Khatanbaatar Magsarjav
Encyclopedia
Mongolia
Mongolia is a landlocked country in East and Central Asia. It is bordered by Russia to the north and China to the south, east and west. Although Mongolia does not share a border with Kazakhstan, its western-most point is only from Kazakhstan's eastern tip. Ulan Bator, the capital and largest...
n general and a leading figure in Mongolia's struggle for independence. His contingent of elite 800 Mongol soldiers fought White Russians and Chinese forces over 30 times between 1912 and 1921 without a single defeat. He is often noted by historians as one of few Mongol figures at that time, where both Russians and Chinese we're afraid of. He served as acting prime minister from February 15, 1921 to March 13, 1921 under Baron Ungern's
Roman Ungern von Sternberg
Baron Roman Nikolai Maximilian von Ungern-Sternberg was a Russian Yesaul , Lieutenant-general, and a hero of World War I...
puppet regime and then later as minister of the army in the 1920s. He received the additional title Ardyn Khatanbaatar Magsarjav in 1924.
Youth
Magsarjav was born in the Itgemjit banner of Sain Noyon Khan aimag, in what is today the Hutag district of Bulgan aimagBulgan Province
Bulgan is one of the 21 aimags of Mongolia, located in northern Mongolia. Its capital is also named Bulgan.- Geography :The aimag is surrounded by the aimags Khövsgöl in the northwest, Arkhangai in the southwest, Övörkhangai in the south, Töv in the southeast, and Selenge in the northeast...
. His father Sandagdorj was part of the banner's nobility. When Magsarjav was 11, his banner duke began teaching him to read and write, and at the age of 16 the banner duke arranged for him to marry a local girl named Tsevegmid, and gave the young couple some property. Until the age of 25 Magsarjav worked for the banner prince, tending his herds or leading camel
Bactrian camel
The Bactrian camel is a large, even-toed ungulate native to the steppes of central Asia. It is presently restricted in the wild to remote regions of the Gobi and Taklamakan Deserts of Mongolia and Xinjiang. A small number of wild Bactrian camels still roam the Mangystau Province of southwest...
caravans. When his father died, and Magsarjav inherited his father's title. According to Choibalsan's biography of Magsarjav, he then turned to farming, while also occasionally working for the banner office. By the age of 30, his wife and Magsarjav had had ten children, of whom only five survived.
Bogdo Khanate of Mongolia
In 1911, Magsarjav was assigned to Khovd as Mongol military aide to the ManchuManchu
The Manchu people or Man are an ethnic minority of China who originated in Manchuria . During their rise in the 17th century, with the help of the Ming dynasty rebels , they came to power in China and founded the Qing Dynasty, which ruled China until the Xinhai Revolution of 1911, which...
amban
Amban
Amban is a Manchu word meaning "high official," which corresponds to a number of different official titles in the Qing imperial government...
stationed there. After Mongolia's declaration of independence, Magsarjav transmitted the new government's demand for the ambans' removal. The amban refused, and so Magsarjav returned to Niislel Khüree
Ulaanbaatar
Ulan Bator or Ulaanbaatar is the capital and largest city of Mongolia. An independent municipality, the city is not part of any province, and its population as of 2008 is over one million....
to report on the situation. In May 1912, he was, together with Damdinsüren, appointed commander of the army and was dispatched to liberate Khovd. On the night of 20 August 1912, Khovd has been taken by the Mongolian army about 2500 in number. Dambijantsan (Ja Lama), Magsarjav, the Bargut commander Damdinsüren and Khaisan have led the operation. Before that, relief Chinese force sent in from Shar süm/ Xinjiang
Xinjiang
Xinjiang is an autonomous region of the People's Republic of China. It is the largest Chinese administrative division and spans over 1.6 million km2...
had been annihilated. For their success at Khovd, Damdinsüren received the title Manlaibaatar (forefront hero), while Magsarjav received the title Khatanbaatar.
In the spring of 1913, Magsarjav commanded troops defending the southern border against Chinese incursions near Jingpeng and Dolon Nur in Inner Mongolia
Inner Mongolia
Inner Mongolia is an autonomous region of the People's Republic of China, located in the northern region of the country. Inner Mongolia shares an international border with the countries of Mongolia and the Russian Federation...
. According to Choibalsan, after spending the winter in Mongolia, Magsarjav returned to Inner Mongolia in 1914 to lead operations near Hohhot
Hohhot
Hohhot , is a city in north-central China and the capital of the Inner Mongolian Autonomous Region, serving as the region's administrative, economic, and cultural centre....
. However, Russian Empire, fearing a new conflict
Russo-Japanese War
The Russo-Japanese War was "the first great war of the 20th century." It grew out of rival imperial ambitions of the Russian Empire and Japanese Empire over Manchuria and Korea...
with Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, refused to assist, and the Mongol troops were called back. He was later awarded the Autonomous Mongolian government's "Shar Joloo" medal. In the years that followed, Magsarjav fought against forces under the Bavuujav, who was continually raiding eastern Mongolia. He was later sent to Mongolia's western border. In 1918, Magsarjav was awarded his own banner, which had been carved out his native Itgemjit banner.
Chinese Occupation and the 1921 revolution
After ChineseRepublic of China
The Republic of China , commonly known as Taiwan , is a unitary sovereign state located in East Asia. Originally based in mainland China, the Republic of China currently governs the island of Taiwan , which forms over 99% of its current territory, as well as Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu and other minor...
troops under General Xu Shuzheng
Xu Shuzheng
Hsu Seu-Cheng or Xu Shuzheng , was a Chinese warlord in Republican China. A subordinate and right-hand man of Duan Qirui, he was a prominent member of the Anhui Clique....
occupied Mongolia in 1919, Magsarjav was imprisoned in Niislel Khuree in mid-1920 on suspicion of having contacts with resistance groups headed by Sükhbaatar. Manlaibaatar Damdinsüren had died in the same prison after Chinese tortures. Magsarjav was freed by Baron Ungern
Roman Ungern von Sternberg
Baron Roman Nikolai Maximilian von Ungern-Sternberg was a Russian Yesaul , Lieutenant-general, and a hero of World War I...
after the latter has liberated Niislel Khüree
Ulaanbaatar
Ulan Bator or Ulaanbaatar is the capital and largest city of Mongolia. An independent municipality, the city is not part of any province, and its population as of 2008 is over one million....
from Chinese troops in February 1921. During a certain time since March 1921, when the new Mongolian government was created in Niislel Khuree, Magsarjav served as commander-in-chief of all Mongolian troops. He assisted Baron Ungern in recruiting Mongolian soldiers and participated in the Baron's operation on expelling the remaining Chinese troops from Mongolia. In May Magsarjav has departed to mobilize troops in Uliastai and western aimags: as Ungern thought, for the fight with the Reds. In July 1921, Magsarjav joined the Russian Reds and Mongolian revolutionaries
Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party
The Mongolian People's Party formerly the Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party is an ex-communist political party in Mongolia. The party is abbreviated MPP in English and ' in Mongolian...
with his troops. In late July Magsarjav's troops unexpectedly encircled and killed Ungern's Buryats and Russians stationed near Uliastai; their commanders ran but were killed later. At night to July 22, under the pretext of destroying Whites, Uliastai was seized, and a considerable part of Russian settlers and refugees was killed.
Post-revolution
Until mid-1922, Magsarjav continued to fight remnants of White Russian forces in Western Mongolia. He had been appointed Minister of the Western Frontier, and in December 1922 he was appointed Minister of the Army. He was one of the first to refuse his feudal rank. In 1923 some Whites from defeated Ungern's troops, who tried to resist Red power in Mongolia, asked assistance from Magsarjav, but he organized their seizure by the Ministry of Inner Affairs. In 1924, Magsarjav became a member of the Mongolian People's PartyMongolian People's Revolutionary Party
The Mongolian People's Party formerly the Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party is an ex-communist political party in Mongolia. The party is abbreviated MPP in English and ' in Mongolian...
, and his title was transformed to Ardyn ("People's") Khatanbaatar Magsarjav. Later that year, he was sent to Moscow on official business. In 1925, he became a candidate member of the People's Party's central committee.
In 1926, Magsarjav became seriously ill and died on September 3, 1927. He is buried in a ger-shaped mausoleum in Bulgan town.
Khatanbaatar's Elite Khalkha Contingent
Across Mongolia Magsarjav has mobilized about 800-2000 soldiers. Out of these, 400 of them were a Elite Commando called Khalkhyn Tsereg (Халхын Цэрэг), meaning 'Khalkha's soldiers'. The Khalkhyn Tsereg (Халхын Цэрэг) were Magsarjav's most trusted contingent and entirely consisted of ethnic Khalha Mongol soldiers, recruits from various regions of Mongolia. This elite commando troops played a major role in most of the miliatary victories of Mongol army over its enemies whether they would be Chinese, Red Russians or White Russian Guards. It is said that he personally recruited each of the individuals in the elite commando, and thus he knew everyone by their place of origin. Though the actual geographic distribution is not well known, it is often speculated them coming mostly from today's Zawkhan, Tuv, Khuwsgul, BulganBulgan
Bulgan may refer to:in Mongolia* Bulgan Province, a province of Mongolia* Bulgan , the capital of the Bulgan province* Bulgan Airport, the airport of Bulgan city*Bulgan Gol, a river* several districts in different provinces:...
, Omnogovi
Ömnögovi
Ömnögovi may refer to:* Ömnögovi Province, an aimag of Mongolia* Ömnögovi, Uvs, a sum in Uvs Aimag of Mongolia...
, Khovd
Khovd
Khovd can refer to:* Hovd River, a river in the west of Mongolia* Khovd , the capital of Khovd aimag* Hovd Territory, a historical area in Mongolia during the Qing Dynasty.* Khovd Province, an aimag in Mongolia...
, Arkhangai and Uvs provinces of modern Mongolia.
After each fight or gathering he would order his troops to gather back at the specific time and location for the next campaign. All of his elite troops would always obey his orders each time.
In the time span of 1912-1921 Khatanbaatar led his troops and fought White Russians and Chinese more than 30 times. He won Chinese troops many times, later managed by ruse some White Russians (including well-known general Bakich). Small groups of the Whites were destroyed. At the same time, Magsarjav with his detachment of 400 men very carefully pursued big White troops retreating from western Mongolia to Xinjiang: he waited for weapon from the Reds, as well as reinforcements. Majority of the contingents of White Russians in the western Mongolia were defeated with and without support of Soviet Red Army, majority were receded to Xinjiang.
Khatanbaatar's fame of bravery and success were broadly publicized during the time of pro-communist rule in Mongolia, while negative sides of his activity were concealed.