ORDER NO. 227 FORBID COWARDS DURING THE BATTLE OF STALINGRAD


By bblouin
Troops who received order no 227 from Stalin gather together under a tent to look at a photograph.

If you’re going to be in a warzone, bravery is an attribute that will suit you well. Even if you’ve made peace with the idea of dying, such a hostile environment is going to present moments no other event can replicate. The idea of fight, flight, or freeze is built into our DNA, along with the will to survive. So, when you have to defend against a Nazi force in 1942 that is starting to pick up ground, it’s understandable that a line would need to be drawn. Order No. 227 basically made it illegal to be a coward while defending the Soviet Union. Stalin’s Order No. 227 also forbade retreating under most circumstances. Related read: How WWII's PQ-17 & USS Washington Faced Off Against the Germans

What Was Order No. 227?

On July 28, 1942, Joseph Stalin issued Order No. 227, known as the "not one step back" order, in response to Nazi advances into Russian territory. Order No. 227 called for the elimination of panic makers and cowards. It strictly forbade any retreat without orders from higher headquarters. The fierce Soviet fighting force repulsed the Nazi attack on Stalingrad, reinforcing their position with more men and materials. However, it wasn’t just Soviet troops there to defend their homes. Even those who were not formally a part of the military rose up to stay out of Hitler’s reach.

Citizens Rose Up to Defend the Motherland

After turning their focus to Leningrad, Stalin issued Order No. 227 to boost defense efforts. However, on the same day, Russian peasants and partisans killed a German official, Adolf Beck, in the Leningrad region. The Battle of Stalingrad was far from over, but the combination of strong-willed Soviet fighters and citizens would prove too much for the Germans. Despite suffering well over 1.1 million casualties compared to the Nazi's estimated 500,000+, Stalingrad would not fall. Suggested read: Joseph Beyrle: The U.S. Paratrooper That Helped the Soviets in WWII

Victory at the Battle of Stalingrad

The Soviet Union was hindered by the Luftwaffe's Stuka dive bombers during an offensive in Kotluban on September 18, 1941. The Battle of Stalingrad was fierce, with high casualties on both sides. As a result, the Soviet 62nd Army was reduced to 90 tanks, 700 mortars, and 20,000 personnel by September 12, 1942. The Nazis’ initial attack aimed to capture key locations within the city, but the defenders fought fiercely, despite heavy losses. Initially, successful German attacks in Stalingrad were halted by strong Soviet reinforcements. But, the Soviet 13th Guards Rifle Division suffered heavy losses, losing over 30% of its soldiers in the first 24 hours and was eventually wiped out altogether. The battle was brutal, with intense fighting and high casualties on both sides.

The Effects of Order No. 227

The grain elevator in the south of the city became a symbol of resistance as about fifty Red Army defenders held their position for five days before running out of ammunition and water. This also came to pass as those fighting for Russia were burning granaries and barns to starve out invading Germans and landowners. Regardless of the Soviet Order No. 227, the Soviets held fast to retain their homes. In Stalingrad, Sergeant Yakov Pavlov's platoon fortified a building called Pavlov's House, which overlooked a square 300 meters from the river bank. Troops surrounded it with minefields, set up machine-gun positions, and breached the walls for better communication. The Nazis made slow progress in the city, capturing the southern portion while the Soviets held the center and northern part, including key crossing points along the river bank. The Soviets retained control of the ferries for their supplies on the east bank of the Volga. How much Order No. 227 did to make the Battle of Stalingrad a success for the Soviet Union is a bit debatable. Nevertheless, it was part of the victorious outcome against Nazi Germany’s advances. An ill-calculated move from the Third Reich that would ultimately bring about their demise. Read next: Meet Axis Sally: The American Traitor and Nazi Propagandist


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