Kingdom of Afghanistan

The Kingdom of Afghanistan is a country in Southwest Asia. It is bordered by the Imperial State of Iran to the west, the Kyrgyz Soviet Socialist Republic to the north-east, the Tajik Soviet Socialist Republic and the Turkestan Legion to the north, the Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic to the north-west, the Republic of India and the Xinjiang Border Defense Administration to the east, and the Union of Baloch States to the south.

National Spirits

The Split Pashtunkhwa Daily Political Power Gain: -0.1 Division Recovery Rate: +10% Division Attack: +10% AI Modifier: Focus on Offense: +10% Despite gains in the 50s against the Indian unity government and in Central Asia, the question of "Pashtunistan" as a concept remains unsolved. Zahir Shah's decision to invade Balochistan, giving safe haven to the Pakistan movement after Delhi's declaration of an emergency in the Western Provinces, gave way to a partial solution: breaking the Durand Line and annexing Quetta and Northern Balochistan. Thereafter came the formation of the FPCA and the subordination of the Khanate of Kalat after Afghan forces combined with Pakistani ones (which had done most of the work) to hold the unity government at the gate. Today the status quo favours the Afghan state. But trouble is brewing. Discontent and continued clashes in the new lands, hostility with Delhi, and the staunch Pashtun nationalist stance of Daoud Khan leave Afghanistan with no choice but to defuse this ticking time bomb once and for all - or let it explode, and face the cost.

Gateways Between Worlds Daily Political Power Gain: +0.2 Stability: -5% Trade deal opinion factor: +15% Prime Minister Sardar Mohammad Hashim Khan's tenure saw Afghan-Axis relations reach historic highs. Not even his brother's replacing him in 1946 stopped it; continued pro-Axis sentiment and aid from both new great powers came flooding into the nation. It took the split of the Axis into the Einheitspakt and the Kyōeiken to really destabilise it. That schism left the Afghans in an awkward position of still reaping benefits from both partnerships but being too distant from either to gain fuller benefit. Complicating factors are many. Afghanistan served as the gateway to Central Asia for the Turkestan Legion and the Pakistan Movement. Meddling in both regions secured Afghanistan's role as a regional power but radicalised them all into anti-Afghan hostility; the only thing that prevented that biting Kabul was the still-fervid internecine conflicts in both areas. Closer to home, however, nascent Marxist and reformist influence coming from all sides - Central Asia, Xinjiang, Iran - threaten the monarchist order by influencing political debate and struggle within Afghanistan. These contradictions are tempered for now thanks to domestic political stability. But if these issues return at an inopportune time, they may well bring Afghanistan to its knees.

The Two Mohammeds Daily Political Power Gain: +15% Taxable population factor: -50% 'The Two Mohammeds', an informal nickname given to the two cousins the King of Afghanistan and his Prime Minister, have been the focal point of Afghan politics for a decade. Above there sits the reformist, velvet-gloved Mohammad Zahir Shah; his supporters are neutralists, moderates, conservatives, traditionalist aristocrats, and Uzbeks and Tajiks. Below him is the iron-fisted modernist Mohammad Daoud Khan, the darling of Germanophiles and Japanophiles and friend to all Pashtun nationalists and radical modernisers. As the third decade of the King's reign and the first decade of Daoud Khan's time as Prime Minister approaches, their once-friendly relationship is beginning to show stark divides. The King and his head of government's differing stances and support groups are putting them in a power struggle that is slowly enveloping their own country. Whereas both seek stability for their nation, the outcome of their internecine conflict could well prevent that from being the end result.

Embryonic Political Structures Stability: -5% War Support: -10% Sardar Mohammad Hashim Khan ruled harshly as Prime Minister for seventeen years, suppressing press rights and publications as quickly as imams uttered the name of Allah in the local mosques. Zahir Shah, seeking a more progressive direction, replaced him with his brother Mahmud in 1946. The result was a slow liberalisation and relaxed censorship—which in turn triggered a political awakening. The Wesh Dzalmian, Awakened Youth, movement emerged in 1947 and entered the Wolesi Jirga in 1949. In opposition to the government there emerged a united front called the Jebha-ye Melli, National Front, in spite of political splits. Wesh Dzalmian became a party; Ghubar's men formed the Hezb-e Watan (Fatherland Party), while Mahmudi formed the Hezb-e Khalq, the People's Party. The response of the government was to suppress all three parties and publications; today, they are underground with dubious reports claiming to confirm their and others' existence. Daoud Khan's accession in 1953 accelerated this trend, aided by Pakistani and Transoxianan conflict. But the current disorganisation is only temporary: if the parties emerge again, they will be harder and stronger - and more organised.

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Flag	Country Name	Ideologies	Notes
	Kingdom of Afghanistan	Absolute Monarchy Semi-Constitutional Monarchy Transitioning Democracy
	Republic of Afghanistan	Social Nationalism Kemalism Revolutionary Nationalism National Socialism	Mohammad Daoud Khan coup
	Republic of Afghanistan	Wang Jingwei Thought Chiang Kai-Shek Thought	Hafizullah Amin coup
	Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan	Islamic Nationalism	Islamist revolution by Gholam Mohammad Niazi
	Revolutionary Republic of Afghanistan	Mao Zedong Thought	Maoist revolution by Akram Yari