Overview

Though completely unsung and commonly left out of battle histories, nothing is more important than the details of logistics and support operations during a military campaign. Without fuel, food, transport, communications, and medical facilities, modern military engagement would be impossible. Peter Nash compares the methods the British and American navies developed to supply their ships across the vast reaches of the Pacific Ocean during the first part of the twentieth century. He argues that the logistics challenges faced by the navies during World War II were so profound and required such innovative solutions that the outcome was the most radical turning point in the history of mobile logistics support. He shows how the lessons learned during the final campaign against Japan were successfully implemented during the Korean War and transformed the way naval expeditionary force is projected to this day. The foreword was written by the Royal Navy's current Second Sea Lord, Vice Admiral Sir Alan Massey.

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9780813033679

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Reviews

"An excellent nuts-and-bolts examination of how the United States Navy and the Royal Navy learned to keep their fleets supplied (and fighting) on station. A key to understanding not how fleets fought but how they kept on fighting. - James P. Levy, Hofstra University """"Examines the unheralded area of mobile logistics support and aptly demonstrates its key role in military/naval planning and why this ability allowed the American and Royal navies to dominate the seas during and after the Second World War."""" - Salvatore R. Mercogliano, University of North Carolina"""" """"An interesting and very readable work that will be seen as essential reading for the maritime logistician and valuable insight for the warfare officer. Nations with global aspirations continue to require maritime forces to self sustain and this book explores the origins of the logistic fleets that enabled the expeditionary strategies of the United States Navy and the Royal Navy for fifty years, with particular focus on the Fleet Train in the Pacific Campaign of 1944/45. The author draws on scholarship and vast experience in another field to make observations and conclusions that professional logisticians will value, and adeptly bridges the gap between academic and practitioner. A good read, highly recommended for the warrior as well as the logistician.""""Commodore William Walworth OBE RFA, Head of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary, Royal Navy, UK"

An excellent nuts-and-bolts examination of how the United States Navy and the Royal Navy learned to keep their fleets supplied (and fighting) on station. A key to understanding not how fleets fought but how they kept on fighting. - James P. Levy, Hofstra University Examines the unheralded area of mobile logistics support and aptly demonstrates its key role in military/naval planning and why this ability allowed the American and Royal navies to dominate the seas during and after the Second World War. - Salvatore R. Mercogliano, University of North Carolina An interesting and very readable work that will be seen as essential reading for the maritime logistician and valuable insight for the warfare officer. Nations with global aspirations continue to require maritime forces to self sustain and this book explores the origins of the logistic fleets that enabled the expeditionary strategies of the United States Navy and the Royal Navy for fifty years, with particular focus on the Fleet Train in the Pacific Campaign of 1944/45. The author draws on scholarship and vast experience in another field to make observations and conclusions that professional logisticians will value, and adeptly bridges the gap between academic and practitioner. A good read, highly recommended for the warrior as well as the logistician. Commodore William Walworth OBE RFA, Head of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary, Royal Navy, UK

Author Information

Peter V. Nash, who retired from Barclays Bank International to study naval history, served as the Edward S. Miller Research Fellow in Naval History at the U.S. Naval War College.

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