Everyday Life in the Memories of the Participants of the Afghan War (1979–1989)

Abstract. The Afghan war became one of the most significant military conflicts in the second half of the 20th century where the USSR took part. The article discusses the features of the military everyday life perception of former combatants who served in Afghanistan in 1979–1989. The author focuses on the natural and climatic conditions and their impact on the life of soldiers, organization of accommodation, supplies, health protection, nutrition practices, and strategies for the survival of fighters in difficult conditions. The most significant problems for Soviet soldiers were acclimatization, water supply, observance of sanitary and hygienic standards, and health protection. The Soviet Union was not ready for this war, which affected the life and supply of military personnel. The memoirs of former combatants who served in Afghanistan at different periods and in different types of troops can have significant differences, however, their analysis allows us to see the general patterns in details of personal experience, to consider individual experiences against the background of general social moods and to ultimately reach the macro level through the prism of microhistory. The main source of the research was indepth interviews with participants in the Afghan war – residents of the European South of the Russian Federation, recorded in 2017–2018.

Keywords: Afghan war, Afghanistan, USSR, Limited contingent of Soviet troops, everyday life, interview.