it was support for pro-Russian Marxist forces in Afghanistan that brought about a return to cold war relations between the united states and the soviet union.
the roots of the 1976 soviet invasion can be traced back to a 1973 coup in which the king of Afghanistan was deposed. within a short period of time the new government came under attack from the maoist and pro-soviet factions of the Marxist people's democratic party. in april 1978 the maoist khalq faction led a successful coup that ended in the signing of a 20-year treaty of friendship between the two countries. the new government sought to impose a radical series of economic and social reforms on the afghan people .the government ignored soviet recommendations to slow