Choibalsan originally trained as a Lamaist monk. He made contact with Russian revolutionaries when he traveled to Siberia. He founded his first revolutionary organization in 1919 and in 1921 joined with Damdin Sukhbaatar to form the Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party. After the Mongolian and Soviet Red Army forces entered Urga in 1921 and established a pro-Soviet government; Choibalsan became deputy war minister. Over the following years Choibalsan came to dominate his country's leadership and by about 1940 his position was unrivaled in his own country. He served both as head of state (Chairman of the Presidium of the State Little Hural; 1929-1930) and head of government (Chairman of the Council of People's Commissars; 1939-1952). He is sometimes accorded the military rank of Marshal. Choibalsan was a close follower of the Soviet leader Joseph Stalin and emulated his policies in many ways including the ruthless elimination of rivals for power and harsh treatment of landowners.