Mengjiang
Mengjiang, also known as Mengkiang or the Mongol Border Land,[3] officially the Mengjiang United Autonomous Government, was an autonomous zone in Inner Mongolia, formed in 1939 as a puppet state of the Empire of Japan, then from 1940 being under the nominal sovereignty of the Reorganized National Government of the Republic of China (which was itself also a puppet state). It consisted of the previously Chinese provinces of Chahar and Suiyuan,[4] corresponding to the central part of modern Inner Mongolia. It has also been called Mongukuo[5] or Mengguguo (or Mengkukuo; Chinese: 蒙古國; in analogy to Manchukuo, another Japanese puppet state in Manchuria). The capital was Kalgan, from where it was under the nominal rule of Mongol nobleman Demchugdongrub. The territory returned to Chinese control after the defeat of the Japanese Empire in 1945.
For the Chinese folk tale, see Lady Meng Jiang.
Mengjiang United Autonomous Government
(1939–1941)
蒙疆聯合自治政府 (Japanese, Chinese)
Měngjiāng Liánhé Zìzhì Zhèngfǔ
Mōkyō Rengō Jichi Seifu
ᠮᠣᠩᠭᠣᠯ ᠤᠨ
ᠥᠪᠡᠷᠲᠡᠭᠡᠨ
ᠵᠠᠰᠠᠬᠤ
ᠬᠣᠯᠪᠣᠭᠠᠲᠤ
ᠵᠠᠰᠠᠭ ᠤᠨ
ᠣᠷᠳᠣᠨ
Монголын Өөртөө Засах Холбоот Засгийн Ордон (Mongolian)
Mongolian Autonomous State
(1941–1945)
蒙古自治邦 (Japanese, Chinese)
Ménggǔ Zìzhì Bāng
Mōko Jichi Hō
ᠮᠣᠩᠭᠣᠯ ᠤᠨ
ᠥᠪᠡᠷᠲᠡᠭᠡᠨ
ᠵᠠᠰᠠᠬᠤ
ᠤᠯᠰ
Монголын Өөртөө Засах Yлс (Mongolian)
(1939–1941)
蒙疆聯合自治政府 (Japanese, Chinese)
Měngjiāng Liánhé Zìzhì Zhèngfǔ
Mōkyō Rengō Jichi Seifu
ᠮᠣᠩᠭᠣᠯ ᠤᠨ
ᠥᠪᠡᠷᠲᠡᠭᠡᠨ
ᠵᠠᠰᠠᠬᠤ
ᠬᠣᠯᠪᠣᠭᠠᠲᠤ
ᠵᠠᠰᠠᠭ ᠤᠨ
ᠣᠷᠳᠣᠨ
Монголын Өөртөө Засах Холбоот Засгийн Ордон (Mongolian)
Mongolian Autonomous State
(1941–1945)
蒙古自治邦 (Japanese, Chinese)
Ménggǔ Zìzhì Bāng
Mōko Jichi Hō
ᠮᠣᠩᠭᠣᠯ ᠤᠨ
ᠥᠪᠡᠷᠲᠡᠭᠡᠨ
ᠵᠠᠰᠠᠬᠤ
ᠤᠯᠰ
Монголын Өөртөө Засах Yлс (Mongolian)
- Puppet state of the Empire of Japan (1939–40)
- Autonomous region of the Reorganized National Government of the Republic of China (1940–45)
24 March 1940
19 August 1945
蒙疆
Mongolian Frontier
Měngjiāng
Měngjiāng
Meng3-chiang1
Мэнжян
ᠮᠡᠩᠵᠢᠩ
蒙疆
Mōkyō
Mōkyō
Background[edit]
Following Japan's occupation of Manchuria in 1931 and the establishment of the puppet state of Manchukuo, Japan sought to expand its influence in Mongolia and North China. In a series of actions, starting in 1933, the armies of Manchukuo and Japan occupied Chahar and in 1936 proclaimed itself the independent Mongol Military Government, allied with Japan under Prince Demchugdongrub.
In 1936 and 1937, similar operations in Suiyuan saw the occupation and absorption of that province also.
Inner Mongolia in 1911
A map of the Mengjiang United Autonomous Government
The Reformed Government's territory in central China from 1937 until 1940 when all three states, Mengjiang, the Provisional Government of the ROC (not to be confused with the 1912 government of the same name and flag) and the Reformed Government of the ROC, merged into the Reorganized National Government of the ROC.
A lecture held in Japan in 1940 discussing Inner Mongolia and Mengjiang, note the map in the background featuring the state
Flag of the Mongol Military Government (1936–1937) and the Mongol United Autonomous Government (1937–1939)
Formed on May 12, 1936, the Mongol Military Government (蒙古軍政府) had Prince Yondonwangchug of Ulanqab as its first chairman. It was renamed in October 1937 as the Mongol United Autonomous Government (蒙古聯盟自治政府).[6] On September 1, 1939, the predominantly Han Chinese governments of South Chahar and North Shanxi were merged with the Mongol United Autonomous Government, creating the new Mengjiang United Autonomous Government (蒙疆聯合自治政府). The capital was established at Zhangbei (Changpei), near Kalgan (Zhangjiakou), with the government's control extending around Hohhot. On August 4, 1941, it was again renamed: the Mongolian Autonomous Federation (蒙古自治邦).
In 1939, Wang Jingwei reorganized the remnants of the occupied Chinese government for a Japanese puppet state, commonly referred to as the Wang Jingwei Regime, or the Reorganized National Government, with its capital in Nanjing. Mengjiang was nominally incorporated into the regime in 1940, though it remained autonomous from Nanjing.
Mengjiang capitulated in 1945 when it was invaded by the Soviet Red Army and Mongol Red Army as part of the Manchurian Strategic Offensive Operation. Most of the area, with the notable exception of Kalgan, is now part of Inner Mongolia in the People's Republic of China.