Joseph Stalin issued these orders in response to the invasion of the Soviet Union by Nazi Germany. This event occurred during World War II when Germany violated the non-aggression pact signed between the two countries. Stalin's orders were aimed at mobilizing the Soviet Union to defend against the German invasion and to rally support for the war effort. The invasion led to significant devastation and loss of life in the Soviet Union, prompting Stalin to take decisive actions to protect his country.
Stalin's orders included strategies such as the scorched-earth policy, where resources were destroyed to prevent their use by the advancing German army, and the implementation of total war measures to mobilize all resources for the defense of the Soviet Union. These orders were crucial in shaping the Soviet Union's response to the invasion and in ultimately contributing to the defeat of the German forces on the Eastern Front of World War II.
