On the issue of Outer Mongolia, Tsarist Russia went to the Soviet Union and entangled with us for half a century. In the end, in 1945, even if the dust fell, Outer Mongolia was still separated and went it alone.
In 1945, Stalin forced China to sign the Sino-Soviet Treaty of Friendship and Alliance on the basis of the Yalta Agreement, in which Outer Mongolia was formally required to separate itself and become a buffer zone between China and the Soviet Union. Since the Yalta Agreement was a historical document jointly approved by Britain, the United States, and the Soviet Union, Stalin was full of confidence, because the Chinese side could no longer find other qualified foreign aid to oppose this agreement.
But the problem is that before that, Soviet Russia, including the Soviet Union, once claimed that all the Chinese lands occupied by Tsarist Russia, including Outer Mongolia, would be returned to China, and even written into declarations and treaties. Why did these declarations and treaties not really come into practice?
The Garrahan Declaration was changed three times from 1919 to 1923
In February 1917, Tsarist Russia was gone, but Soviet Russia had not yet officially succeeded him, and after October, Soviet Russia reluctantly became the head of Russia.
Even so, the unification of Russia was not completed, and in addition to the remnants of Tsarist Russia in Siberia, the Entente countries launched attacks on Russia from all sides.
Under these circumstances, in July 1919, Soviet Russia issued the first "Galakhan Declaration". The main content of the declaration was to abolish all secret treaties signed by Tsarist Russia with China, Japan, and other Entente powers, and to renounce all territories and concessions occupied by Tsarist Russia in China. Give up the Gengzi indemnity and give up the Eastern Railway of Tsarist Russia in the Northeast.
If what Soviet Russia said is true, then we will be able to recover at least 1.51 million square kilometers of territory in the Outer Northeast and Outer Northwest, and in addition, the total land of more than 1.8 million square kilometers in Outer Mongolia, Tangnu and Ulianghai will no longer be interfered by Russia and will return to China's embrace.
3.31 million square kilometers, which is equivalent to 33 territories the size of Jiangsu Province, will come back, and in addition, they can get back the Eastern Railway for free, and everyone is very excited. But things changed in September 1920.
At this time, Soviet Russia had become more and more courageous on the battlefield, so Garrahan issued the second "Garrahan Declaration". This declaration greatly revises the content of the previous declaration. From a willingness to return the territory in its entirety, to a need to sit down and negotiate. Including the free return of the China Eastern Railway, it has also become a negotiated settlement, and China can spend money to redeem it if necessary.
It is obvious that Soviet Russia has made certain achievements on the battlefield, and they feel that what they promised to China one year ago has caused Russia to suffer a big loss, so it needs to renegotiate.
As for the question of Outer Mongolia, Soviet Russia only recognized China's sovereignty over Outer Mongolia, but did not give up its interference in Outer Mongolia and the privilege of continuing to garrison troops in Outer Mongolia.
In December 1923, when the Soviet Union had been established for one year and the domestic situation had stabilized, Garrahan issued the third "Garrahan Declaration", which directly deleted the clauses on the return of the Eastern Railway and the territories occupied by Tsarist Russia. Moreover, it was required that Beiyang at that time should be subject to the revised declaration.
In just four years, this major matter on the territorial issue has been changed to three different interpretations, from the beginning of the gratuitous return, to the later sitting down to discuss, and then to no room for negotiation, the rapid changes in Soviet Russia are simply staggering. Therefore, this has also caused strong dissatisfaction in our country, and a diplomatic game is about to be staged.
The Sino-Soviet Agreement of 1924 was almost a waste of paper
Before 1923, in order to get the support of all countries in the world, the Soviet Union and the Soviet Union naturally had to lower their profile, but after 1923, the Soviet Union had a smooth ride on the battlefield and had gained a firm foothold, and countries around the world began to line up to establish diplomatic relations with it, so the Soviet Union no longer had to curry favor with Beiyang at that time, so the tone of mouth would naturally undergo a major change.
In the spring of 1924, as a representative of the Soviet Union, Garrahan began negotiations with Beiyang. Galahan's attitude was very resolute, and all negotiations were meaningless until the Chinese side recognized the Soviet Union and established diplomatic relations with it. However, after two months of delay, Garahan's attitude has softened a little.
The two sides discussed the following issues:
- First, the issue of the return of the Eastern Railway has basically changed from a return to a Sino-Soviet joint venture. But who is the backbone of this railway has become the focus of Sino-Soviet negotiations.
- Second, on the issue of Outer Mongolia, the Chinese side naturally demanded that the Soviet side withdraw its troops, but the Soviet side refused to withdraw its troops on the grounds that it was worried about the reappearance of the "white army". However, the Soviet Union could make public the secret treaty between the Soviet Union and Mongolia and allow China and Mongolia to negotiate.
- Third, the Chinese side naturally wanted to abolish all the unequal treaties signed between Tsarist Russia and China, while the Soviet Union said that it could not abolish them all.
At that time, a "Sino-Soviet Agreement on the Settlement of Outstanding Cases" had already been drafted, but it was delayed for a while because Beiyang felt that the goal had not been achieved. On the other hand, Galahan, like the representatives of Tsarist Russia back then, was very domineering and demanded that Beiyang give an answer within 3 days, otherwise he would leave. As a result, after 3 days, Beiyang did not agree, and it would be shameless for Garrahan to stay any longer, so he could only return to China in a hurry and terminate the negotiations.
Two months later, everyone calmed down and started to sit down and negotiate again. This time, the Chinese representative was changed from Wang Zhengting to Gu Weijun. This time, the two sides talked about 20 times, and each side made some concessions, especially the Soviet side, hoping to have some good reputation in China, so the concessions were relatively large, and this led to the "Sino-Soviet Agreement" in May 1924.
In this agreement, the Soviet Union recognized Outer Mongolia as part of China and promised to withdraw its troops from Outer Mongolia after further negotiations. Moreover, it promised that the Chinese side could redeem the China Eastern Railway with Chinese capital for a fee.
Such concessions naturally made the Chinese very satisfied, especially the attitude of the Soviet Union on the Outer Mongolia issue, which directly won a wave of Chinese fans.
So did the USSR implement this agreement well?
In March 1925, the Soviet Union did announce that it had completely withdrawn its troops from Outer Mongolia, and it seemed that it had implemented the Sino-Soviet Agreement. However, in November 1924, the Soviet Union had already propped up pro-Soviet forces led by Choibalsan in Outer Mongolia and allowed it to declare its independence for the second time.
After Choibalsan became independent, he not only announced that he would create a new Mongolian state according to the Soviet model, but also allowed the Soviet Union to continue to garrison troops. After a round of turns, the Soviet Union has returned! It is equivalent to saying that the Soviet Union has ostensibly fulfilled part of the "Sino-Soviet Agreement," but in fact it has not fulfilled it.
However, the Soviet Union did not recognize Outer Mongolia as a part of China at all, because the Soviet Union was the first to recognize Outer Mongolia when it became independent for the second time, and it was obvious that this agreement was not binding on the Soviet Union at all.
The Soviet-Japanese Neutrality Treaty of 1941 confirmed the Soviet Union's ambitions for Mongolia
During World War II, the Soviet Union signed the "Soviet-Japanese Neutrality Treaty" with Japan in 1941.
Whether this is the case or not, we can look at what is written in this treaty, but it is not just as simple as the Soviet Union and Japan not attacking each other.
- First of all, both the USSR and Japan respected the sanctity of each other's territory.
- Secondly, no matter which third country they are at war with, they need to remain neutral with each other.
- In addition, the Soviet Union respected the territorial integrity and inviolability of the puppet Manchurians, while Japan respected the territorial integrity and inviolability of Outer Mongolia.
If the purpose of the Soviet Union in signing this treaty is to avoid fighting on two fronts, then it is not so simple to mention Outer Mongolia at the end.
It is precisely because the Soviet Union has control over Outer Mongolia that they are very worried that Japan will not fight against the Soviet Union, but will fight against Outer Mongolia, just like when the Outer Mongolia Campaign was launched in the name of the puppet Manchurians.
For this reason, the Soviet Union specially asked Japan to emphasize that it respects the territorial integrity of Outer Mongolia and will not launch an attack on Outer Mongolia. For this reason, the Soviet Union declared that it would respect the territorial integrity of the puppet Manchurians and that it would not invade the puppet Manchurians; after all, the previous Zhang Gufeng incident was provoked by the Soviet Union's stationing in Zhanggufeng first.
Therefore, whether or not the Soviet Union signed this treaty in order to avoid fighting on two fronts, at least it proves that their ambitions for Mongolia have never disappeared.
Stalin: Outer Mongolia, we have to decide
When the strength is not enough, they will say: resolutely support that Outer Mongolia belongs to China.
If the strength is enough, they will say: Outer Mongolia, we have to decide!
Neither the three Garrahan Declarations of 1919 nor the 1923 Sino-Soviet Agreement of 1924 could limit the Soviet Union's de facto ambitions for foreign Mongolia.
Treaties that are not conducive to oneself, in the eyes of the USSR, are waste paper, and when the time comes, just tear them up. As for what I have said, selective forgetfulness is fine.
In 1945, after Stalin came to watch Wang Shijie sign the "Sino-Soviet Treaty of Friendship and Alliance", he was full of joy and believed that the Chinese side would definitely abide by this treaty, so that the matter of Outer Mongolia falling under the command of the Soviet Union could rest easy. What is the logic of their own almost never abiding by treaties, yet demanding that others must abide by the treaties they have signed with them?