The advances of military logisitics since WWI Research Paper

The advances of military logisitics since WWI - Research Paper Example Because of its central contributions to combat, military logistics has received a significant amount of critical attention. Indeed, the 20th century witnessed tremendous innovation and development in military logistics. This research considers American military logistic advances since World War I. World War I witnessed considerable advances in American military logistics. One of the greatest considerations within World War I logistics was that the sheer enormity of the war resulted in past logistic processes being outstripped. This war witnessed amounts of men and machines that the country had never prepared. It’s considered that the average amount of ammunition used was as much as ten times pre-war estimates. Adding to these logistic problems was the consideration that establishing trenches required significant amounts of supplies. As a result, the early stages of the conflict experienced tremendous shortcomings in logistic transport, particularly in the areas of ammunition. Much logistic innovation during World War I then emerged as a response to these infrastructure challenges. A major innovation during this period was the implementation of tanks and gun sleds to lead the military advance, while military supplies would be delivered to railheads and ports many miles away (Lynn 1993, p. 109). In addition to logistic innovations, logistic shortcomings during this period had a corresponding impact on military strategy. The main recognition in these regards was that it no longer was more efficient to supply armies on the move than static armies. This realization had a corresponding impact on the very strategic initiatives within the conflict. Namely, the significant size of military operations necessarily resulted in trench warfare. There were a number of major logistic innovations during World War II that revolutionized military conflict. One of the most seminal innovations was the development of the