Dambyn Chagdarjav

Dambyn Chagdarjav Дамбын Чагдаржав
Prime Minister of Mongolia
In office 13 March 1921 – 16 April 1921
Preceded by	Gonchigjalzangiin Badamdorj
Succeeded by	Dogsomyn Bodoo
Personal details
Born	1880 Selenge Province, Mongolia
Died	31 August 1922 Niislel Khüree

This is a Mongolian name. The given name is Chagdarjav, and the name Damba is a patronymic, not a family name.

Dambyn Chagdarjav (Mongolian:Дамбын Чагдаржав; 1880 – August 31, 1922) was one of the “first seven” leaders of the Mongolian People’s Revolutionary Party ^[1] and was later prime minister of Mongolia’s provisional government from March to April 1921.

Early life

Chagdarjav was born in 1880 in present-day Selenge Province. Early in his career he was a private trader and in 1916-1917 he traveled to Great Britain, Italy and Russia.^[2]

Formation of the MPRP

In 1919 Chagdarjav joined the secret revolutionary organization at Konsulyn Denj (a.k.a. Consulate Hill) headed by Dogsomyn Bodoo in Niislel Hüree (present-day Ulaanbaatar) . Together with Khorloogiin Choibalsan he formed the basic nucleus of the group ^[3] which joined with Damdin Sükhbaatar's Züün Hüree organization in 1920 to form the Mongolian People's Party(MPP).^[4]

In 1920 Chagdrajav was one of seven revolutionaries chosen to travel to the USSR to request Soviet help in achieving Mongolia’s independence from China. Others included Sükhbaatar, Dogsom, Danzan, Bodoo, Choibalsan and Lama Loso. Chagdrajav traveled with Danzan to Moscow and was there received by Vladimir Lenin. Later these names became known as “The First Seven” of the Mongolian People’s Revolutionary Party.

While they were still in the Soviet Union, Mongolia was invaded by forces under Roman Ungern von Sternberg in October 1920. After Ungern captured Niislel Hüree in February 1921 a conference of the MPRP was organized in the city of Troitskosavsk from March 1-3. This later became known as the First Congress of the MPRP. There a party manifesto of “Ten Principles” was adopted which proclaimed that Mongolia wold join the communist movement.^[5]

Head of Provisional Government

A few days after the Congress, on March 13, 1921, the provisional People’s government of Mongolia, a government in absentia, was formed with Chagdarjav as Prime Minister. On April 16, 1921 he was released from his duties and sent as government representative to Urianhay (Tuva) ^[6] Bodoo then took over as both Prime Minister and Foreign Minister.

Death

In 1922 Chagdarjav, along with Bodoo and four other former ministers ^[7] was implicated in the charges of counterrevolution and plotting to overthrow the government. He was executed on August 31, 1922.^[8] Chagdarjav and Bodoo's deaths are generally viewed as the first of several political purges that were to take place in Mongolia through the 1920s and 1930s.

References

1. ^ Baabar, B., History of Mongolia, 1999, ISBN 999-0-038-5. p. 203
2. ^ Sanders, Alan J. K., Historical Dictionary of Mongolia, 1996, ISBN 0-8108-3077-9. p. 36
3. ^ Baabar, ibd, pg 198
4. ^ Baabar, B., Ibd. pp 199
5. ^ Baabar, B., Ibd. pp 216
6. ^ Sanders, ibd.
7. ^ Baabar, ibd, p. 233
8. ^ Sanders, ibd

Preceded by Gonchigjalzangiin Badamdorj

Prime Minister of Mongolia March 13, 1921 - April 16, 1921

Succeeded by Dogsomyn Bodoo

Persondata
Name	Dambyn Chagdarjav
Alternative names	Chagdarjav; Дамбын Чагдаржав (Mongolian)
Short description	Former prime minister of Mongolia
Date of birth	1880
Place of birth	Selenge Province, Mongolia
Date of death	1922-31-08
Place of death	Mongolia