| Publication |
2013.
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| Summary/Abstract |
This article details Soviet military withdrawal from Mongolia between July 1986, when the first announcement was made of a partial withdrawal and December 1992, when the last detachment of Soviet servicemen crossed the Russian-Mongolian border. The author shows that the decision to withdraw forces from Mongolia was made in Moscow, part and parcel of Mikhail Gorbachev's policy aimed at achieving rapprochement with the People's Republic of China. The Mongols only grudgingly went along, fearful of being left defenseless before China. It was not until 1989 that the Mongolian leadership evidenced serious interest in the departure of Soviet troops; when they did, it was partly a response to the build-up of nationalist sentiment prompted by greater openness and democratization, as well as a function of Mongolia's efforts to find for itself a new role on the international stage. The author argues that the Soviet departure was hasty, ideologically charged, and poorly thought out. Maintaining a token force in Mongolia would have allowed Russia to retain a degree of influence in the country over the long term without serious negative consequences for Russian-Mongolian relations.
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