Mongolia and the United States

Michael and Joe continue to research, write, publish, and present about the diplomatic history of Mongolia and national and international events. It is a story still to be told.

If you would like to talk about Mongolia or this period in diplomatic history, please get in touch via the Contact Page or through social media.

Going to Mongolia

On 13 July 1990 Joe Lake arrived in Ulaanbaatar and became the first resident U.S. Ambassador in Mongolia. It was a pivotal moment and a time of change for Mongolia; only four months earlier the Marxist regime (in place since 1924) resigned  in face of mass demonstrations. Mongolia (which had been the second oldest communist country in the world, after the USSR) became the first Asian communist country to turn away from Marxism in favor of democracy and a free market economy. The country was in uncharted waters, an unclear road lay ahead and it was still grappling with how to understand its fledgling three-year old relationship with the United States.

The two countries had only established relations in 1987 and the first U.S. embassy opened it’s doors in 1988 with the Ambassador resident in Washington, DC. That status quo did not last for long as the Embassy closed for the winter before reopening in April 1989 on a permanent basis. The then U.S. Secretary of State James A. Baker, III, arrived in Mongolia for an official visit on August 2, 1990 – a mere 22 days after Ambassador Lake’s own arrival. It was Baker’s personal interest in Mongolia that helped launch a new chapter in the bilateral relationship. .

While our research and writing spans the gamut of the diplomatic history of the U.S. and Mongolia across the 20th century, our primary focus is on the story of the efforts and events that led to the normalization of relations and laid the solid foundation of the ongoing strategic partnership between these two allies.

Yak FAQs

  • Because of the magic of Mongolia. We were lucky enough to discover Mongolia at a crucial period in its modern history; as it became the first Asian nation to transition from Marxism and a command economy to democracy and a free-market system. It was fascinating and exciting to watch this nation and its people rediscover themselves.

  • Good question, see the full story below.

  • Our primary focus is on the diplomatic history between the U.S, and Mongolia. Although normalization of relations between the U.S. and Mongolia was not achieved until 1987, there were mixed signals, misunderstandings, and multiple attempts by both sides throughout the 20th century. Our primary area of focus began with the 1984-1993 period (which includes the opening of the first U.S. Embassy in Mongolia and the foundation of our current relationship). We have since extended our research into the past to 1911 and use that research to continue to build an accurate foundation for understanding the the relationship today.

  • This is a period that was crucial in the history of U.S.-Mongolian relations. Even though many of the documents from that time remain classified, we still have the chance to interview and speak with the people who were involved in these events.. The topic will never fade in importance, but first hand accounts will die away.

  • The term was coined by U.S, Secretary of State James Baker during his 1990 visit; he used it in reference to the fact that Mongolia has only has two contiguous neighbors, China and Russia. In Baker’s view the United States could become Mongolia’s third neighbor. That policy has grown and evolved over time and is now, arguably, an important element of Mongolia’s approach to foreign policy.

  • We have several things in the planning stages. But if you want to find out make sure you stay in touch or follow us on social media.

Why Yaks on the Runway?

On 20 July 1990, it was announced that Secretary Baker would make a visit to Mongolia. The first modern day visit by a senior U.S. official to one of least known and rarely visited countries in the world raised many security and management issues for the Department of State. The usual advance planning and visits to survey sites for the visit took on a greater importance than usual. Consequently, Ambassador Lake visited all the sites in advance including the remote rural locations alongside the Mongolian protocol chief to reassure a nervous bureaucracy. They flew to Tariat soum in Arkhangai aimag on the northern slopes of the Khangai mountains. In those days in rural Mongolia one did not fence in livestock, rather you fenced in what you wanted to protect from the livestock, such as trees and airstrips. 

As the An-2 biplane they were traveling in approached the grass landing strip; the pilot realized the fence had been knocked down. Meandering yaks were grazing on the strip, making landing impossible. The pilot had to buzz the runway twice before the yaks dispersed and the plane was able to land. But this momenthas remained an indelible event in our authors’ memories and thus has become the umbrella name by which we refer to our Mongolia research.