Economic mobilization and commissary security of the Austrian army in the Great War

Abstract

From August 1914 to November 1918 the biggest military conflict lasted, which was gradually joined by thirty four of the fifty six then existing states of the world. The huge dimensions of the conflict, but also the technological advances in arms production led to mass consumption of war material, which meant an extra burden on the economy of all the belligerent countries and necessitated emergency economic measures. The militarization of the economy of the belligerent countries was associated with a change mechanism for the functioning of their economies, in particular the extensive use of state interventionism. This scientific paper maps commissary security of the Austro-Hungarian Army and its changes and challenges throughout the Great War (the first world war). Based on the economic situation of the Austro-Hungarian Empire the paper emphasizes the economic level of the Czech lands before 1914. The issue is handled from the perspective of food security and the impact to the army and whole society.