I'VE BEEN TO TAMSAG BULAG, HAVE YOU?

[GeroiCCCP]

 

I've always been fascinated with Mongolia and the Khalkin Gol Campaign. Many years ago, I had a chance to get out to Khalkin Gol. Along the way, we stopped off at TAMSAG BULAG (sometimes spelled Tamsak Bulak). I just had to go there...because I just loved the name! I used to tell my wife: "One of these days, I have to go visit Tamsag Bulag!" This place was once a giant Soviet airfield and military staging area to fight the Japanese forces at Khalkin Gol. I was expecting to see an old airfield, aircraft relics, etc. When we got there, my reaction was: "WTF...!" There was absolutely nothing there but a few broken down buildings and absolutely no trees nor bushes!!!  Sorry, but no 7-11 and no Starbucks! It had a population of 5 (a yurt with a Mongolian shepherd family) with a flock of goats, sheep, horses, and a camel. The Japanese bombed the base and there were vicious dogfights overhead.

So I had my photo taken there, just to show my wife that I was at the ends of the earth. My buddy and I joked about making a T-shirt which reads: "I'VE BEEN TO TAMSAG BULAG, HAVE YOU?"

And now that I've been there and showed you the photos, you don't have to make the grueling journey! Saved you time and money. I appreciated Bob sharing his photos of Lake Khasan, which was on my bucket list. Thanks to him, I don't have to go there now! He's saved me thousands of dollars!!!

Edited March 23, 2016 by GeroiCCCP
Typos

[Bob]

Great post - and banging my head that I only just read it. Wish you would have shared some more details!

By the way, in light of your adventures I think you might like this book (a lot): 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tuva_or_Bust!

 

[Gordon Craig]

GeroICCCP,

Thanks for the post and the comments.  I did a presentation on the Battle of Khalki Gol to the Ottawa chapter of the OMRS a couple of years ago.  I was surprised, because of its impact on future Japanese decisions about WWII, that no one had ever heard of it.  Glad to hear that someone else finds it worth studying.

Regards,

Gordon

 

[Brian Wolfe]

Population 5 and no Starbucks or even a Tims? You were at the ends of the world!

Seriously, thanks for posting this lost from memory WWII site. Man, you just never know what you'll learn when you check the posts on GMIC

Regards

Brian