Supplying War: Logistics from Wallenstein to Patton - Paperback

Supplying War: Logistics from Wallenstein to Patton

This groundbreaking work by Martin van Creveld examines the often-overlooked foundation of military success: logistics. Drawing on extensive unpublished and previously unexploited sources, Supplying War shifts focus from traditional tactics and strategy to explore the "nuts and bolts" of warfare—the formidable challenges of movement, supply, transportation, and administration that determine the outcome of campaigns.

A Revolutionary Approach to Military History

By concentrating on logistics rather than conventional military narratives, van Creveld offers an original reinterpretation of military history spanning from Wallenstein's campaigns in the Thirty Years' War through to Patton's operations in World War II. This analytical framework reveals how armies actually function in the field, addressing the practical realities that traditional military histories frequently mention but rarely examine in depth.

Comprehensive Historical Analysis

The book systematically examines how military forces across three centuries managed the complex challenges of sustaining operations. Van Creveld's research methodology utilizes a wide range of archival materials, providing scholars and military professionals with detailed insights into the administrative and logistical frameworks that enabled—or hindered—military campaigns throughout the early modern and modern periods.