Historians Wendy Goldman and Donald Filzer explore the history of all-out war behind the front lines in their book. How did the state manage to mobilize all its resources, including labor, in such a short time? Was the work of state bodies responsible for emergency initiatives effectively organized? What role did corruption of officials and the black market play in the life of the rear? And how did people manage to survive the monstrous hardships - hunger, hard work and outbreaks of epidemics?