The Mongolian Alashan Republic was a short-lived political entity proclaimed in 1949 in the Alashan region of western Inner Mongolia during the final phase of the Chinese Civil War. According to historian P. N. Dudin, it functioned primarily as a political project promoted by Mongolian aristocratic elites with the support of the Kuomintang (KMT), rather than as a fully consolidated independent state.[1]
During the 1930s and 1940s, Inner Mongolia became a contested political space involving the Republic of China, the Chinese Communist Party, Japan, and local Mongolian elites. The establishment of the Japanese-backed state of Mengjiang (1936–1945) strengthened Mongolian nationalist movements, though these were heavily dependent on external powers.[3]
Following Japan’s defeat in 1945, Mengjiang was dissolved, and its leader Demchugdongrub was arrested by Nationalist authorities. Political instability persisted in Inner Mongolia, and the Autonomous Government of Inner Mongolia was formed. While eastern Inner Mongolia increasingly came under Communist influence, western regions such as Alashan remained under Kuomintang (KMT) control and were administratively linked to Ningxia.[4]
Establishment
In April 1949, a congress of Mongolian nobles and representatives convened in Dingyuanying (modern Bayanhot). The assembly followed traditional kurultai procedures and established a commission tasked with preparing the creation of a Western Mongolian autonomous state.[5]
On 8 August 1949, the Mongolian Alashan Republic was formally proclaimed. Demchugdongrub (Prince De) was elected President, with Dali Zhai serving as Vice-President. The government was composed largely of former Mengjiang officials and members of the Mongolian aristocracy. It relied heavily on KMT support and lacked a broad social base.[6]
Government and administration
The political structure combined elements of traditional Mongolian aristocratic authority with modern state institutions. Executive authority was concentrated in the presidency, while administration relied on existing banner structures and noble networks. Key government officials included Bayankhan (secretary-general of the Secretariat), Bai Haifeng (head of the Bureau of Industry), He Zhaolin (head of the Internal Affairs Bureau), and Oljeibuyan (head of the Bureau of Finance). The Peace Preservation Committee was also established to reorganize military forces and support troops loyal to Prince De.[7]
Prince De maintained contacts with the Mongolian People’s Republic. In December 1949, facing the advance of Communist forces, he fled to Outer Mongolia with his secretary Tserengdorji, aide-de-camp Tumendelger, and two guides. He invited key generals to join him there, leaving the remaining officials to negotiate surrender arrangements with Communist authorities.[8]
Flag and symbols
The republic adopted a flag closely modeled on the flag of the Mongol Military Government, with a blue field and a rectangular canton in the upper hoist, containing three horizontal stripes: red, yellow, and white.[9]
Collapse
The rapid advance of the People’s Liberation Army in northwestern China in September 1949 threatened the survival of the Alashan Republic. Key cities in Qinghai and Ningxia fell, isolating Alashan from remaining KMT-held territory. On September 20, 1949, Demchugdongrub fled the region, taking the state seal with him. Remaining officials negotiated a peaceful transfer of authority, surrendering to Communist forces by early October 1949.[10]
Of more than 1,200 followers, over 400 joined the Alashan Peace Preservation Troops, around 400 returned home, about 100 were reassigned for study or government employment, and another 100–200 attempted to flee but were intercepted or eliminated.[11]
Historical assessment
Historian P. N. Dudin characterizes the Mongolian Alashan Republic as the final attempt by Mongolian aristocratic elites and the KMT to establish an autonomous Mongolian polity within China. The project failed due to its dependence on external sponsors, lack of mass support, and the military victory of the Chinese Communist Party.[12]
Dudin, P. N. (2014). "The Mongolian Alashan Republic as a Political Project of the 1940s." East. Afro-Asian Societies: History and Modernity, no. 2, pp. 33–42.
Jagchid, Sechen (1999). The Last Mongol Prince: The Life and Times of Demchugdongrob, 1902–1966. Bellingham, WA: Center for East Asian Studies, Western Washington University. ISBN 978‑0914584216.
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