. Background to the Invasion On April 27, 1978, Soviet-advised members of the Afghan Army overthrew and executed President Mohammed Daoud Khan. Daoud was a leftist progressive, but not a communist, and he resisted Soviet attempts to direct his foreign policy as interference in Afghanistans affairs. Daoud moved Afghanistan toward the non-allied bloc, which included India, Egypt, and Yugoslavia. Although the Soviets did not order his ouster, they quickly recognized the new communist Peoples Democratic Party government that formed on April 28, 1978. Nur Muhammad Taraki became Chairman of the newly-formed Afghan Revolutionary Council. However, infighting with other communist factions and cycles of purging plagued Tarakis government from the start. In addition, the new communist regime targeted Islamic mullahs and wealthy landowners in the Afghan countryside, alienating all of the traditional local leaders. Soon, anti-government insurgencies broke out across northern and eastern Afghanistan, aided by Pashtun guerrillas from Pakistan. Over the course of 1979, the Soviets watched carefully as their client government in Kabul lost control of more and more of Afghanistan. In March, the Afghan Army battalion in Herat defected to the insurgents, and killed 20 Soviet advisers in the city; there would be four more major military uprisings against the government by the end of the year. By August, the government in Kabul had lost control of 75% of Afghanistan - it held the large cities, more or less, but the insurgents controlled the countryside. Leonid Brezhnev and the Soviet government wanted to protect their puppet in Kabul but hesitated (reasonably enough) to commit ground troops to the deteriorating situation in Afghanistan. The Soviets were concerned about the Islamist insurgents taking power since many of the USSRs Muslim Central Asian republics bordered on Afghanistan. In addition, the 1979 Islamic Revolution in Iran seemed to shift the balance of power in the region toward Muslim theocracy. As the Afghan governments situation deteriorated, the Soviets sent in military aid - tanks, artillery, small arms, fighter jets, and helicopter gunships - as well as ever-greater numbers of military and civilian advisers. By June of 1979, there were approximately 2,500 Soviet military advisers and 2,000 civilians in Afghanistan, and some of the military advisers actively drove tanks and flew helicopters in raids on the insurgents. Moscow Secretly Sent in Units of the Spetznaz or Special Forces On September 14, 1979, Chairman Taraki invited his chief rival in the Peoples Democratic Party, Minister of National Defense Hafizullah Amin, to a meeting at the presidential palace. It was supposed to be an ambush on Amin, orchestrated by Tarakis Soviet advisers, but the chief of palace guards tipped off Amin as he arrived, so the Defense Minister escaped. Amin returned later that day with an Army contingent and placed Taraki under house arrest, to the dismay of the Soviet leadership. Taraki died within a month, smothered with a pillow on Amins orders. Another major military uprising in October convinced the Soviet leaders that Afghanistan had spun out of their control, politically and militarily. Motorized and airborne infantry divisions numbering 30,000 troops began preparing to deploy from the neighboring Turkestan Military District (now in Turkmenistan) and the Fergana Military District (now in Uzbekistan). Between December 24 and 26, 1979, American observers noted that the Soviets were running hundreds of airlift flights into Kabul, but they were unsure whether it was a major invasion or simply supplies intended to help prop up the tottering Amin regime. Amin was, after all, a member of Afghanistans communist party. All doubt vanished over the next two days, however. On December 27, Soviet Spetznaz troops attacked Amins home and killed him, installing Babrak Kamal as the new puppet-leader of Afghanistan. The following day, the Soviet motorized divisions from Turkestan and the Fergana Valley rolled into Afghanistan, launching the invasion. Early Months of the Soviet Invasion The Islamic insurgents of Afghanistan, called the mujahideen, declared a jihad against the Soviet invaders. Although the Soviets had vastly superior weaponry, the mujahideen knew the rough terrain and were fighting for their homes and their faith. By February of 1980, the Soviets had control of all of the major cities in Afghanistan and were successful in quashing Afghan Army revolts when army units marched out information to fight the Soviet troops. However, mujahideen guerrillas held 80% of the country. Try and Try Again - Soviet Efforts to 1985 In the first five years, the Soviets held the strategic route between Kabul and Termez and patrolled the border with Iran, to prevent Iranian aid from reaching the mujahideen. Mountainous regions of Afghanistan such as Hazarajat and Nuristan, however, were completely free of Soviet influence. The mujahideen also held Herat and Kandahar much of the time. The Soviet Army launched a total of nine offensives against one key, guerrilla-held pass called the Panjshir Valley in the first five years of the war alone. Despite the heavy use of tanks, bombers, and helicopter gunships, they were unable to take the Valley. The mujahideens amazing success in the face of one of the worlds two superpowers attracted support from a number of outside powers seeking either to support Islam or weaken the USSR: Pakistan, the Peoples Republic of China, the United States, the United Kingdom, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Iran. Withdrawal From the Quagmire - 1985 to 1989 As the war in Afghanistan dragged on, the Soviets faced a harsh reality. Afghan Army desertions were epidemic, so the Soviets had to do much of the fighting. Many Soviet recruits were Central Asians, some from the same Tajik and Uzbek ethnic groups as many of the mujihadeen, so they often refused to carry out attacks ordered by their Russian commanders. Despite official press censorship, people in the Soviet Union began to hear that the war was not going well and to notice a large number of funerals for Soviet soldiers. Before the end, some media outlets even dared to publish commentary on the Soviets Vietnam War, pushing the boundaries of Mikhail Gorbachevs policy of glasnost or openness. Conditions were terrible for many ordinary Afghans, but they held out against the invaders. By 1989, the mujahideen had organized some 4,000 strike bases across the country, each manned by at least 300 guerrillas. One famous mujahideen commander in the Panjshir Valley, Ahmad Shah Massoud, commanded 10,000 well-trained troops. By 1985, Moscow was actively seeking an exit strategy. They sought to intensify recruitment and training for the Afghan armed forces, in order to transition responsibility to local troops. The ineffectual president, Babrak Karmal, lost Soviet support, and in November of 1986, a new president named Mohammad Najibullah was elected. He proved less than popular with the Afghan people, however, in part because he was the former chief of the widely-feared secret police, the KHAD. From May 15 to August 16, 1988, the Soviets completed phase one of their withdrawal. The retreat was generally peaceful since the Soviets first negotiated cease-fires with mujahideen commanders along the withdrawal routes. Remaining Soviet troops withdrew between November 15, 1988, and February 15, 1989. A total of just over 600,000 Soviets served in the Afghan War, and about 14,500 were killed. Another 54,000 were wounded, and an astonishing 416,000 became ill with typhoid fever, hepatitis, and other serious diseases. An estimated 850,000 to 1.5 million Afghan civilians died in the war, and five to ten million fled the country as refugees. This represented as much as one-third of the countrys 1978 population, severely straining Pakistan and other neighboring countries. 25,000 Afghans died from landmines alone during the war, and millions of mines remained behind after the Soviets withdrew. The Aftermath of the Soviet War in Afghanistan Chaos and civil war ensued when the Soviets left Afghanistan, as rival mujahideen commanders fought to enlarge their spheres of influence. Some mujahideen troops behaved so badly, robbing, raping, and murdering civilians at will, that a group of Pakistani-educated religious students banded together to fight against them in the name of Islam. This new faction called itself the Taliban, meaning the Students. For the Soviets, the repercussions were equally dire. Over the previous decades, the Red Army had always been able to quash any nation or ethnic group that rose in opposition - the Hungarians, the Kazakhs, the Czechs - but now they had lost to the Afghans. Minority peoples in the Baltic and Central Asian republics, in particular, took heart; indeed, the Lithuanian democracy movement openly declared independence from the Soviet Union in March of 1989, less than a month after the withdrawal from Afghanistan finished. Anti-Soviet demonstrations spread to Latvia, Georgia, Estonia, and other republics. The long and costly war left the Soviet economy in shambles. It also fueled the rise of a free press and open dissent among not only ethnic minorities but also from Russians who had lost loved ones in the fighting. Although it was not the only factor, certainly the Soviet War in Afghanistan helped to hasten the end of one of the two superpowers. Just over two and a half years after the withdrawal, on December 26, 1991, the Soviet Union was formally dissolved. Sources MacEachin, Douglas. Predicting the Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan: The Intelligence Communitys Record, CIA Center for the Study of Intelligence, Apr. 15, 2007. Prados, John, ed. Volume II: Afghanistan: Lessons from the Last War. Analysis of the Soviet War in Afghanistan, Declassified, The National Security Archive, Oct. 9, 2001. Reuveny, Rafael, and Aseem Prakash. The Afghanistan War and the Breakdown of the Soviet Union, Review of International Studies, (1999), 25, 693-708.