Autonomous Government of Inner Mongolia

This article is about An autonomous government established between 1947 and the end of 1949. For the Autonomous Region of the PRC, see Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.

Inner Mongolia Autonomous Government ᠥᠪᠥᠷ ᠮᠣᠩᠭᠣᠯ ᠤᠨ ᠥᠪᠡᠷᠲᠡᠭᠡᠨ ᠵᠠᠰᠠᠬᠤ ᠵᠠᠰᠠᠭ ᠤᠨ ᠭᠠᠵᠠᠷ Өвөр Монголын Өөртөө Засах Засгийн газар
Autonomous government under leadership of the Republic of China
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Error creating thumbnail: Coat of arms Official flag Government emblem
Error creating thumbnail: Location of Inner Mongolia Inner Mongolia Autonomous Government in 1949
Capital		Wangye Temple
Government		Federal system
Government Chairman		Yun Ze (Ulanhu)
Vice Chairman		Ha Feng’a
Legislature		Inner Mongolia People’s Congress
•	Lower house	Provisional Senate of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Government
Historical era		Chinese Civil War
•	Establishment of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Government	May 1, 1947
•	Renamed as People's Government of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region	December 2, 1949
Area
•	1947	538,000 km2 (207,723 sq mi)
Population
•	1947	2,000,000
	Density	3.7 /km2  (9.6 /sq mi)
Today part of		People's Republic of ChinaInner Mongolia Autonomous Region
On December 2, 1949, the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Government was officially renamed the People’s Government of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. The party and government organs of the autonomous region were moved to Zhangjiakou.

Inner Mongolia Autonomous Government (abbreviated as Inner Mongolia; Mongolian: ᠥᠪᠥᠷ
ᠮᠣᠩᠭᠣᠯ), was an autonomous government established in the northeastern frontier during the final period of Republic of China rule on the mainland. Its capital was Wangye Temple (present-day Ulanhot). It was the first minority nationality autonomous government led by the Chinese Communist Party after the Second Sino-Japanese War.

Background

Failure of the Inner-Outer Mongolia Unification Dream

On August 18, 1945, following Japan's surrender, Ha Feng’a and others issued the "Inner Mongolia People's Liberation Declaration" in Wangye Temple, organized the "Inner Mongolia People's Liberation Committee," revived Inner Mongolia People's Revolutionary Party activities, and established the Eastern Mongolia Party branch. They advocated ethnic equality, cooperation with the Chinese revolutionary forces, ethnic liberation, and the political goal of uniting Inner and Outer Mongolia. Large numbers of youth were dispatched to local leagues and banners to develop party organizations and collect signatures supporting Inner-Outer Mongolia unification. Simultaneously, to form ethnic armed forces, Ha Feng’a and Asigen coordinated with Soviet forces to release captured Mongol soldiers of the Hinggan Army and organize a police and garrison force, which later became the First Cavalry Division of Inner Mongolia.

In October the same year, Ha Feng’a, Temurbagen, Boyanmanduh, and other leaders traveled with 100,000 signatures to Ulaanbaatar in Outer Mongolia to petition Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party leader Chobshan for unification. From the Mongolian perspective, Outer Mongolia had ethnic aspirations to unite with Inner Mongolia but was constrained by international politics. The Yalta Conference (February 1945) recognized Outer Mongolia's territorial status quo. The Soviet Union supported Outer Mongolia independence but feared "Pan-Mongolism" affecting Mongols in Buryatia and U.S. influence, so Outer Mongolia could not accept unification. Negotiations between Stalin and Song Ziwen forced the ROC to accept Outer Mongolia’s independence via plebiscite. Outer Mongolia advised Inner Mongolia leaders to work with the Chinese Communist Party instead.

Establishment of the Eastern Mongolia Autonomous Government

Facing failure with Outer Mongolia, Ha Feng’a and other leaders launched an autonomy movement in eastern Inner Mongolia. In January 1946, the Eastern Mongolia People's Autonomous Government was established at Wangye Temple with Ha Feng’a as Secretary-General. Its administration program called for: supporting ethnic autonomy, self-determination, building a free, democratic, peaceful Eastern Mongolia, establishing an independent bank and currency, and forming military forces to defend autonomy.

The government of the ROC viewed this as a Soviet and Outer Mongolian attempt to split China and refused recognition. Both Kuomintang and CCP prepared for the upcoming Chinese Civil War, and CCP sought to co-opt the Inner Mongolian autonomy movement. The Northeast Bureau and Western Manchuria sub-bureau sent congratulations to show support for ethnic autonomy and opposition to Han chauvinism. Soviet Marshal Rodion Malinovsky also recommended CCP support Eastern Mongolia autonomy.

The Eastern Mongolia government initially tried to communicate with the ROC. In February 1946, a delegation led by Manibadala and Sangjizhab attempted to reach Chiang Kai-shek in Chongqing via Beiping but were delayed. The KMT Sixth Central Committee plenary (March 17, 1946) passed the "Frontier Issues Resolution". Local Inner Mongolian officials ignored the resolution, leaving the autonomy movement disappointed and leaning toward the CCP.

43 Conference

The CCP carefully observed the "Eastern Mongolian autonomy movement", wary of nationalist tendencies and Ha Feng’a’s activities. To prevent the movement from joining the KMT, the CCP deployed Ulanhu’s faction to eastern Inner Mongolia.

From March 30 to April 2, 1946, the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Movement Union meeting in Chengde debated merging eastern and western Inner Mongolia, autonomy, and the future of the Inner Mongolia People's Revolutionary Party. Ha Feng’a and Ulanhu disagreed on CCP leadership vs. party autonomy, and opposition to CCP land reform. On April 3, Ulanhu declared CCP leadership in Inner Mongolia, leading to a split.

Formation of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Government

On May 1, 1947, Ulanhu established the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Government at Wangye Temple. It formally combined eastern and western Inner Mongolian administrations under CCP guidance, creating the first ethnic autonomous government in modern China. Ulanhu became Chairman; Ha Feng’a became Vice-Chairman; Boyanmanduh and Jiyatai were named Speakers of the Provisional Senate.

The government's goals included:

• Ethnic autonomy under CCP leadership
• Promotion of Mongol culture and language
• Military security in border regions
• Coordination with CCP for land reform and socialist policies

The government had legislative (People’s Congress) and executive (Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Provisional Senate) branches. It also oversaw education, finance, transportation, and ethnic affairs in the region.

Administration

Legislative system

The Inner Mongolia People’s Congress drafted laws, budgets, and approved appointments. The Provisional Senate handled legislation for ethnic, military, and social issues not yet codified in national law.

Military

The First Cavalry Division of Inner Mongolia acted as an internal security and border defense force. It coordinated with the CCP-controlled Northeast Democratic Coalition military units.

Economy and currency

The government issued its own banknotes and coins between 1947 and 1949 to facilitate local trade and taxation. They also promoted cooperative agriculture among Mongol banners and Han settlements.

Ethnic and cultural policies

The government protected Mongolian language, promoted Tibetan Buddhism, and sponsored Mongolian schools. Han, Hui, and Daur communities were granted representation in the autonomous administration.

Dissolution and legacy

On December 2, 1949, the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Government was officially renamed the People’s Government of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region and incorporated into the People's Republic of China framework. The administrative structure largely continued under CCP leadership, with Ulanhu as the first Chairman of the autonomous region. Ethnic autonomy in Inner Mongolia became a model for later PRC minority regions.

See also

• Autonomous administrative divisions of China
• Eastern Mongolia

External links

• [Archived map of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Government, 1949](https://web.archive.org/web/20200223105253/http://116.113.96.251:8080/Search/SearchContent.aspx?RootId=20130716162701566&BookId=20140818192931351)
• [Financial Chronicle Vol. I, Section 7: Base Areas and Liberated Zones Currency](http://116.113.96.251:8080/Search/SearchContent.aspx?RootId=20130716162701566&BookId=20140818192931351 Archived 2020-02-23 at the Wayback Machine)

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