Russian-Mongolian Military Cooperation: 1930s

Goals. The article investigates Russian-Mongolian military cooperation in the 1930s. Methods and Materials. The work examines collected documents and materials housed by the Russian State Archive of Socio-Political History. Results and Conclusions. The early 1930s were characterized by the aggravation of the international situation in the Far East: Japan attacked China and occupied a considerable territory. Japan’s external policy was turning more and more towards expansionism, giving rise to sentiments to seize mainland territories which meant а direct threat to Mongolia and Soviet regions. So, the period witnessed a series of regular top-level meetings between the Soviet and Mongolian governments. The Kremlin negotiations of November 1934 proved essential enough for the further development of Soviet-Mongolian military and political cooperation. The Kremlin, thus, took the strategic lead and got actively involved in Mongolian affairs. Records of the Soviet-Mongolian negotiations of November 27 underline the vital need for Mongolia to have strong national armed forces, and report the expediency of signing non-aggression and mutual respect treaties was being discussed. The Protocol of mutual assistance between the USSR and the MPR of 12 March 1936 set a new global trend for intergovernmental cooperation and strategic partnership in the context of increasing international tensions. Active joint military actions against imperialist Japan in 1939 at Khalkhin Gol, efficient coordination of foreign policy steps thus became an important stabilizing factor in the region, being a bright page in the history of relations between the countries.

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