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Full Description
The successes of the Blitzkrieg campaigns of 1939-41 fostered an image of Germany's unstoppable modern military machine. Yet beneath the surface lay a critical vulnerability: logistics. Postwar narratives often point to overwhelming Soviet manpower, American industrial superiority, or Hitler's erratic leadership as causes of Germany's defeat. While these factors undoubtedly influenced the course of the war, the decisive factor in the Wehrmacht's failure was logistical inadequacy.
Despite examples of resilience—advancing so far across the Russian steppe, maintaining industrial output under strategic Allied bombardment, and keeping the railways running—Germany's logistical system collapsed at key moments. In Moscow, troops froze without the winter gear that was stranded in depots. In North Africa, vital supplies failed to reach the front. At Stalingrad, air resupply proved impossible. In Normandy and the Ardennes, rail and fuel shortages proved fatal. Germany's success in the early war years hid the cracks in the system, and short-term wins came at a cost to its future.
This fully illustrated volume examines the logistics of the Wehrmacht's largely horse-drawn supply system, its successes, and its ultimate failure.
Casemate Illustrated Specials offer unparalleled detail into the weapons, equipment, and machinery of war. Detailed, focused text is accompanied by hundreds of photographs, illustrations, and diagrams, providing a wealth of visual information for the historian, modeler, or researcher.
Contents
INTRODUCTION
Definitions, quick survey of German WWI logistics and the prewar plans.
1 Strategic logistics
Logistical activities that are conducted at national and international levels.
• Industry, politics and the Nazis
• The supply chain
• Oil
• Manpower
• Auxiliary troops: NSKK (Nazionalsozialistisches Kraftfahrkorps); RAD (Reichsarbeitdienst); OT (Organisation Todt)
• Shipping operations
• The evacuations of 1945
2 Operational logistics
Activities within the theatre of operations: reception, storage, and distribution of supplies and personnel; dealing with casualties; maintenance and repair of equipment; transportation systems. The Grosstransportraum between railheads and fighting troops. Logistics during attack and retreat.
• Roads and raputitsa
• Bridging
• Mechanisation
• Horses
• Railways
• Air supply
3 Tactical logistics
Activities of units engaged in combat: supplying troops in the field.
• Food and fodder
• Ammunition
• Fuel
• Wandering pockets
• Festungen
Summary
Today, the US armed forces have seven principles when it comes to logistics:
1. Responsiveness: Providing the required support when and where it is needed.
2. Simplicity: fosters unity and efficiency in planning and execution, and reduces the fog of war and the friction caused by combat.
3. Flexibility: the ability to improvise and adapt to changing situations and requirements.
4. Economy: using the minimum amount of resources required to bring about an objective.
5. Attainability: the point at which sufficient supplies, support and distribution capabilities exist to initiate operations at an acceptable level of risk.
6. Sustainability: the ability to maintain the necessary level and duration of logistics support to achieve objectives.
