1960’s Afghanistan Was Very Different Before The Taliban

When you think of Afghanistan’s history, you probably don’t think of short skirts, nice cars, and liberal 60s styles, but just as Iran looked very different in the 1970s, these historical pictures show that Afghanistan in the 1960s was a very different country than the one that exists today.

The pictures were taken by American University professor Dr. Bill Podlich, who in 1967 took a two-year leave of absence to work for UNESCO in Afghanistan. He served as the Expert of Principles of Education at the Higher Teachers College in Kabul, and during this time he took many vintage photos of life as it was before the Afghanistan war. The Soviets invaded only a decade later, and Afghanistan was pulled into the war, and following Taliban rule and the US invasion in 2001, the country now bears little resemblance to the peaceful and prosperous nation that you can see in these, now quite sad pictures below.

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#1 Young Photographer At Paghman Gardens

#2 Students At The Higher Teachers College Of Kabul

#3 Kindergarten Dance

#4 Co-education

#5 Afghan High School Girls

#6 Education Under The Trees

#7 Bus Trip

#8 Big Sister

#9 Afghan Hound

#10 Rush Hour

#11 Decorating Cakes

#12 Sharing Tea & Music

#13 Hanging Out At The American International School Of Kabul (aisk)

#14 Shopping For Scarves

#15 Blonde & Afghans

#16 Aisk Parking Lot

#17 Kabul Gorge

#18 Frying Up Dessert

#19 Bus Driver

#20 Salang Pass Tunnel

#21 Bamiyan Valley

#22 Friendly Crowd

#23 Under The Trees

#24 Fruit & Veggies

#25 Art Show

#26 Afternoon Prayers

#27 Outdoor Class

#28 Kabul

#29 Co-education

#30 Gas Station

#31 Afternoon Shade

#32 Balloon Boy

#33 Annual Exhibition Of Student Art Work

#34 Vip

#35 Afghanistan

#36 All Dressed Up

#37 Skinny Tie

#38 Hotel Inter-continental

#39 Sight Seeing

#40 Detail On Arch

#41 Dr. Podlich & The Afghans

#42 Fully Loaded

#43 Indoor Class

#44 Bamiyan Buddah Statue

#45 Shave And A Haircut

#46 Kabul International

#47 Walking Home

#48 Military Band

#49 Mosque In The Center Of Kabul

#50 Portable Grand Stand

#51 Shopping For Canned Goods

#52 The Dance

#53 Main Street

#54 People & Ducks

#55 Masked Parade

#56 Monument

#57 Cookin’ Kababs

#58 Swimming In The Kabul River

#59 Algebra & Mud

#60 Apartments & Stores

#61 School’s Out

#62 Marching

#63 Road Work

#64 New Years Celebration

#65 Guard Duty

#66 Afghan Army

#67 The Demonstration