The contributions made by Mongolia to the victory of Great Patriotic War

Ulaanbaatar /MONTSAME/ On May 9, 2015, the people of the Russian Federation, along with friends worldwide, will solemnly mark the 70th anniversary of their glorious victory in the Great Patriotic War (1941-1945). Fierce battles waged on the Soviet-German front for 1418 days and decided the destiny of world civilization and the future of mankind. The Soviet people and their heroic armed forces passed through incredible difficulties and hardships. They exhibited mass heroism, unparalleled fortitude and courage. They paid dearly for this victory which took the lives of some 20 million Soviet people. Their crucial role and great contribution to the victory over the Hitler regime in the Second World War are indisputable. Our correspondent interviewed Colonel S.Ganbold, Doctor and History Professor, and head of the Military History Research Center under the Defense Scientific Institute requesting to comment on how Mongolia performed its international duty during WWII and contributed to the common goal of saving the world from fascist slavery. From the first day of the Great Patriotic War, the Soviet people and its Red army raged against Hitler’s Nazi suppression. Mongolia joined their heroic struggle and took a consistently international position to support and give them moral and material aid, thus playing a definitive role in the WWII victory, highlighted Colonel S.Ganbold. On June 22nd, 1941, Nazi Germany made its first treacherous attack against the Soviet Union. A joint session of the Presidium of the MPRP Central Committee, the Presidium of the State Lesser Khural (Parliament) and the MPR Council of Ministers discussed the given situation and adopted a special resolution. In the resolution, it was declared that the Mongolian people were closely connected to the Soviet people by the Friendship and Cooperation Agreement concluded in 1936, was ready to fulfill its international duty, and wrathfully condemn Nazi fascism. Thus, Mongolia became one of first countries to officially declare its position worldwide to take part in the anti-fascism coalition during the patriotic war. The MPRP called on its people to mobilize all efforts and potential to help the Soviet people and their army as best as they could. At the call of the ruling party, a nationwide voluntary drive was launched under the motto ‘Everything for the front, everything for victory’. Our country’s working people and herders in rural areas firmly believed in the Soviet people’s victory over the enemy and began producing goods for the front. All of them selflessly worked 10-13 hours a day without a day-off and fulfilled their monthly and quarterly goals by almost 400 percent. The working people voluntarily donated valuables and private savings to the Aid Fund amounting to millions of Togrog. The herdsmen donated over 32,000 of their best horses to the Red Army and sold a half-million horses for the front at the state fixed price. Mongolians responded enthusiastically to the appeal for more aid for the front and spared neither money nor effort to contribute to the victory over our common enemy. In September, 1941, S.Yanjmaa, Secretary of MPRP’s Central Committee and spouse of D.Sukhbaatar, one of the most important figures in Mongolia’s struggle for independence , established and headed the Central Aid Commission under the Council of Minister of MPR. Its branches were also created in all local areas. “A nationwide campaign was held to collect gifts such as clothes, food, money, gold, horses and other livestocks, and provide moral support by sending letters and postcards. By November 1941, the first trainload of sheepskin overcoats, jackets, felt boots and farm blankets for 15,000 soldiers was sent tp the Red Army, said S.Ganbold. In February, 1942, the second trainload was prepared and delivered by a ten-member delegation headed by S.Luvsan, First Deputy Prime Minister of Mongolia to soldiers of the 49th army of the Western front commanded by Army-General G.K.Jukov. The train of 37 wagons consisted of clothes, food and other gifts worth 7.1 million Togrog of that time. A 40-member delegation headed by Marshal Kh.Choibalsan, Prime Minister of Mongolia visited the Soviet Union on November 27, 1942 to deliver the third trainload of 236 wagons worth 9.2 million Togrog. After coming to the USSR, our delegation was divided into four group and sent to the West, Northwest, Volokhov and Kalinin fronts, o convey warn greetings from the Mongolian people. In March, 1943, the fourth trainload headed by Yu.Tsedenbal, General Secretary of the MPRP, was delivered by the delegation to the 20th and 61st were sent, underlined Colonel S.Ganbold. (To be continued)