Mongolian Armed Forces: Past and Present
Usually foreigners are surprised when Mongolians celebrate International Women’s Day and 10 days later “Men’s” Day, which is Mongolian Army Day. It was a Soviet tradition for people to celebrate political holidays, such as Great October Day (Russian Socialist Revolution Day), May Day, Naadam (in socialist times it was usually called People’s Revolution Day).
The modern Mongolian Armed Forces was established on 18th March, 1921 as the Mongolian People’s Army. Of course, the first Mongolian regiments consisted of a famous Mongolian cavalry under the leadership of D. Sukhbaatar. According to history, they quite successfully fought against the Russian White Movement and the regular Chinese Army.
Later, there were the military actions against Japan in 1939 and 1945. The last one was widely celebrated last August in Mongolia and for the first time officially in Russia.
On 25 May, 1925, the Mongolian Air Force was founded. Until the collapse of the socialist system, Mongolia had operated a variety of aircraft including the combat jet aircrafts MIG-17 and MIG-21.
Of course, in typical socialist style, the Mongolian Armed Forces were under total political control, and which copied the Soviet Army’s political establishment. The Central Political Administration Unit was established in 1921 to supervise the work of political commissars and party cells in all army units and to provide a link with the Central Committee of the Mongolian People’s Revolutionary Party (MPRP). Political commissars were in all units, starting from platoons. These commissars usually held an officer’s rank starting from lieutenant. These lieutenants had special assistants as junior sergeants, who were secretaries of the cells of the Mongolian Revolutionary Youth Leagues. Regiments would have senior political commissars as lieutenant colonels and there was also another important political commissar, who was the secretary of the committee of the MPRP there, and he usually held the rank of major.
According to western sources, Mongolian ground forces possess over 650 tanks, 100 mobile artillery pieces, 800 Infantry Fighting Vehicles and armored personnel carriers, 450 mobile anti-aircraft weapons and other military equipment. Of course, every soldier has the famous AK Kalashnikov guns and machine guns. It is no doubt that all military equipment here was designed between the late 1950s and early 1970s. Since the Soviet Union/Russia stopped giving military aid after the collapse of socialism, there was a tremendous demand to at least repair the abovementioned equipment, which would serve for the Mongolian Armed Forces in their UN led peacekeeping missions. Of course, Russia was not so happy to see Mongolians doing peacekeeping missions, especially with NATO lead operations. In 2005/2006 Mongolian troops served in Kosovo as part of the Belgian Kosovo Force (KFOR). The problem was solved by Mongolian Prime Minister S. Bayar, when the Mongolian Armed Forces started its first joint military exercises since the withdrawal of Soviet troops from Mongolia with the Russian Armed Forces. The Russians also helped with the repair and technical services of Mongolian military equipment. Currently, they are doing joint military exercises in Russia. The drills, called Darkhan-3, involve up to 1,000 Russian and Mongolian servicemen and 200 items of hardware. Obsolete equipment has been the main technical problem for Mongolian participation in international peacekeeping operations.
Nevertheless, the Mongolian armed forces are performing peacekeeping missions in Sierra Leone, Ethiopia, Congo, Eritrea, Western Sahara and Afghanistan.
The greatest success story was the operation in Iraq. Mongolia became one of the initial 33 countries who supported the United States after the September 11 attack and offered over-flight permission to coalition forces. The previous time a Mongol army entered Iraq was with Chinggis Khan’s grandson Hulagu. Of course, Mongolians were happy with the final return of their troops without casualties.
By the request of the United States, the Mongolian Armed Forces was helping with the training of artillery units of the Afghan National Army. Mongolian artillery has a great tradition and it was the main element of fire power for the Mongolian army throughout history. According to William Kirsch, in November of 1274 a Mongolian fleet of 900 ships (25,000 Mongol soldiers and 15,000 Koreans) arrived at the main Japanese island of Kyushu. Bakufu, the military leader, had spies in Koryu and had a force of 6,000-10,000 samurai waiting at Hakata Bay. The samurai were unfamiliar with the organized tactics of the Mongols and were hit hard by the Mongolian artillery.
Mongolia used to have a relatively huge army and it was the main career destination for many Mongolian males. With the collapse of socialism, the size of the Mongolian armed forces was greatly reduced and it brought relatively large unemployment among the Mongolian male population. During socialist times, mandatory army service was the first important step of urbanization for Mongolian males from the countryside. Therefore, Mongolia’s decision to qualify for lucrative UN peacekeeping operations was very important for Mongolia’s development. Mongolia is sandwiched by two of the world’s powerful nations and it has a limited capability to protect its independence against foreign invasions. Therefore, Mongolia needs a small, but very professional and efficient armed force.
The modern Mongolian Armed Forces was established on 18th March, 1921 as the Mongolian People’s Army. Of course, the first Mongolian regiments consisted of a famous Mongolian cavalry under the leadership of D. Sukhbaatar. According to history, they quite successfully fought against the Russian White Movement and the regular Chinese Army.
Later, there were the military actions against Japan in 1939 and 1945. The last one was widely celebrated last August in Mongolia and for the first time officially in Russia.
On 25 May, 1925, the Mongolian Air Force was founded. Until the collapse of the socialist system, Mongolia had operated a variety of aircraft including the combat jet aircrafts MIG-17 and MIG-21.
Of course, in typical socialist style, the Mongolian Armed Forces were under total political control, and which copied the Soviet Army’s political establishment. The Central Political Administration Unit was established in 1921 to supervise the work of political commissars and party cells in all army units and to provide a link with the Central Committee of the Mongolian People’s Revolutionary Party (MPRP). Political commissars were in all units, starting from platoons. These commissars usually held an officer’s rank starting from lieutenant. These lieutenants had special assistants as junior sergeants, who were secretaries of the cells of the Mongolian Revolutionary Youth Leagues. Regiments would have senior political commissars as lieutenant colonels and there was also another important political commissar, who was the secretary of the committee of the MPRP there, and he usually held the rank of major.
According to western sources, Mongolian ground forces possess over 650 tanks, 100 mobile artillery pieces, 800 Infantry Fighting Vehicles and armored personnel carriers, 450 mobile anti-aircraft weapons and other military equipment. Of course, every soldier has the famous AK Kalashnikov guns and machine guns. It is no doubt that all military equipment here was designed between the late 1950s and early 1970s. Since the Soviet Union/Russia stopped giving military aid after the collapse of socialism, there was a tremendous demand to at least repair the abovementioned equipment, which would serve for the Mongolian Armed Forces in their UN led peacekeeping missions. Of course, Russia was not so happy to see Mongolians doing peacekeeping missions, especially with NATO lead operations. In 2005/2006 Mongolian troops served in Kosovo as part of the Belgian Kosovo Force (KFOR). The problem was solved by Mongolian Prime Minister S. Bayar, when the Mongolian Armed Forces started its first joint military exercises since the withdrawal of Soviet troops from Mongolia with the Russian Armed Forces. The Russians also helped with the repair and technical services of Mongolian military equipment. Currently, they are doing joint military exercises in Russia. The drills, called Darkhan-3, involve up to 1,000 Russian and Mongolian servicemen and 200 items of hardware. Obsolete equipment has been the main technical problem for Mongolian participation in international peacekeeping operations.
Nevertheless, the Mongolian armed forces are performing peacekeeping missions in Sierra Leone, Ethiopia, Congo, Eritrea, Western Sahara and Afghanistan.
The greatest success story was the operation in Iraq. Mongolia became one of the initial 33 countries who supported the United States after the September 11 attack and offered over-flight permission to coalition forces. The previous time a Mongol army entered Iraq was with Chinggis Khan’s grandson Hulagu. Of course, Mongolians were happy with the final return of their troops without casualties.
By the request of the United States, the Mongolian Armed Forces was helping with the training of artillery units of the Afghan National Army. Mongolian artillery has a great tradition and it was the main element of fire power for the Mongolian army throughout history. According to William Kirsch, in November of 1274 a Mongolian fleet of 900 ships (25,000 Mongol soldiers and 15,000 Koreans) arrived at the main Japanese island of Kyushu. Bakufu, the military leader, had spies in Koryu and had a force of 6,000-10,000 samurai waiting at Hakata Bay. The samurai were unfamiliar with the organized tactics of the Mongols and were hit hard by the Mongolian artillery.
Mongolia used to have a relatively huge army and it was the main career destination for many Mongolian males. With the collapse of socialism, the size of the Mongolian armed forces was greatly reduced and it brought relatively large unemployment among the Mongolian male population. During socialist times, mandatory army service was the first important step of urbanization for Mongolian males from the countryside. Therefore, Mongolia’s decision to qualify for lucrative UN peacekeeping operations was very important for Mongolia’s development. Mongolia is sandwiched by two of the world’s powerful nations and it has a limited capability to protect its independence against foreign invasions. Therefore, Mongolia needs a small, but very professional and efficient armed force.
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