Feeding Mars: Logistics In Western Warfare From The Middle Ages To The Present (History and Warfare)
by John A Lynn
Product Description:
Mars must be fed. His tools of war demand huge quantities of fodder, fuel, ammunition, and food. All these must be produced, transported, and distributed to contending forces in the field. No one can doubt the importance of feeding Mars in warfare, and it takes no great effort to recognize that logistics has always been a major aspect of large-scale armed struggle. Yet, despite its undeniable importance, surprisingly little has been written about logistics. The literature on warfare is full of the triumphs and tragedies of common soldiers and the brilliance and blundering of generals. But logistics lacks the drama of combat. It can be expressed on balance sheets no more exciting than shopping lists; movement is not measured by the dashing gallop of charging cavalry but by the steady plod of draft horses.Feeding Mars is an important contribution to the study of this essential aspect of warfare as practiced by Western powers from the Middle Ages to the Vietnam War. It deals with logistics across a broader time span than that covered in any other work on the subject and emphasizes the various ways in which the essential materials of war have been produced, acquired, and transported to fighting forces in the field.Feeding Mars makes a major contribution to military history and sheds new light on an important, but too often overlooked, aspect of warfare.
Subjects:
Defence strategy, planning & research,
War & defence operations,
History,
History - Military / War,
Military,
Military - Strategy,
History / Military / Strategy,
History / World,
Logistics,
Reviews:
Very specialized scholarly work; counterpoint to Creveld
"Feeding Mars" is a collection of scholarly essays on the theme of historical logistics. The essays, however, are sometimes very specialized and cover an enormous scope of time, which means, basically, that not all of them are interesting to everybody. The book is interesting, however, in that it tries to offer a counterpoint to Creveld's "Supplying War", qualifying its sometimes sweeping arguments. If you are interested in military logistics, its acquisition is certainly necessary.
