Order No. 227 of July 28, 1942 was issued by Joseph Stalin acting as People's Commissar of Defence. It is also known as the "Not one step back!" order (Ни шагу назад!). July 28 is the 209th day (210th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 156 days remaining. ... 1942 was a common year starting on Thursday (link will take you to calendar). ... Iosif (usually anglicized as Joseph) Vissarionovich Stalin (Russian: Иосиф Виссарионович Сталин), original name Ioseb Jughashvili (Georgian: იოსებ ჯუღაშვილი; see Other names section) (December 21, 1879[1] – March 5, 1953) was a Bolshevik revolutionary and leader of the Soviet Union. ... From 1919 to 1946, functions of ministers in the government of Russia and, later, the Soviet Union were performed by Peoples Commissars (Russian title: Narodny Komissar, or Narkom). ...

No one commander had right to retreat without order. Anyone who did so was subject to military tribunal. What constitutes a military tribunal varies according to nation and sometimes even military branch and regional jurisdiction. ...

Order No. 227 established that each Front must create 1-3 penal batalions (штрафбат, штрафной батальон, 'shtrafbat', shtrafnoy batallion) made up of officers at fault. Each Front had to create penal companies for privates and NCOs. These penal units were assigned the most dangerous tasks. Front was a major military subdivision of the Soviet Army, not to be mistaken with the more general term of a military front. ... Penal battalion, penal company, etc. ... Front was a major military subdivision of the Soviet Army, not to be mistaken with the more general term of a military front. ... A company is a military unit, typically consisting of 100-200 soldiers. ... A non-commissioned officer (sometimes noncommissioned officer), or NCO, is an enlisted member of an armed force who has been delegated leadership or command authority by a commissioned officer. ...

It also established that each Army must create 3-5 well-armed barrage troops (заградотряд, заградительный отряд) to shoot the retreating troops. This article or section should be merged with the Military unit section of Army The term Army, besides its general-purpose meaning (see army) specifically denotes a major military unit in militaries various countries, including the Soviet Union. ...

Both measures were cited in the preamble of the order as successfully used by the Germans during their winter retreat.

All commanders that committed unauthorized retreat were subject to military court/tribunal of the corresponding level.

Wikisource

• Wikisource:Order No. 227 by the People's Commissar of Defence of the USSR (in English)
• Wikisource: Original text (in Russian)