On June 22, 1941, Nazi Germany launched a large-scale attack on the Soviet Union, and the Soviet army faced a great threat. In order to limit the actions of the German army, the Soviet Union adopted a "scorched earth strategy", that is, to destroy all the resources that could not be taken away when retreating, leaving no supplies for the enemy. However, the Germans, with adequate preparation and lightning tactics, still quickly broke through the Soviet defenses and attacked extremely quickly. Against the backdrop of the dire situation, Stalin issued Order No. 270 on August 16, 1941, which required commanders not to be timid in battle, otherwise they would be demoted to soldiers and possibly shot.
At the same time, after being surrounded by the enemy, Soviet soldiers must continue to fight until the last moment, and officers and soldiers who retreat without permission are considered deserters and can be shot directly, and the families of deserters will also be jointly and severally liable. In addition, if someone defects, their families are also punished. In order to motivate the soldiers, Stalin also gave more privileges to the commanders, including the "law of eleven killings". According to this rule, the generals who were defeated or escaped were divided into groups of 10 people, and then lots were drawn, and those who were drawn to be "executed" were executed in public, regardless of officers and soldiers. These harsh orders and measures did play a certain role in restricting and containing the German army, helping the Soviet army to maintain a certain resistance in the war.
However, due to the strength of the German army and the internal problems of the Soviet army, Stalin's order did not completely stop the German offensive, and the war still caused a huge ** in the Soviet Union. Stalin's Order No. 270 was a military policy implemented by the Soviet Union during World War II, requiring Soviet officers and soldiers to either resist to the last man or commit suicide in the event of a German attack, and never be allowed to be captured. The purpose of this order was to encourage the soldiers to resist resolutely and maintain morale in order to prevent the Germans from capturing Soviet soldiers and obtaining intelligence. Stalin believed that the captured soldiers would become spies for the German army and could cause even more harm to the Soviet Union.
However, the implementation of this order was brutal and ruthless, causing great stress and suffering to the officers and soldiers and their families. Captured soldiers face the choice of death or suicide, while their families may suffer ** and punishment. This military policy ignores the human element and is seen as an unfair treatment of soldiers and families. Although this order had a certain practical need in the context of the war at that time, it also raised a series of questions. Some soldiers chose to surrender and join the German army to fight the USSR from within. In addition, this order left Stalin with a cold-blooded, heartless image in the minds of the Soviet population, leading to his being called the "butcher".
In general, Stalin's Order No. 270 was a military policy developed in a special historical context, which to a certain extent served the purpose of maintaining morale, but also caused great suffering for officers and soldiers and their families, and raised a series of problems.