The Army, the Great War, and the Belated Industrialisation of Shoemaking in the Czech Lands.

This article examines the pivotal role of the army in the belated industrialization of the Czech shoemaking industry during the Balkan Wars and World War I. It highlights how long-standing military contracts for standardized footwear, wartime legislation, and the militarization of production accelerated the transition from traditional manual shoemaking to mechanized, factory-based mass production in the Czech Lands. The army’s demand for military boots fostered the concentration and monopolization of footwear manufacturing among large enterprises and cooperatives, while small-scale producers declined. The study also details the establishment of war economy central offices that controlled raw materials and production, and how wartime conditions prompted innovations in labor organization, material use, and social policies within the industry. Ultimately, the army’s influence reshaped the Czech footwear sector, enabling it to become a leading exporter in the interwar period.