Soviet Experts In Mongolia: Between International Mission and Colonial Practices

Abstract

In the work presented we have analyzed the sources of formation the Soviet International Mission in Mongolia. Its development was conditioned by the factors, originated in the second half of the XX-th century (Soviet-Chinese conflict in 1960 years). In 1966 after signing the Soviet-Mongolian treaty the Soviet troops were brought into Mongolia and the Soviet experts began arriving in it. Th ey came to build civil and military objects, mine uranium and copper, work at schools and hospitals. Th ough the experts from all countries of Eastern block worked in Mongolia, but the majority of them were the citizens of the USSR. Th ey lived in their specific world (community): reserved and hostile to the local people. Th  ey formed their own system of consumption of commodities and services, built their (military) cantonments which as a matter of fact were on exterritorial rights. Th e article is based upon the published memoirs, interview, as well as data from the Internet forums dedicated to problems of the Soviet presence in Mongolia.