Order No. 227 was issued by Joseph Stalin during a critical phase of World War II, specifically targeting the increasing instances of retreat among Soviet troops as they faced the relentless German advance. The order explicitly forbade any unauthorized withdrawal from combat positions, reflecting Stalin's grave concern for the morale and discipline of the Red Army in light of troubling defeats. This order was announced during a conference in the Kremlin and quickly disseminated to the Soviet military leadership.

The implementation of Order No. 227 meant that soldiers who left their posts without permission could be subjected to severe penalties. These included assignment to shtrafbat battalions—penal units known for their grueling conditions and high casualty rates—as well as imprisonment in the notorious Gulag system or even execution. The order aimed to instill rigorous discipline as the Red Army prepared for the critical battles that lay ahead, particularly the defense of Stalingrad, which was pivotal for Soviet military strategy.

In the context of the Eastern Front, Order No. 227 marked an important turning point in the Soviet leadership's approach to maintaining order and discipline among its ranks. As the German Wehrmacht pushed deeper into Soviet territory, and with the fate of the Soviet Union at stake, Stalin's order underscored the extreme measures he believed were necessary to halt the retreat and encourage a spirit of defiance against the invaders. The repercussions of this order were far-reaching, affecting the dynamics of soldier morale and operational effectiveness during the campaign that would ensue.