"Don't go back a step!" Russian: Приказ No 227, full name Order No 227 of the Council of Defense of the USSR, was signed on July 28, 1942, when Stalin, the Supreme Commander of the Soviet Union, was faced with increasingly serious wars and the problem of demoralization in the army, because "No step back is allowed!" "(Ни шагу назад!)] is famous. It became a symbol of the Great Patriotic War of the Soviet Union and pushed the Soviet army to the end. In summary, Order No. 227 requires the Soviet army to defend the motherland to the death in the face of German fascist aggression, no matter how many casualties it has suffered, and not to take a step back. Officers and political workers who retreat without authorization will be considered "cowards" and "traitors" and will be punished by military law.
The reason for such a brutal order was simple: in the summer of 1942, the Germans counterattacked furiously, under the stalingrad troops. Stalin had only two paths in front of him: either to fight to the death or to turn around and retreat. If the Soviet army continued to retreat, the strategically important Stalingrad would fall, and the morale of the whole country would be severely demoralized.
【Contents】Order No. 227 of the Ussecretary Defense Council
People's Commissariat of Defense of the USSR
Stalin
July 28, 1942
The enemy, with total disregard for the losses, has sent more and more troops to the front line, has penetrated deep into the territory of the Soviet Union, occupied new areas, destroyed and plundered our cities and villages, raped, murdered and plundered the Soviet people. The enemy also attacked Voronezh, the Don region, southern Russia, and the Gateway to the North Caucasus. The German invaders were advancing towards Stalingrad and the Volga and were trying at all costs to encircle the Kuban and the North Caucasus in order to plunder the oil and food there. The enemy has occupied half of Volocherovgrad, Starobersk, Rossos, Kubyansk, Valluikake, Novocheksk, Rostov on the banks of the Don River, voronezh. A part of the troops on the southern front of our army, after listening to the rumors of the panic-mongers, did not seriously stop the enemy's attack and abandoned Rostov and Novochekask. Their retreat was not ordered by Moscow, thus humiliating their flag.
The people of our country once loved and respected the Red Army, but now they are beginning to feel disappointed in the Red Army and have begun to lose confidence in the Red Army. Many cursed the Red Army for fleeing eastward, leaving our people under German slavery.
Some stupid people argue that we can continue to retreat eastwards because we still have vast territory, a large land, a large population, and we always have plenty of food. These people are comforting themselves. They try to justify their undignified behavior and retreat on such grounds. But these reasons are outright deceptive, false, and can only help our enemies.
All commanders, Red Army soldiers, political commissars must understand that our resources are not endless. The territory of the Soviet Union was not a wasteland, and on it lived people — workers, peasants, intellectuals, parents, wives, brothers, children. The territories of the Soviet Union, which had already been occupied by the fascists, and the territories of the Soviet Union that the fascists were planning to occupy, could provide food and other resources for our army and people, such as oil and steel for industry, factories for weapons and ammunition for the army, railways that we needed. After losing Ukraine, Belarus, the Baltic region, the Donetsk Basin, etc., we have lost a large part of the territory, which means that we have lost a large number of people, food, metals, factories. We have lost our advantages in human resources and supplies over the Nazis. If we continue to retreat, it means that we will destroy ourselves and we will destroy our homeland. Every territory we give up will strengthen the forces of fascism, weaken ourselves, weaken our defensive capabilities, weaken our homeland.
That is why we must root out all the talk that we can retreat endlessly, all the talk that we still have a huge territory, all the talk that our country is very rich, all the talk that we have a large population, all the talk that we have enough food. These statements are lies and dangerous because they weaken ourselves and make the enemy strong. If we don't stop the retreat, we'll have no food, no fuel, no metals, no raw materials, no factories, no railways.
We must conclude that it is time to stop the retreat. One step cannot be withdrawn! From now on, that's our slogan. It is necessary to tenaciously protect every stronghold, to defend every inch of the territory of the USSR, until the last drop of blood is shed. We must seize every piece of our land and do our best to protect it. The motherland is in a difficult period. We must stop the enemy, repel the enemy, destroy the enemy, and we will do whatever it takes. The Germans are not as powerful as the panic makers say they are; they have reached their limits. If we can withstand the current blows of the enemy, we will certainly be able to win future victories.
Is it possible for us to fend off the enemy and throw them back to the West? Of course we can. Because our factories behind the Ural Mountains are still working in perfect condition, they are supplying our army with more tanks, planes, artillery every day. So, what are we missing? We lack discipline, we lack orders, we lack discipline and orders in our divisions, regiments, companies, tank units, aviation squadrons. This is the most serious problem we face. If we are to turn the tide and defend the homeland, we must issue the strictest orders and establish strong discipline.
We can no longer tolerate commanders, political commissars who abandon their positions. We can no longer tolerate an anomaly in which some commanders and political commissars allow a few obviously cowardly people to take control of the battlefield situation. We can no longer tolerate panic-makers who cause the fighters to lose their self-control and fall into a chaotic retreat, thus opening the door for fascism. Panic makers and cowards must be extinct on the spot.
From now on, give all officers, soldiers, and political officers an iron discipline: they must not retreat half a step without orders from their superiors. Whether he is a company commander, a battalion commander, a regimental commander, a division commander, a political commissar, as long as he retreats without the orders of his superior commander, he is a traitor, and he will be dealt with as a traitor to the motherland.
Carrying out this command means that we can defend our country, save our motherland, and destroy and subdue the hateful enemy.
Under pressure from the Red Army, the Germans made a winter retreat, the morale and discipline of their troops were once relaxed, and the Germans took harsh measures and received good results. They organized 100 companies of soldiers who had violated military discipline for their cowardice on the battlefield, threw them into dangerous areas on the front line, and ordered them to atone for their sins with their blood. They also formed ten correctional battalions of officers who had violated military discipline for their cowardice on the battlefield, removed their medals and threw them into more dangerous parts of the front line, allowing them to atone for their sins with their blood. Finally, they set up special stormtroopers, placing them behind unstable troops, specifically for the execution of deserters who had retreated without permission and soldiers who tried to surrender. As far as we know, we find these measures to prove effective, because the Germans are now fighting better than they were last winter. The new situation we faced was that the Germans were well disciplined. It is not easy for them to do this because they do not have a strong motivation, they are not defending their homeland.
They have only one mission – to conquer our land. Our troops, though aimed at defending the fatherland from abuse, did not have the discipline of the Germans, so our soldiers suffered one defeat after another. Should we learn from our enemies? Just like our ancestors learned from their enemies in order to defeat them? I'm sure we should.
The Order of the High Command of the Red Army:
1． The Front Military Commission, the Front Commander shall:
a) Decisively eradicate the retreat among the troops, and strictly forbid statements such as that we can continue to withdraw eastward and that the retreat is harmless. The implementation of these measures requires the use of an iron fist.
b) Commanders who allow troops to withdraw from their positions without authorization without orders from their superiors in the Front shall be resolutely dismissed from their posts and sent to the higher military law for disposal.
c) Organize 1 to 3 (as the case may be) correctional battalions in each front, stationing commanders, senior commanders and political commissars at all levels who have violated discipline for their cowardice and placing them in more dangerous areas of the front to give them the opportunity to wash away crimes committed against the fatherland with blood.
2． The commanders of the military committees and groups of the army groups shall:
a) The commanders and political commissars of the group army who, without the order of the leadership of the army group, allow the troops to withdraw from their positions without authorization, shall be resolutely dismissed from their posts and sent to the military law of the Military Commission of the Front for disposal.
b) Within the confines of each army group, set up 3 to 5 well-equipped convoys, throw the detachments behind the disciplinary units, and order them to execute panic makers and cowards in case there is a panic retreat of the troops, only in this way can the loyal soldiers in the army be helped to be loyal to the motherland.
c) Within the framework of each army group, 5 to 10 meritorious companies shall be established, soldiers and non-commissioned officers who have violated discipline for their cowardice shall be dispatched to these companies, and they shall be placed on the dangerous front lines of the armies in order to give them the opportunity to wash away the crimes committed against the fatherland with their blood.
3. Commanders and political commissars of armies and divisions shall:
(a) The regimental, battalion commanders and political commissars who allow their troops to withdraw without the orders of the commanders of the armies and divisions shall be resolutely dismissed from their posts and their medals confiscated, their command powers shall be taken over, and they shall be sent to the Military Commission for military justice.
(b) To assist and support the escort forces with all their strength in order to rectify military discipline.
This order should be read aloud within the confines of all companies, cavalry, artillery companies, air force squadrons, groups, and staff.
People's Commissar for National Defense
Joseph stalin
[Impact] "Order No. 227" greatly shocked the Commanders and Fighters of the Soviet Army and had a huge impact on the morale of the troops. It allows every soldier to deepen the correct understanding of this harsh order while understanding the serious situation facing the front.
Order 227 aroused strong repercussions from the Soviets. Every soldier and every commander deeply feels his responsibility to the motherland and the people. Indeed, there is no way back for them.
Order 227 boosted the morale of the soldiers on the front lines and inspired them to fight to the death, and the German assault was met with more stubborn resistance.