Yumjaagiyn Tsedenbal
Encyclopedia
Yumjaagiin Tsedenbal was one of the leaders of Mongolia
from 1952 to 1984. During his political life, he served as prime minister
and general secretary of the Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party.
in Uvs aimag
). He was the fifth of eleven children in his family (three of his siblings died in infancy). In 1925 Tsedenbal became among the first students in the newly organized public school in Ulaangom
, graduating in 1929. The same year Tsedenbal went to Irkutsk
to continue his education. He spent about nine years between Irkutsk and Ulan-Ude
, and obtained a degree from the Siberian Finance and Economics Institute.
, Tsedenbal worked first as a deputy minister, and then as a minister of finance. In 1940, at the 10th Congress of the Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party, he became the party's General Secretary.
After taking over premiership in 1952 with Marshal Khorloogiin Choibalsan's death, Tsedenbal successfully purged his political rivals: Dashiin Damba in 1958-59, Daramyn Tömör-Ochir in 1962, Luvsantserengiin Tsend in 1963, and the so-called Lookhuuz-Nyambuu-Surmaayav "anti-party group" in December 1964. He held this office until , when he became head of state.
His foreign policy was marked by efforts not only to bring Mongolia into ever closer cooperation with the USSR but also aggressive attempts to incorporate Mongolia into the Soviet Union. Tsedenbal's attempts to bring Mongolia into Soviet Union and make it the 16th Republic of the Soviet Union met strong opposition from other patriotic politicians and Tsedenbal was accused of treahery. With the full backing of the Soviets, Tsedenbal successfully purged his political oppennents. It is said that during his time as head of the state, Tsedenbal times submitted "Mongolia Submission Request" five to eight times to the Soviets for approval and each time he was dismissed by other Mongolian politicians or rejected by the Soviets themselves who accused him of attempts to degrade the image of Soviets in the eyes of the world. At the time of the Sino-Soviet split, Tsedenbal decisively sided with the Soviet Union and incurred China's wrath. In Mongolia Tsedenbal is remembered for successfully maintaining a path of moderate socialism during the Cold War
.
Tsedenbal was forced into retirement in August 1984 in a Soviet-sponsored move, allegedly on the account of his old age and mental weakness. Jambyn Batmönkh became the general secretary of the MPRP. Tsedenbal remained in Moscow until his death; his body was brought to Mongolia, where it was buried.
His Russian wife, Anastasia Ivanovna Filatova
, was often said to be the most powerful political figure in Mongolia due to her close relationship with the Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev
.
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...
from 1952 to 1984. During his political life, he served as prime minister
Prime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
and general secretary of the Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party.
Early life
Tsedenbal was born to an ethnic Dörvöd poor nomadic family in Zorigt Khan hoshuun of the Unen Zorigt Khan aimag (present day Davst sumDavst, Uvs
Davst is a sum of Uvs Province in western Mongolia, bordering to Russia in the north.The reason it is called "salty" is that there is the biggest natural salt rock deposit in the country. The sum occupies the northern tip of Uvs Nuur which is 5 times saltier than the ocean.Border crossing to...
in Uvs aimag
Uvs Province
Uvs is one of the 21 aimags of Mongolia. It is located in the west of the country, 1336 km away from the national capital Ulaanbaatar.Its capital is Ulaangom which lies 936m above the Sea level....
). He was the fifth of eleven children in his family (three of his siblings died in infancy). In 1925 Tsedenbal became among the first students in the newly organized public school in Ulaangom
Ulaangom
Ulaangom is the capital of Uvs Province in Mongolia. It is located 26 km South-West from the lake Uvs Nuur shore and on the slopes of the Kharkhiraa mountain, 120 km South to the Russian border.- Description :...
, graduating in 1929. The same year Tsedenbal went to Irkutsk
Irkutsk
Irkutsk is a city and the administrative center of Irkutsk Oblast, Russia, one of the largest cities in Siberia. Population: .-History:In 1652, Ivan Pokhabov built a zimovye near the site of Irkutsk for gold trading and for the collection of fur taxes from the Buryats. In 1661, Yakov Pokhabov...
to continue his education. He spent about nine years between Irkutsk and Ulan-Ude
Ulan-Ude
Ulan-Ude is the capital city of the Republic of Buryatia, Russia, located about southeast of Lake Baikal on the Uda River at its confluence with the Selenga...
, and obtained a degree from the Siberian Finance and Economics Institute.
Career
In 1939, having returned to UlaanbaatarUlaanbaatar
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....
, Tsedenbal worked first as a deputy minister, and then as a minister of finance. In 1940, at the 10th Congress of the Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party, he became the party's General Secretary.
After taking over premiership in 1952 with Marshal Khorloogiin Choibalsan's death, Tsedenbal successfully purged his political rivals: Dashiin Damba in 1958-59, Daramyn Tömör-Ochir in 1962, Luvsantserengiin Tsend in 1963, and the so-called Lookhuuz-Nyambuu-Surmaayav "anti-party group" in December 1964. He held this office until , when he became head of state.
His foreign policy was marked by efforts not only to bring Mongolia into ever closer cooperation with the USSR but also aggressive attempts to incorporate Mongolia into the Soviet Union. Tsedenbal's attempts to bring Mongolia into Soviet Union and make it the 16th Republic of the Soviet Union met strong opposition from other patriotic politicians and Tsedenbal was accused of treahery. With the full backing of the Soviets, Tsedenbal successfully purged his political oppennents. It is said that during his time as head of the state, Tsedenbal times submitted "Mongolia Submission Request" five to eight times to the Soviets for approval and each time he was dismissed by other Mongolian politicians or rejected by the Soviets themselves who accused him of attempts to degrade the image of Soviets in the eyes of the world. At the time of the Sino-Soviet split, Tsedenbal decisively sided with the Soviet Union and incurred China's wrath. In Mongolia Tsedenbal is remembered for successfully maintaining a path of moderate socialism during the Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
.
Tsedenbal was forced into retirement in August 1984 in a Soviet-sponsored move, allegedly on the account of his old age and mental weakness. Jambyn Batmönkh became the general secretary of the MPRP. Tsedenbal remained in Moscow until his death; his body was brought to Mongolia, where it was buried.
His Russian wife, Anastasia Ivanovna Filatova
Anastasia Filatova
Anastasia Ivanovna Filatova was the Russian wife of the Mongolian leader Yumjaagiin Tsedenbal. Keeping a low profile in the 1950s and the 1960s, Filatova aspired to a political role of her own in her later years. She relied on the authority of her husband to subtly influence the Mongolian...
, was often said to be the most powerful political figure in Mongolia due to her close relationship with the Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev
Leonid Brezhnev
Leonid Ilyich Brezhnev – 10 November 1982) was the General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union , presiding over the country from 1964 until his death in 1982. His eighteen-year term as General Secretary was second only to that of Joseph Stalin in...
.