Preface.- Introduction.- 1. The background of two centuries.- 2. "An army marches on its stomach!".- 3. When demigods rode rails.- 4. The wheel that broke.- 5. Russian roulette.- 6. Sirte to Alamein.- 7. War of the accountants.- 8. Logistics in perspective.- Postcript: Where are we now?.- Note on sources.- Bibliography.- Notes.-