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Summary: A Welcome Insight into Alexander's Logistics Genius
Comment: Alexander's logistics management during his unprecedented (and unmatched) military campaign is something that's easily overlooked considering the reams of books about virtually everything else about Alexander. But this seemingly mundane subject matter turns out to be one of the most fascinating aspects of Alexander's truly multi-faceted genius. This book provides a great insight in layman's terms of what it was like to manage a campaigning army of approximately 50,000 plus followers (engineers, doctors, cooks, entertainers, scientists, craftsmen, servants, etc.) of around another 15,000 people and at least 10,000 horses and mules. It's easy to just throw down the numbers and do the calculations, but it's another thing to imagine the logistics involved in procuring the food, water, and other resources to keep the army moving at a swift pace of 35~40 miles per day.
Engels does a great job of helping the reader visualize the enormity of the logistics problems involved and how they were tackled by Alexander as he and his army marched through Asia. Alexander was a very hands-on kind of a leader who was involved in the minute details of logistics operations when necessary but did so without getting into micro-managing those underneath him. Alexander knew every aspect of his army inside and out and lived like a common solider, which is what truly endeared his soldiers to him with fervent loyalty. This book provides great insight into an aspect of Alexander that some will ponder about but never bother to delve into. How did Alexander lead such a huge army and a supporting contingent over 22,000 miles of extremely difficult terrain and environments? This book goes a long way in answering that question.
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Summary: how can a book on logistics be so gripping?
Comment: i would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in military strategy or ancient history. i read it in a day because i simply could not put it down. engels provides a case for alexander's movements based on what is logistically possible through the movement of troops and supplies. well researched (he pulls from sources as diverse as ancient greek text and us. army records), the book opened my eyes to what warfare in those days must truely entail.
this is not an introductory book on alexander's campaigns, however. the author assumes you have good knowledge of what the pervailing theories are of the routes that he took, and doesn't waste time explaining details that might not be known to someone who hasn't already read and studied this time period.
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Summary: Rigorous yet highly readable
Comment: Engel's little book is one the best investigations into the effects of logistical factors on warfare that I've ever read. Reducing the energy needs of any body of men and animals to a formula,applying logical constraints to deductions about the movement and function of these groups, and by rigorous historical investigation into the geography, history and climate of the relevant places involved, Engels picked out the motivations and concerns of Alexander (and his enemies) as he marched across the shuddering corpse of the Persian Empire.
Don't be put off by the implied technical details above. This is a very readable book, a story, even. It's one of my favourite reads. Engel's conjectures are thought provoking, but always backed up by hard evidence. Anyone studying warfare in any time prior to the modern period (where trains and the internal combustion engine changed everything) needs to read this book to understand how things worked.
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Summary: Seminal Work on Alexander the Great Military Logistics
Comment: This is a very illuminating book on the supply and logistical challenges that Alexander the Great had to overcome in his numerous brilliant and successful campaigns. Donald Engels's book is unique in that it focuses on an area that many authors either takes for granted or pay scant attention to, yet it is an integral and critical part of any successful military campaign.
The book contains some important lessons for all commanders today on the critical importance of logistics to sustain an army and ensure that it is well supplied and that troops remain motivated. The book shows how Alexander's intimate knowledge and understanding of terrain, geography, weather, seasons, sources of provisions and accessibility of routes enabled him to expertly solve the various logistical challenges thus ensuring his decisive victories. The immensity of the calculations that he had to make, the numerous permutations that had to be taken into account with respect to factors such as speed of troop movement, water and food requirements for people and animals as well as the weapons and ammunition shows really how capable Alexander and his staff were.
The book thus authoritatively highlights the fact that Alexander's genius for effective logistical system played an essential part in complementing his brilliant tactical skills and leadership acumen. After reading this book, you can make sense of why Alexander made certain decisions as supply and logistics severely restricts where an army can go, its speed, rest periods, how long it can stay at any given place, the number of soldiers that can be accommodated as well as methods of transport and supply, among other things.
Having read this book, one can really appreciate with awe just how great Alexander was to wage brilliantly successful campaigns in distant and remote lands, such as Persia and India, when the ancient means of transport and supply were poor and inefficient. It took methodical, detailed and thoughtful planning and Alexander's sharp intellect to put it all well together.
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Summary: The Definitive Book On The Logistics Of Alexander The Great
Comment: Donald W. Engels book is chock full of logistical details that any serious student of Alexander The Great would need, to undertake an in-depth study of the logistical needs of this great general. Personally, I believe Alexander The Great was the greatest commander on the battlefield and his success is due in no small part to his exceptional understanding of the logistics necessary for his army to conquer the ancient world. He learned his craft under the able tutelage of his father, Philip of Macedon. Philip saw in his son the genius he had for organization and entrusted his logistical planning to his son while he was in his late teens. I guess a classical education provided by Aristotle didn't hurt him!
Engels book solves Alexander's logistical challenges by using the relationship of time, distance, geography, climate and the nutritional needs of his army. He uses ancient historical sources as well as recent archaeological work to fill in the many blanks that had been plaguing students of Alexander's conquests for years. One of the great facts that Engels points out is that Alexander used very few pack animals since they needed too much food and water. He used men instead to move his army, which made it lighter and faster. The statistical tables, maps and appendices alone make this a most worthwhile book. Had Field Marshall Rommell had access to Engels work he might have not allowed his lack of logistics defeat his strategy, thank G-d the book wasn't available to him!
This is the consummate work for understanding the logistics of ancient warfare. No serious student of Alexander The Great can be without this book. Being that I am a retired U. S. Army Major, I recommend this book to anyone who is interested in ancient warfare, and history.
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