Penalty formations of the Red Army. Daines V.O.

For 80 years, disputes about the legendary penal battalions - penalties, 80 years old is a discussion about the legality of the creation of these parts. The Great Patriotic War demanded the maximum stress of all forces and resources from the Red Army. Having stood under German blows in the first months of the invasion, Soviet troops continued to exert fierce resistance to the enemy, but the supreme command demanded to completely exclude the retreat.

in July 1942, the People's Commissar of Defense signed order No. 227 “On measures to strengthen discipline and order in the Red Army and the prohibition of unauthorized departure from combat positions, ”better known as“ not a step back! ”. With this order, penal battalions and companies began to form on the fronts and armies.

Who were the penalty men? What were the grounds for sending to the penal battalion? How did the penalty committed guilt at the front? Did the fines rely awards and was it possible to survive with regular clashes? Were there tank and aviation penalty units? Why is the topic of fines so popular among writers?

Famous military historian Vladimir Daines answers these questions in a new wide -supplemented edition of his bestseller about penal battles.