Order No. 227 (
Russian: Приказ № 227,
romanized:
Prikaz No. 227) was an order issued on 28 July 1942 by
Joseph Stalin, who was acting as the
People's Commissar of Defence. It is known for its line "Not a step back!" (Ни шагу назад!,
Ni shagu nazad!),
[1] which became the primary
slogan of the
Soviet press in summer 1942.
[2]
Order No. 227 established that each
front must create one to three
penal battalions (Russian: штрафной батальон, romanized:
shtrafnoy batalyon, lit. 'penalty battalion', commonly known as штрафбат,
shtrafbat) of up to 800 middle-ranking commanders and high-ranking commanders accused of disciplinary problems, which were sent to the most dangerous sections of the front lines.
[3] From 1942 to 1945, a total of 422,700
Red Army personnel were sentenced to penal battalions as a result of
courts-martial.
[4] The order also directed that each
army must create "
blocking detachments" at the rear that would shoot "panic-mongers and cowards".
[2]
Order No. 227 - Wikipedia
Literally dying like their great-grand uncles.