Memorial sign "Khalkhin-Gol". Mongolia Medal "XXX Years of the Khalkhin-Gol Victory"
Badge of the Mongolian People's Republic "Participant in the battles at Khalkhin Gol".
Illustration provided by the author
The end of most wars and armed conflicts was accompanied by the establishment of special awards or commemorative signs. This has always been the case in Russian history. The wars of the Soviet era were no exception.
INSIGNIA FOR PARTICIPANTS IN THE FIGHTS IN THE FAR EAST
One of the first insignia - "Fighter OKDVA" - appeared in 1930. The award was presented to those who particularly distinguished themselves in the summer of 1929 in an armed conflict with the Chinese-Manchu troops on the Chinese Eastern Railway (CER) to the soldiers and commanders of the Special Red Banner Far Eastern Army (OKDVA) Marshal Vasily Blucher. The badge "Fighter of OKDVA" was established by the Central Council of Osoaviakhim in early 1930 for the soldiers of the Red Army and fighters of special detachments formed from members of Osoaviakhim, in memory of these events.
If the badge of a participant in the battles on the CER was awarded only to distinguished fighters and commanders of the OKDVA, then the badge "Participant of the Khasan battles" was awarded to all personnel of the Red Army, the Red Army, the border guard troops, who took a direct part in the battles, as well as all other persons who were in the combat area actions and took part in supporting combat operations from July 29 to August 11, 1938.
The badge (badge) "Participant of the Khasan battles" was established by the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR on June 5, 1939 "On perpetuating the memory of the heroes of Khasan." Decree of the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR No. 1173 approved the Regulations on the sign (badge) and its description. The award was made by the military council of the 1st separate Red Banner Army.
The exceptions to the rule were the Soviet-Finnish war (1939–1940) and the armed conflict in the region of the Khalkhin-Gol River (1939).
In the first case, a number of projects were developed for the badge "To the Participant of the Soviet-Finnish War", one of them was allegedly made in metal, but was not approved. He does not appear in official documents, although we can find one of his images on the cover of a 1940 edition of a book about the Finnish campaign.
The second case is connected with the events on the Khalkhin-Gol River in 1939. The armed conflict (undeclared war) continued from spring to autumn 1939 on the territory of Mongolia near the border with Manchuria (Manchukuo). The final battle took place in the last days of August and ended with the defeat of the 6th separate Japanese army. The armistice between the USSR and Japan was concluded on September 15, 1939.
PEOPLE'S HURAL FOR RED ARMY FIGHTERS
The Soviet leadership, most likely for ideological reasons, did not establish a memorial sign, but did it "by the hands" of the Mongolian comrades. The badge of the Mongolian People's Republic "To a participant in the battles at Khalkhin Gol" filled the gap. It was established by the Decree of the Great People's Khural of the MPR on August 16, 1940. The date on the sign "August 1939" is a decisive moment in the military confrontation.
The badge is a circle covered with blue enamel, on which a silver horseman with a saber in his hand was depicted. The badge was made at the Mint. There are also signs made in a handicraft way in the workshops of Mongolia. A red banner with the inscription "August 1939" flutters above the rider, and the inscription "HALHINGOL" is made in Latin letters on the red ribbon at the bottom. On the forums of collectors, the latter raises many questions. Like, where does the Latin alphabet come from in Mongolia. The answer lies in the history of the development of writing in the country. During the existence of the Mongolian People's Republic, the writing in it changed twice: initially, the Uighur alphabet was used, it was replaced by Latin for a short time. It was during this period that the sign was established.
The further fate of the award is also interesting. By Decree of the Presidium of the Great People's Khural No. 181 of December 29, 1966, the badge "Participant in the battles at Khalkhin Gol" was given the status of a medal.
It is generally accepted that “the soldiers of the Red Army were not awarded a commemorative insignia for the battles at Khalkhin Gol, since all those who distinguished themselves in them received Soviet awards - the Order of the Red Star and the medal “For Courage”. So, for example, thinks a researcher in this field, Nadezhda Ionina. There is no mention of awards in the memoirs of the participants in the events.
In fact, the sign was intended for the soldiers of both Mongolia and the Soviet Union who participated in the hostilities. Judging by the fact that the military attache for defense at the Embassy of Mongolia in Russia, Colonel Ochiryn Enkhbayar, provided the author with a copy of the Decree of August 16, 1940, they were awarded to all commanders, soldiers and civilians who took a direct part in the battles.
Photographs of the participants of the events awarded with the badge can serve as another confirmation. On the Internet, we can find photographs of Colonels Trofimov, Kostin, Lieutenant Colonel Sereda, Major Yaroslavkin and others.
THE WAR INTERFERED THE HONORING OF THE BOLD
At the same time, it is known for certain that many participants in the events did not receive the award. For example, the author on this issue had a chance to communicate with Viktor Gastello, the son of the legendary Soviet pilot, Hero of the Soviet Union Nikolai Gastello. Viktor Nikolayevich's father served in the 1st Heavy Bomber Aviation Regiment (SKVO). As part of the Special Group of Night Bombers (MPR, ZabVO), he took part in the battles near the Khalkhin-Gol River. But there are no records of awarding in the personal file of the officer-pilot. There are no such signs in the photographs stored in the family archive. They are also absent in the photographs of other veterans of the regiment, whose photographs were placed in the anniversary editions of the 1st Guards Red Banner Long-Range Aviation Regiment named after N.F. Gastello.
Based on the available materials, let me make an assumption: the badges “Participant in the battles at Khalkhin Gol” were awarded only to those servicemen of the Red Army who, after the end of the events, continued to serve in the Trans-Baikal Military District (ZabVO). Those of them who, after the end of hostilities, departed for permanent duty stations, as was the case with the pilots of the 1st Heavy Bomber Aviation Regiment, were left without well-deserved awards.
This version is confirmed by the biographical data of engineer-colonel Ivan Trofimov and lieutenant colonel Zakhar Sereda, in 1939 - the commander of the 130th tank battalion of the 11th tank brigade of the ZabVO.
The Great Patriotic War did not allow to complete the process of awarding all participants in the events. The hackneyed phrase "The reward found the hero" here, unfortunately, does not apply.
The first clashes on the border between Mongolia and Manchuria took place in 1935. The reasons for their occurrence were the demands of the Japanese side to move the border strip to the Khalkhin Gol River, that is, its movement 25 kilometers to the west in favor of Manchuria. Japan even provided fabricated maps to support its justifications, ordering the destruction of all national cartographic products that reflected the real state of affairs. The Soviet Union, seeing such aggression, signed an agreement on mutual assistance with Mongolia, and by 1937, units of the Red Army appeared on the territory of the Asian country.
It is noteworthy that the expression "Khalkhin-Gol" in Soviet history refers to the battle on the river, and in Japanese and a number of other Western reference books, this word refers only to the river. The events that unfolded in the summer of 1939 are described as battles at Nomon Khan (one of the local high-altitude points). As for the confrontation itself, in the reference books of the USSR it was characterized as a military conflict, while the Japanese themselves call it a real war, though of a local nature.
The history of the battles at Khalkhin Gol
The first serious confrontation began in May 1939, when the Japanese, in numerical superiority, periodically attacked the Mongolian border guards. Every day the aggression became more and more expressive, and the claims became more and more obvious. It became clear that armed conflict could not be avoided. Soviet troops came to the aid of their Asian neighbors. However, there were no serious territorial seizures in May, and June was mainly devoted to air battles and the strengthening of land positions, mutual preparations for the offensive.
When the Japanese launched an air attack at the end of May, the losses on our side were significant. The forces of the Red Army were not ready for such a turn of events, and there was not enough equipment. Everything changed when reinforcements arrived from Moscow in the form of a group of aces pilots led by Yakov Smushkevich. Pilot training began, and the forces of the parties became almost the same. In June, another important event took place - the command of the army was entrusted to Zhukov (the Mongol-Manchurian campaign was the first major victory of the future marshal of the Soviet Union).
In the first days of July, the Japanese launched an offensive and occupied the western part of the Khalkhin-Gol River along with the top of Bayan-Tsagan. However, the triumph of the enemy was short-lived: in the battles that took place on July 5, the Soviet troops won and the Japanese began a mass retreat. However, the eastern coast was still not free and the troops of the invaders were on the territory of Mongolia. It was necessary to take urgent measures in order to quickly end the protracted tedious conflict.
The Red Army, led by Zhukov, was preparing an offensive. Reinforcements were drawn to the scene of events from:
- technique,
- weapon,
- cartridges,
- provisions.
By the beginning of the decisive part of the battles, the Mongolian-Soviet troops had a slight advantage in almost all components.
The main events unfolded in the second half of August 1939. This was preceded by a competent plan by Zhukov to deceive the enemy: fake dispatches on the radio, disorienting sounds of installations in the night, which were allegedly behind the construction of fortifications, etc. The result was that the attack of the Red Army, which began on August 20, was a complete surprise for the enemy. A few days later, the outcome of the conflict was obvious, and in mid-September, Japan requested a truce from the USSR.
Sign "Khalkhin-Gol. August 1939"
In August 1940, the badge “Khalkhin-Gol. August 1939". It was approved by the Great People's Khural of Mongolia. All persons who were directly involved in the conflict on the Khalkhin Gol River were assigned to the award. Initially, the signs were made at the LMD with the participation of the engraver Tulchinsky S.L., and then the production was transferred to the workshops of the Moscow Association of Artists.
In 1966, the same body that established the badge on August 16, 1940, issued a decree according to which the token was equated with a medal, and a special golden ribbon with stripes was provided for its wearing. Zhukov himself was very fond of this sign and often wore it along with other important awards.
The events near the Khalkhin Gol River demonstrated the spirit of camaraderie between the two states and the strength of the Soviet army. But they had another, “side” meaning. It was thanks to the victory in the battles of 1939 in Mongolia that the USSR saved itself from the threat of Japanese strikes during the Second World War. The fact is that officially Germany and Japan were allies, and Hitler repeatedly asked for help on the Eastern Pacific front. But the Japanese, remembering the two-time defeat from the Soviet Union in 1938-39, were in no hurry to enter the "European war", postponing action in case the USSR began to suffer a clear defeat.
The sign was made of silver or red metal using enamels and oxidation technology. It is a circle, in the center of which is depicted a rider racing on a horse, in whose right hand is an outstretched saber, and in the left is a large fluttering scarlet banner with the inscription "August 1939". Under the figure of a horse, yellow-red fields are spread, and in the background a green patch of forest is visible against a blue sky. At the bottom of the token is a scarlet ribbon with the word "HALHINGOL". The upper hemisphere is bordered by a bronze-coloured embossed notch.
After the end of the armed conflict near the Khalkhin Gol River, which occurred in 1939, the Mongolian government founded the sign "To the participant in the battles at Khalkhin Gol". The corresponding Decree of the Great People's Khural appeared on September 16, 1940. This award was intended to be presented to both Mongolian soldiers and Soviet ones.
Award procedure
The leadership of the USSR, apparently for political reasons, did not establish an award to commemorate the victory at Khalkhin Gol. This responsibility was assumed by the Mongolian government. At the end of 1966, the badge received the status of a medal.
Previously, it was believed that this Mongolian sign was not awarded to the Red Army, because those of them who distinguished themselves in battle were encouraged by the USSR awards. They were awarded the Order of the Red Star and the medal "For Courage". In fact, it was calculated that the sign would be given to the Mongolian and Soviet fighters who fought in that place.
However, only those Red Army soldiers who remained to serve in the Trans-Baikal Military District received the Khalkhin-Gol badges. The soldiers, who, after the end of the conflict, went to permanent duty stations, did not receive awards. This, for example, happened to the personnel of the 1st Bomber Aviation Regiment.
The beginning of the Second World War prevented the completion of the award process. The first of them was carried out in 1942, the last - in 1973. Among the most famous recipients of the award is Marshal G.K. Zhukov and General Secretary of the CPSU L.I. Brezhnev.
Icon design
The badge is made in the form of a circle, the surface of which is covered with blue enamel. On it is a silver fighter riding a horse. His right hand is stretched forward, in it is a saber. Under the flying horse - a mountain range. A scarlet enamel banner floats above the fighter. It says "August 1939" ("August 1939"). Below - a scarlet ribbon with the inscription "HALHINGOL". The month of August, which is mentioned on the badge, became a turning point in the course of the armed conflict.
The badge was minted at the mint. However, there are copies of the award made in a handicraft way in some Mongolian workshops.
What preceded the conflict
The battles at Khalkhin Gol are called the armed conflict with Japan, which took place on Mongolian territory near the Khalkhin Gol River, which flows near the Manchurian border. They lasted from the end of spring to the beginning of autumn 1939. The result was the complete defeat of the Japanese. In Japan, many people call this conflict the 2nd Russo-Japanese War.
Japan has been making every effort since the end of the 19th century to become one of the superpowers. Little by little, she annexed more and more new territories. Gradually, the Japanese militarists captured Taiwan and Korea. In 1932, Manchuria was occupied, after 5 years the invasion of central China began.
Plans were hatched to capture the Soviet Far East. Beginning in 1936, on the border with Manchuria, which at that time was called Manchukuo, there were constant armed conflicts provoked by the Japanese. So that the plans of the Japanese military would not come true and a big war would not break out, in the MPR, since 1936, according to the mutual assistance agreement, the 57th Separate Corps, numbering about 20 thousand military personnel, was deployed.
Japan announced its claims to the territory east of the Khalkhin Gol River. In fact, the border was 25 km to the east. The fact is that Japan was building a railway line near the border and thus wanted to ensure its safety. The first conflicts on the border of Mongolia and Manchukuo began to occur in 1935.
In 1938, there were battles between the Soviet and Japanese troops near Lake Khasan for 3 weeks. The Japanese were driven back. After this, cases of Japanese attacks on Mongolian border guards became more frequent.
Beginning of the conflict - May
On the night of May 8, a group of Japanese troops tried to occupy one of the islands on Khalkhin Gol, but their attack was repulsed. After 3 days, 300 Japanese cavalrymen with machine guns broke through 15 kilometers deep into Mongolian territory. They attacked the border post of Mongolia, but were also driven back to the border. This date is considered the beginning of the conflict.
After another 3 days, 300 Japanese cavalry, supported by aviation, attacked the 7th frontier post and managed to capture the Dungur-Obo height. The next day a significant replenishment arrived. Soviet units were sent to this place, which crossed the river on May 22 and forced the Japanese to return to the border.
Until May 28, there was a concentration of forces on both sides. On May 28, the Japanese went on the attack, planning to encircle the enemy and make sure that he could not cross to the western bank of the river. Their attempt failed, but the Soviet soldiers were forced to retreat, however, on the 29th, as a result of a counteroffensive, the enemy was driven back.
June events
There were no battles on the ground in June. But in the sky, a real war in the air began. At first, Japan had the advantage. However, ours soon received significant reinforcements - Soviet aces pilots arrived in Mongolia, who began to train pilots. In early June, G.K. took command of the 57th Corps. Zhukov. A new plan of action was developed, involving a counterattack. Forces began to gather to this place.
On June 20, fighting in the air intensified. In a few days, more than 50 Japanese aircraft were shot down. On the 27th, the Japanese bombed Soviet airfields and destroyed 19 aircraft. Fortifications were built on the eastern bank of the river throughout June. Modern aircraft were transferred. As a result, from June 22, our pilots managed to gain air supremacy.
July events
On July 2, the Japanese went on the offensive. They crossed the river, captured the height of Bayan-Tsagan, and began to actively build fortifications there. It was planned to go from there to the rear of our troops and destroy them. There was also fighting on the east bank of the river. At first, success accompanied the Japanese. Zhukov brought into battle the newly arrived tank brigade.
Battles also took place near Bayan-Tsagan. In total, about 400 tanks and over 800 artillery pieces took part in them. There were hundreds of planes in the sky. As a result, the Japanese managed to be taken into a semicircle. On July 5, the enemy began to retreat. In order to prevent defeat, the Japanese command ordered the destruction of the only bridge across the river. But the outcome was a foregone conclusion. At Bayan-Tsagan, several thousand Japanese were killed.
But the Japanese leadership did not calm down and made plans for the next operations. Therefore, Zhukov began to develop an offensive plan, involving the complete defeat of the enemy forces located on the territory of the MPR. Reinforcements were constantly arriving.
On July 8, the Japanese went on the attack again and managed to push our units back to the river. Although the enemy even managed to capture the height, our troops returned him to their original positions a few days later. Until the 22nd there was a relative calm. On the 23rd, the Japanese offensive began, which was unsuccessful.
August events
The decisive offensive of our troops took place on August 20. Our command managed to do this before the enemies, who expected an offensive 4 days later. First, artillery preparation was carried out, then an air raid. The Japanese soldiers stubbornly resisted, so they managed to advance a maximum of a kilometer.
The next day, the Japanese strengthened the defense. They fought stubbornly, to the last man. As a result, ours had to use even the last reserve. But it was all in vain. On the 24th, units of the Kwantung Army approached, entered the battle, but could not break through. As a result, they went back to Manchukuo.
The fighting continued on the 29th and 30th, by August 31 the territory of the MPR was completely liberated from the Japanese. But they didn't give up. On September 4, they took the summit of Eris-Ulyn-Obo, but their attack was repulsed. On the 8th, the attempt was repeated, the result was the same. After that, only air battles were fought.
The peace agreement between the parties was signed on 15 September. But the final agreement was signed only in the spring of 1942. It operated until 1945.
Results of the conflict
The victory over Japan at Khalkhin Gol was one of the reasons that this country did not attack the USSR during WWII. In addition, there was a myth about the invincibility of the Red Army in a future war. This conflict was the beginning of the career of G.K. Zhukov. Prior to that, he was practically unknown to anyone divisional commander. After he headed the Kyiv Military District, after which he became the chief of the General Staff of the spacecraft.
According to official figures, the Japanese lost over 61,000 killed, wounded and captured. From the Soviet and Mongolian side, 9.8 thousand people were killed. Of these, Mongol warriors - 895.
The medal "For the Victory over Japan" (Bid Yalav) or "We won" was established by the decision of the Presidium of the Small Khural of the MPR on November 20, 1945 to commemorate the victory over Japan. The medal was awarded to: military personnel of the MNRA, troops and bodies of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, who took a direct part in the hostilities against the Japanese imperialists and in the work to ensure the military operations of the army; workers, engineering and technical personnel and employees of state institutions and enterprises, trade union and public organizations, workers of science, art and literature, who ensured the strengthening of the combat power of the army with their selfless work. The medal is worn on the left side of the chest and, in the presence of orders and other medals, is located after the medal "For Military Merit" and the "Honorary Labor Medal". In total, about 60 thousand people were awarded.
The medal is a set of dihedral rays forming a rhombus, on which are superimposed two stylized crossed swords, with a superimposed round shield. On the shield there is a convex image of the Soyombo coat of arms, covered with white enamel, and a five-pointed star above the coat of arms is covered with red enamel. Three strokes are depicted on the sides of the Soyombo. The upper part of the coat of arms is divided into two parts by the inscription: "BID YALAV" (we won). There is a convex date under the shield: 1945. The reverse of the medal is smooth, slightly concave, a serial number is engraved in the lower part. With the help of an eyelet and a ring, the medal is connected to a pentagonal block, which is enameled in the form of a ribbon of three stripes: red, blue and red. All three strips are of equal width, 8 mm each. On the reverse side, the block is smooth, has a soldered threaded pin with a nut for attaching the medal to clothing. The medal and block are made of bronze and gilded. The dimensions of the medal are 40x40 mm, the pads are 24x28 mm. The weight of the medal is 23.1 g; In 1961, the enameled planks were replaced with bands with ribbons.
Medal "30 Years of Victory over Militaristic Japan"
The medal "30 Years of Victory over Militaristic Japan" (Militarist Yaponyg Yalsny 30 Zhiliyn Oid) was established by a decree of the Presidium of the Great People's Khural of the MPR on August 25, 1975 in honor of the victory over Japan in World War II. The medal was awarded to the soldiers of the Mongolian People's Army and the Soviet Army, the border troops of the Mongolian People's Republic, who took a direct part in the hostilities against militaristic Japan in 1945, as well as citizens of the Mongolian People's Republic, who contributed to the victory over the Japanese aggressor with their work. The medal was also awarded to persons who had previously been awarded the "We won" medal.
The obverse of the medal is a convex eight-pointed star, the surface of which is made in the form of divergent rays. In the center of the medal is a convex circle covered with blue enamel, on which a tank is depicted, and next to it is a rider with a saber raised above his head in his right hand. Two planes are flying over the tank and rider, and above the planes are the dates: 1945-1975. In the lower part of the circle are located (to the right and to the left) laurel branches covered with green enamel. In the lower part of the medal there is a convex shield, partially extending into the circle, on which the number XXX is depicted, covered with red enamel. The reverse of the medal is flat, with a convex inscription in four lines: “militarist yaponyg yalsny 30 zhiliyn oid” (30 years of victory over militaristic Japan). With the help of an eyelet and a ring, the medal is connected to a pentagonal block covered with blue enamel. On the block are two red pentagonal stars. The star on the left is the emblem of the Mongolian People's Army, the star on the right is the emblem of the Soviet Army. The block has a special pin for attaching the medal to clothing. The medal and block are made of yellow alloy and gilded. Dimensions: medal diameter - 30 mm, block - 25x34 mm. The weight of the medal with a block is 25 g.
Medal "XXX Years of the Khalkhin-Gol Victory"
The jubilee medal "XXX Years of the Khalkhin-Gol Victory" (Khalkhyn golyn yalaltyn 30 Zhiliyin Oyn medal) was established by a decree of the Presidium of the Great People's Khural of the MPR dated June 9, 1969 in honor of the 30th anniversary of the defeat by the Mongolian and Soviet troops of the Japanese militarists who invaded the Mongolian People's Republic. Republic in the region of the Khalkhin-Gol river. The medal was awarded to persons who directly participated in the hostilities on the river. Khalkhin Gol, as well as those who, with their selfless work, provided concrete and effective assistance in defeating the Japanese invaders. Worn on the left side of the chest.
On the obverse in the center of the round medal there are half-length images of a Mongolian cyric (cavalry soldier) standing shoulder to shoulder with a saber drawn in his right hand and a Red Army soldier with a three-line rifle on a belt behind his back. A bayonet is attached to the rifle. The Mongolian cyric and the Red Army soldier are slightly turned to the left, looking to the east. On the cap of the Mongolian cyric and on the helmet of the Red Army soldier, five-pointed stars are covered with red enamel. Above the heads of the cyric and the Red Army soldier there is a semicircular indented inscription covered in red enamel: - "Khalkhyn Gol". Under the image of a cyric and a Red Army soldier, there is a ribbon with imprinted dates: 1939-1969. The date digits and the dividing line are also covered with red enamel. The ends of the ribbon are decorated with laurel leaves covered with green enamel. The reverse side of the coin is smooth and flat.
With the help of an eyelet and a ring, the medal is connected to a pentagonal block covered in blue in the center and red enamel along the edges. The width of the blue stripe is 22mm and the red stripe is 5.5mm. The central blue stripe features Roman numerals: XXX. The reverse side of the block is smooth and has a pin for attaching the medal to clothing. The medal and block are made of bronze, gilded. The diameter of the medal is 36 mm. The height of the medal with a block is 66 mm. The block size is 21×32 mm. The weight of the medal with a block and a pin is 26.9 g.
Medal "40 Years of Victory at Khalkhin Gol"
The jubilee medal "40 Years of the Victory at Khalkhin Gol" was established by the Decree of the Presidium of the Great People's Khural of the MPR dated March 19, 1979, to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the defeat of the Japanese militarists by the Mongolian and Soviet troops who invaded the Mongolian People's Republic in the region of the Khalkhin Gol River. The medal was awarded to Soviet and Mongolian participants in the battles on the Khalkhin Gol River, as well as home front workers who contributed to the fight against the Japanese invaders. In the upper part of the front side of the medal there is a five-pointed star with divergent rays, below it is "Soyombo" and the Hammer and Sickle, symbolizing the eternal friendship of the Mongolian and Soviet peoples. In the central part of the medal there is a convex inscription in two lines - "Khalkhyn golyn yalalt" (Khalkhingol victory). A wreath of laurel branches is depicted around the circumference of the medal (to the right and to the left). The reverse side of the medal is smooth and flat. The medal is connected with a pentagonal block covered with enamel with the help of an eyelet and a ring. The colored stripes on it are arranged symmetrically, in the following order: blue - 3 mm, yellow and white, each 1.5 mm, red in the center - 14 mm. The size of the block is 21×32 mm, the diameter of the medal is 37 mm, the weight of the medal with the block is 28 g. The block has a pin for attaching the medal to clothing. The medal and block are made of gilded metal.
The award badge "To a participant in the battles at Khalkhin Gol" was established by a decree of the Great People's Khural of the MPR on August 16, 1940. On December 29, 1966, the badge was given the status of a medal. This award was intended to be presented to both Mongolian and Soviet soldiers who took part in the battles on the Khalkhin Gol River. The signs were awarded only to those servicemen of the Red Army who, after the end of the events, continued to serve in the Trans-Baikal Military District. The outbreak of war prevented the completion of the award process. The first of these was carried out in 1942, the last - in 1973.
The sign is made in the form of a circle, the surface of which is covered with blue enamel. On it is a silver fighter riding a horse. His right hand is stretched forward, in it is a saber. Under the flying horse - a mountain range. A scarlet enamel banner floats above the fighter. It says - "Avgust 1939" (August 1939) - a decisive moment in the military confrontation. Below - a scarlet ribbon with the inscription "HALHINGOL". The badge was minted at the mint. However, there are copies of the award made in a handicraft way in some Mongolian workshops. The badge is made of bronze, 37 mm in diameter, has two varieties, counter-relief and smooth reverse. On the reverse of the sign there is a screw and nut for easy attachment to clothing. Hot enamels.
Obverse and reverse of the commemorative sign "70 years of victory at Khalkhin Gol". Made of heavy alloy, pin fastening, cold enamels. The size of a block with an eye is 25x30 mm, the size of a medal with an eye is 38x36 mm. The weight of the medal with a block is 30 g.
The 65 Years of Victory in the Liberation War commemorative badge was issued in 2010 to reward World War II veterans. The sign was made in cold enamel in two varieties: heavy alloy and aluminum. The block size is 25x30 mm. The size of the medal is 37x35 mm. The weight of the medal with a block in heavy metal is 28 g.
The commemorative badge “Khalkhin-Gol” was established by the decree of the Presidium of the Great People’s Khural (VNKh) of Mongolia on August 16, 1940, on the first anniversary of the armed conflict near the Khalkhin-Gol River (05.11-16.09.1939), known in Japanese historiography as the “Incident at Nomonhan's" (Nomonhan Jiken). The full name of the Sign in Mongolian is “Khalkh Golyn yalalt-yn dursgalyn temdeg” (ankhny zagvar 1940 on), i.e. “Commemorative sign of the victory on the Khalkh River”, the first model of 1940. A quarter of a century later, by Decree of the Presidium of the National Economy No. 181 of December 29, 1966, the statute of the Badge was changed and it received the status of an official state award - a medal (Mongolian - Khalkh Golyn baildaan medal). Thus, "Khalkhin-Gol" has become a unique medal that does not have a block.
The commemorative badge was intended to be presented to all direct participants in the battles at Khalkhin Gol - the Mongolian and Soviet military personnel who defeated the troops of the Japanese Empire and Manchukuo that invaded the territory of Mongolia. Moreover, according to the original founding document of 1940, the Badge could also be awarded to civilians who participated in hostilities.
As for the soldiers of the Red Army, initially the sign "Khalkhin-Gol" was awarded only to those soldiers and commanders who, after the victory over the Japanese, continued to serve in the Trans-Baikal Military District. Those who left for permanent duty stations in other military districts on the territory of the USSR were not awarded the Badge. Over time, some of the Soviet veterans of the military operations near the Khalkhin Gol River nevertheless received honestly deserved awards - the issuance of Signs to the Red Army soldiers and officers, many of whom were awarded orders and medals of Mongolia and the USSR, was carried out after the start of the Great Patriotic War and its end.
The initial order for the production of Signs was placed at the Leningrad Mint (LMD). The author of the original punch was the engraver Samuil Lvovich Tulchinsky (1900-1981), a medalist of the Leningrad and then the Moscow Mint. In August 1941, in connection with the beginning of the Great Patriotic War, forty qualified LMD employees and the main part of the equipment were evacuated to Krasnokamsk, Molotov Region. At the temporary Krasnokamsk Mint, which functioned in 1941-1949, it was planned to make 3,000 Signs, but initially only six were produced. Production was established only by the end of the war: for example, from March to September 1946, 5,504 copies were made. In the post-war period, the production of Signs was established in the capital by the Moscow Production and Creative Cooperative Association of Fine Arts Workers, which existed in 1939-1953. and better known as the Moscow Association of Artists.
The “Khalkhin-Gol” sign has a round shape with a fragment of the banner protruding in the upper right part. In the center, on a blue enameled background, there is an oxidized figure of a cavalryman galloping eastward in military uniform with a rifle behind his back. In his right hand, the fighter holds a saber stretched forward, with his left - the reins. However, the generally accepted description of the Sign, which is contained, among other things, in Soviet specialized literature, incorrectly states that “in the rider’s left hand is a fluttering banner of red enamel.” Under the figure of a horse is a stylized image of the Mongolian steppe - red and yellow hills, as well as a fragment of green hills. The left and right parts of the Badge are bordered with a bronze-coloured embossed notch. In the upper part of the Badge there is a waving banner covered with red enamel with the inscription “August 1939” (“Avgust 1939”), the shaft of which protrudes beyond the border of the circle. At the bottom is a red ribbon folded in three with the inscription “Halhingol” in capital letters. Here it is worth clarifying that the Latin alphabet was used in Mongolia in the period from 1931 to 1941, but we have moved the more familiar name of the Sign in Cyrillic writing to the title of the material.
After the Badge was given the status of a medal in 1966, a 24 mm ribbon was established for its everyday wear in a block on uniforms and civilian clothes: purple-brown with a central golden-yellow stripe 15 mm wide.
The very first batch of Khalkhin-Gol signs was made of silver and was awarded to a small group of military leaders, including commander G.K. Zhukov and Marshal Choibalsan (the spelling of the name is Choibolsan). The main batch of signs was made from non-ferrous metal (bronze) using hot colored enamels, gilding and oxidation technology. The size of the sign was 42x37 mm, weight - about 15.8 g. Depending on the manufacturer, the Signs slightly differed in weight and size.
According to the type of reverse, two main varieties of the Sign can be distinguished - the early ones, with a counter-relief surface, and the later ones, produced since 1946, with a smooth reverse.
The sign was fastened with a threaded pin (screw) and a nut. On the nut of the Signs of the early release there was the stamp “Moscow Society of Artists”, and on the later ones - “Mint” (Leningrad Mint).
The badge was presented along with an award certificate, the original square-shaped sample of which had a hard cover with gold embossing, the text was printed in the old Mongolian script. The second type of thick cardboard documents used the Mongolian Cyrillic alphabet. The certificates were signed by Deputy Marshal Choibalsan, Corps Commissar Zhamyangiin Lkhagvasuren (later Minister of Defense of the MPR), or by the commander of the Soviet military unit in which the participant in the events served at the time of the award. After giving the Badge the status of a medal, the appearance of the certificate also changed, which became more traditional - in a thin leatherette cover or uncoated half-paper.