Abstract
The army was perhaps the first bulk buyer of mass-produced footwear. In Europe, several regions focused on the bulk production of military (and civilian) footwear owe their origins to the army. This was also the case in the Czech Lands. The belated industrialisation of footwear production in the Czech Lands dates back to the Balkan Wars and World War I. The army and the war economy businesses under military control played a key role in this process. This study is devoted to the multifaceted role of the army in the completion of the industrialization of Czech shoemaking.
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