Is it desertion to retreat without any instructions from superiors?

To put it bluntly, a soldier is an arm that gives its life for a task at any time.

This profession itself is relatively hard, and it is impossible to fully meet the requirements of humanization.

For example, if I want to cover the main retreat or achieve some strategic goal, I must leave some people behind to stop the enemy. But usually there is no such requirement as you said. Usually in time, otherwise, if they have to die, without your instruction, everyone will run away.

For example, if I want to surround the enemy's main force, I will send a battalion to defend the strategic location, stop the escape speed of the enemy's main force, and win time for encircling the enemy. At this time, I will give this battalion an order to hold the hill position for 8 hours. It will be eight hours before you can move and retreat by yourself.

It costs a lot of money to train a soldier. Replenishing troops and training is also time-consuming, not to mention weapons and equipment. So the commander values the lives of soldiers more than you do. As Li Yunlong said, "Who wants those prisoners, who doesn't want those veterans who roll with us in northwestern Shanxi!"

And I'm not saying that if a small number of people die, more people will survive, but for example, when a huge army is surrounded, if there is no such a small number of people to stop it, the whole army will die. This is not to decide who will die, but to die. A few people have saved most people. Just like you said, how can we hold our ground when no one is around?

If everyone is like you said, why should we stop it and then we retreat? In the end, the main force was wiped out. Is this the most fundamental purpose?

I suggest you watch Death and Glory in Changde. That's what you said in the first act Colonel Deng Xianfeng refused to defend Changde's barrier Mount Deshan, which led the Japanese army to March in and surround Changde City, and 8000 people in the city were trapped. What is the fundamental meaning and purpose at this time? It just goes against the fundamental meaning and purpose!