XX INTRODUCTION 



particularly significant events in Mongolian history. But at 

 that time the Russians, wishing to create a buffer state between 

 themselves and China as well as to obtain special commercial 

 privileges in Mongolia, aided the Mongols in rebellion, fur- 

 nished them with arms and ammunition and with officers to 

 train their men. 



A somewhat tentative proclamation of independence for 

 Outer Mongolia was issued in December, 1911, by the Hu- 

 tukhtu and nobles of Urga, and the Chinese were driven out 

 of the country with little difficulty. Beset with internal 

 troubles, the Chinese paid but scant attention to Mongolian 

 affairs until news was received in Peking in October, 1912, 

 that M. Korostovetz, formerly Russian Minister to China, had 

 arrived secretly in Urga and on November 3, 1912, had rec- 

 ognized the independence of Outer Mongolia on behalf of his 

 Government. 



It then became incumbent upon China to take official note 

 of the situation, especially as foreign complications could not 

 be faced in view of her domestic embarrassments. 



Consequently on November 5, 1913, there was concluded a 

 Russo-Chinese agreement wherein Russia recognized that Outer 

 Mongolia was under the suzerainty of China, and China, on 

 her part, admitted the autonomy of Outer Mongolia. The es- 

 sential element in the situation was the fact that Russia stood 

 behind the Mongols with money and arms and China's hand 

 was forced at a time when she was powerless to resist. 



Quite naturally, Mongolia's political status has been a sore 

 point with China and it is hardly surprising that she should 

 have awaited an opportunity to reclaim what she considered 

 to be her own. 



This opportunity arrived with the collapse of Russia and 

 the spread of Bolshevism, for the Mongols were dependent upon 

 Russia for material assistance in anything resembling military 

 operations, although, as early as 1914, they had begun to re- 



