In 1935, the Prime Minister of Mongolia made a shocking move and slapped Stalin in public, which shocked the world. It is simply inconceivable that the prime minister of a small country dared to treat the top leader of the Soviet Union so rudely in that particular era. What exactly is the reason for this? Why did two former allies come to this point? What fate did the Mongolian prime minister endure? Let's explore the reasons for this thrilling historical event.
The 10,000-mile frontier is difficult to defend, and Outer Mongolia has a long history of independence
At the beginning of the establishment of the Qing Dynasty, it was located in the hinterland of the Central Plains, and its national strength had not yet recovered, and the peripheral ethnic groups had not yet been completely surrendered. The frontier is vast, and even though it nominally has jurisdiction over Outer Mongolia, it actually has limited control. The Qing court struggled to cope with internal troubles, and Outer Mongolia, far away on the border, was unattended and became an independent force of its own.
Outer Mongolia is made up of various tribes, and protracted internal strife is always a drawback. However, the Qing court was weak and unable to intervene in mediation. On the other hand, Russia, where the scouts arrived here, is geographically connected, and it has long seen a good opportunity from it. Since the 17th century, Russia has been infiltrating in a circular manner in an attempt to control Outer Mongolia.
When the Xinhai Revolution broke out in 1911, the decaying Qing Dynasty collapsed. The Outer Mongolian tribes took advantage of the situation to declare independence, draw clear borders, and gradually get rid of the shackles of the Central Plains Dynasty's suzerainty for hundreds of years. The Beiyang government once tried to recover, but it was unable to catch it, so it had no choice but to give up.
Russia, which was in power for a while, took advantage of the situation to thwart all attempts by the Chinese government on the Mongolian Peninsula. After the October Revolution, Russia was transformed into a Soviet power, and its aid to Mongolia's independence was a complete success. In 1924, with the strong support of the Soviet Union, Outer Mongolia established a people's republic.
The nascent Mongolian state maintained close relations with the Soviet Union in many ways. Soviet troops began to be stationed in Mongolia, and the official class was in the majority pro-Soviet faction. From geography to political economy, Mongolia became a vassal of the Soviet Union and was regarded as the 16th Republic by the outside world.
After the smoke of war, although Outer Mongolia won independence, it opened a page of unresolved and chaotic relations between Mongolia and the Soviet Union.
Red Friends or Fake Friends?
When Mongolia was first founded, the Soviet Union, which was also in the socialist camp, existed like a benefactor. During the years of the War of Independence, the Soviet Union provided Mongolia with a large amount of military supplies and financial support, and the Soviet army was stationed in Mongolia thousands of miles away. Mongolian revolutionaries loved the Marxist-Leninist ideology of the Soviet Union and longed to build a prosperous and strong Mongolia under the guidance of the Soviet Union.
At this time, the Kuomintang government was in the hinterland and had no time to look eastward. The Mongolian revolutionaries took the opportunity to take root in the old revolutionary base and quickly introduced the Soviet model into many fields such as politics, economy, and culture. By the 1930s, Mongolia had absorbed a large amount of military, economic, and cultural aid from the Soviet Union, and established a social system that was highly integrated with the Soviet Union.
On the surface, relations between the Soviet Union and Mongolia were harmonious, but the undercurrents were surging. The Soviet Union wanted Mongolia to be completely subservient to its own interests, to become its military front in Northeast Asia, and also to be a springboard for penetration into China proper. To this end, a large number of Soviet advisers and troops were stationed in Mongolia to cultivate pro-Soviet factions and control Mongolia's political and economic lifeline.
Unexpectedly, people of insight in Mongolia began to become more and more dissatisfied with the hegemony of the Soviet Union. They knew that the Soviet Union was only taking advantage of Mongolia's temporary needs and was not a true friend. The cult of heroism and illusions in the supremacy of the Soviet Union were shattered. A group of emerging revolutionaries advocated the revitalization of Mongolian national self-esteem and the liberation from the rule of Soviet tyrants.
It was in the midst of this nationalist torrent that the new prime minister of Outer Mongolia, Genden Batmu, came into being. He vowed to put Mongolia back on the path of independent political and economic development and reduce its overdependence on the Soviet Union.
Stalin's ambitions were thwarted
After taking office, Genden implemented a series of nation-building measures in an attempt to free himself from the control of the Soviet Union. He vigorously reorganized the army, reduced the number of Soviet military advisers, and promoted his cronies to important positions. Economically, Genden pursued a policy of slowing the pace of industrialization, preserving traditional animal husbandry, and reducing dependence on the Soviet Union.
These practices of Genden soon aroused great attention and dissatisfaction with Stalin. As the supreme leader of the Soviet Union, who had always been in control with an iron fist, Stalin would never allow the forward outpost of Mongolia to escape his control. So he acted quickly to put pressure on the Genden regime.
Stalin first withdrew a large number of military advisers stationed in Mongolia with the intention of causing damage to the Mongol army. Subsequently, economic means were used to suspend loans and aid to Mongolia, leaving the Genden regime in a difficult situation. But what Stalin did not expect was that Genden did not surrender and sought the support and help of Japan, intending to use his strength to get rid of the control of the Soviet Union.
This was undoubtedly the greatest humiliation and challenge to Stalin. A small Mongolia turned its back on its ally, the Soviet Union, and became entangled with Japan, a sworn enemy, and Stalin's face was dark. What is even more terrifying is that if Genden really succeeds, Japan will be able to put a steel drill behind the Soviet Union's waist to hold the Soviet Union's strategic deployment in the Far East hostage.
So, Stalin decided to take matters into his own hands and stifle Genden's arrogance. He invited Genden to Moscow on the pretext of convening an "important meeting". Before Genden arrived, Stalin had already laid an ambush at the venue, waiting for him to be captured.
Diplomatic insults cause blood
In January 1935, Genden led a Mongolian delegation to the Kremlin. Stalin personally presided over this so-called "important meeting". The two sides started off as usual, but soon went into heated arguments and accusations.
Genden began by attacking the Soviet Union's improper interference in Mongolia and denounced Stalin's attempts to turn Mongolia into a vassal of the Soviet Union. He denounced the long-term stationing of Soviet troops in Mongolian territory, which hindered Mongolia's independence.
Stalin, in turn, accused Genden of colluding with hostile forces and jeopardizing the friendship between the Soviet Union and Mongolia. He believed that Genden pursued a series of policies aimed at alienating the Soviet Union and weakening its influence in Mongolia.
The dispute between the two sides became more and more intense, and Genden finally couldn't hold back and scolded Stalin loudly: "You despicable Georgian is just a continuation of a Russian tsar!" ＂
After saying that, Genden actually made a rude move in public, raised his hand and slapped Stalin in the face. The audience was silent, and no one expected that Genden, who had always been calm and cautious, would be so bold and arrogant and personally attack the supreme leader of the Soviet Union.
Stalin was swayed a few steps by the fan, and his face flushed. His eyes widened with rage, as if he couldn't believe that this could happen to him. However, as an old revolutionary, Stalin finally held back and did not move, but said coldly to Genden: "You remember today for me!" ＂
Seeing this, the Soviet guards present immediately surrounded Genden and prepared to arrest him on the spot. But Genden was clearly prepared, and the Mongol guards he brought with him immediately drew their swords and confronted the Soviet guards, and an armed conflict was inevitable.
Tragedy ended: Mongolia fell
After a tense confrontation, the two sides finally calmed down for the time being. Genden received a personal "guarantee" from Stalin that he could leave Moscow safely, so he collected his troops and left. But no one expected that this would turn out to be Stalin's last hoax.
As soon as Genden and his party left the territory of the Soviet Union, they were ambushed and rounded up by Soviet troops. The entire Mongolian delegation was subdued by heavily armed Soviet troops in a scuffle, and Genden himself was severely tortured.
Captured alive, Genden was soon held in secret and subjected to a "special interrogation." Stalin would never allow such open humiliation and defiance to exist, and Genden was destined to pay a heavy price. It didn't take long for news to spread that Genden had "committed suicide" in prison.
Mongolia, having lost its leader, soon fell apart. Stalin purged Genden's remnants of the party in Mongolia and put the pro-Soviet faction in power. The new Mongol regime was completely subservient to Stalin's will and at the mercy of others.
Stalin went on to increase his military presence in Mongolia, more than doubling the number of troops stationed in Mongolia than before the war. The army of Mongolia was thoroughly Sovietized, subject to strict Soviet control over personnel and weapons. The same is true in the economic and cultural spheres, where everything is under the control of the Soviets.
end
By the eve of World War II, Mongolia had become almost an outpost and colony of the Soviet Union in the Far East. Its sovereignty has been greatly damaged and violated, and it has become a strategic stronghold and springboard for the Soviet Union in this region. It all started from the day Genden was slapped in the face.