The history of modern Mongolia commenced with the 1921 People’s revolution and the establishment of new Mongol state as a result. Mongolia still annually celebrates July 11 as a national holiday commemorating the victory of the People’s revolution.

The external requirements promoting the victory of the 1921 People’s revolution were directly associated with the policies pursued on the parts of Tsarist Russia and China following the establishment of Bogd Khan in Mongolia . Both its neighbors were carrying out policies aimed at infringing upon the independence of Mongolia and placing the country under their rule. China intensified its efforts, aiming at the invasion of Mongolia . To keep Mongolia under Russian influence, Tsarist Russia undertook such steps as credit granting, training of Mongolian soldiers, equipping them with weapons, founding banks, financial and industrial enterprises, and expanding its trade with Mongolia .

The political situation in Mongolia was further exacerbated by excursions into Mongolian territory by the White Russian units defeated by and driven out of Russia by the Russian red Army. Baron Ungern von Schternberg with his Asian Cavalry Division seized the capital city of Ikh Khuree and returned Bogd Zavzundamba to the throne, declaring the restoration of independence of Mongolia .

Thus, in the 1920s, Mongolia became a battlefield of struggle and contradictions between Chinese and Russian military forces. Because of these, patriotic spirited people, ecclesiastics and military forces formed secret revolutionary circles, which later formed a political organization called the People’s Party, whose purpose was to restore state independence, preserve the state and religion, and liberate the land and the people of Mongolia . They worked out their program and sent a delegation to Moscow to ask for military and loan aids, and to establish relations with the Russian government formed after the victory of the October revolution. Bogd Zavzundamba gave his support and affixed his stamp on the message sent to Moscow .

On February 3, 1921 , Baron Ungern again attacked Ikh Khuree, expelled the Chinese Kuomintang troops and restored Bogd Zavzundamba to the throne. However, Baron Ungern’s reign of terror, plundering, violence and destruction aroused anger and strong opposition.

The constituent congress of the newly formed Mongolian People’s Party held at the beginning of March 1921 in Khiagt in Siberia, near the northern border of Mongolia, discussed and adopted its program for national independence and proceeded to build up armed forces and launch a propagation campaign. On March 13 of the same year, members of the Mongolian People’s Provisional Government.

After Sukhbaatar’s Mongolian Army had won a stunning victory over superior Chinese forces in Khiagt, Red (Soviet) Army units began driving the White Russian troops out of Niislel Khuree and on June 6, 1921 , they captured the city. On July 11, the Bogd Khan’s Government was replaced by a new People’s Government of Mongolia.

On July 11, 1921 , Bogd Khan was elevated to the throne as head of a limited monarchy by the People’s Government of Mongolia.

The victory of the People’s revolution enabled the country to embark on a new course of development, focusing on strengthening the state independence of Mongolia .

During the period from 1921 to 1924, the new government carried out important changes in the political, economic and social spheres of the limited monarchy of Mongolia .

On May 20, 1924 Bogd Zavzundamba Khutagt died. In connection with this, the People’s Government issued a resolution to form Mongolia as a People’s Republic, with supreme power to be vested in the State Ikh Khural (State Great Meeting).

The first State Ikh Khural meeting was held on November 8, 1924 . During this meeting, the first Constitution of the People’s Republic of Mongolia was approved. The first Constitution stated that Mongolia should be renamed the People’s Republic, where all power belonged to the people. The people exercised their power through the State Ikh Khural and through the Government, it elected.

Thus, in the 20th century Mongolia obtained the new name of the People’s Republic of Mongolia and commenced a new stage of its development.

Mongolia , with two thousand years of history, restored its independence at the beginning of the 20th century and made the transition to a new political and social system, making its aim to found a socialist society in a world then divided into socialist and capitalist camps.

The country, which at the end of the 19th century was viewed by Western historians and some scholars as an almost extinct nation, succeeded in achieving considerable progress in promoting its national economy in such areas as animal husbandry, agriculture, industry, etc. by improving the standards of living of its population, and by raising its education and cultural level, evidence of which can be seen in its economic and social parameters. The country’s population increased threefold at the end of the 20th century, reaching 2 million. The population’s annual growth rate increased 3.5 per cent since 1960. Just 80years ago the majority of the population was illiterate, but by 1960 the MPR’s completely adult population was able to read and write due to measures undertaken to eradicate mass illiteracy. For such striking progress, a special prize was granted from the UNESCO. During the 1960s, the objective of ensuring that all school age children received secondary education was successfully realized.

The 20th century witnessed the progress made by Mongolia in fostering the development of its culture, arts, sport and sciences. Mongolian citizen J.Gurragchaa, participated in a space flight together with his Soviet colleagues, and carried out tests and studies, showing that Mongolians intellectual and physical abilities are at the highest level of modern civilization.

Significant changes have taken place in the country’s social system and structure during the 20th century. The 1960s constitution of the MPR underlined that a new social order and structural pattern, including working classes, herdsmen and intelligentsia had been fully established. The new Constitution also denoted that the MPRP was the leading social and political force. The 14th congress of the MPRP held in 1961 emphasized that the Mongolia with a prevailing development of animal husbandry had turned into an agricultural and industrial country.

As well as significant achievements made during the 1960s in the national economy and social sphere, the country also strengthened its prestige and position in the international arena. In 1961, Mongolia became a member of the United Nations, regarded as an official worldwide acknowledgement of the country’s independence and sovereignty. Starting from the 1960s Mongolia extended its foreign relations outside the so-called “socialist block”, establishing and maintaining diplomatic relations with 106 countries (up to 1990) in Western Europe , Africa , Asia , and Australia in political, economic and cultural spheres.