Managing Armageddon : the science of transportation and the British Expeditionary Force, 1900-1918
At its most fundamental level, the First World War in northern Europe was fought between two competing industrial systems. The efficient production and delivery of materials from the factory to the front lines played a critical role in deciding the outcome of the conflict. This thesis examines the management of the second of those factors, the provision of a flexible, effective logistics organization in the rear of the British Expeditionary Force [BEF] on the Western Front. The thesis draws upon war diaries generated by the administrative departments, and the personal papers of individuals concerned with maintaining the supply lines of the BEF and ensuring that the BEFâs âtailâ continued to wag. It reverses historiographical trends which have stressed the influence of the war upon the societies which fought it, to instead emphasize the manner in which highly-skilled experts from some of Britainâs largest and most complex businesses were able to contribute recognizable industrial techniques and working methods to improve the efficiency of the BEFâs transportation infrastructure and the operations systems employed upon it. This thesis rejects post-war claims, most vociferously asserted by David Lloyd
Phillips, Christopher
Managing Armageddon : the science of transportation and the British Expeditionary Force, 1900-1918. At its most fundamental level, the First World War in northern Europe was fought between two competing industrial systems. The efficient production and delivery of materials from the factory to the front lines played a critical role in deciding the outcome of the conflict. This thesis examines the management of the second of those factors, the provision of a flexible, effective logistics organization in the rear of the British Expeditionary Force [BEF] on the Western Front. The thesis draws upon war diaries generated by the administrative departments, and the personal papers of individuals concerned with maintaining the supply lines of the BEF and ensuring that the BEFâs âtailâ continued to wag. It reverses historiographical trends which have stressed the influence of the war upon the societies which fought it, to instead emphasize the manner in which highly-skilled experts from some of Britainâs largest and most complex businesses were able to contribute recognizable industrial techniques and working methods to improve the efficiency of the BEFâs transportation infrastructure and the operations systems employed upon it. This thesis rejects post-war claims, most vociferously asserted by David Lloyd
managing science transportation british force fundamental level first_world_war northern_europe fight two_compete industrial system efficient production delivery material factory front line play critical role decide outcome conflict examines management second factor provision flexible effective logistics organization rear british force bef western_front draw_upon war diary generate administrative department personal paper individual concerned maintain supply line bef ensure bef continue wag historiographical trend stress influence war upon society fight instead emphasize manner highly skilled expert britain large complex business able contribute recognizable industrial technique work method improve efficiency bef transportation infrastructure operation system employ upon reject post_war claim assert