evidence: Known originally as Tannu Uriankhai, what is now Tuva was a recognised entity within the Chinese Empire as part of Mongolia under the Qing dynasty from 1759 until 1911. Revolution in Mongolia forced the creation of two new independent states, Mongolia itself and the Uryankhay Republic. [...] Tuva immediately "gave" its gold reserves to Moscow and sent its paltry air force to help defend Russia. More pertinently, thousands of troops joined the Red Army and fought in many major battles. Stalin "hinted" that as a reward, he would allow the independent nation to become part of the USSR, and Toka had already negotiated with him. So it was that on November 1, 1944, the votes of the parliament and the party’s plenary session took effect and Tuva became an autonomous region of the USSR, with Toka staying in charge. The Tuva Republic of the Russian Federation is the successor nation. Professor Tomasz Kamusella, reader in modern central and Eastern European history at the University of St Andrews, wrote: "Neither western leaders nor the western public noticed the vanishing of an entire country in the middle of Asia.