Imagine there is a famine in part of your country; you are the Minister who control the rail system which can move food where needed when needed.  You are told that in the entire rail system there are too few cars to carry the good; being a diligent Minister, you find a car here, one there, four there and get them to the correct siding where the much-needed food is needed.  Finally, the train with its precious cargo is loaded and on its way; you wait by your telephone, calling and check on the progress of the train.  It must travel over a thousand miles, but you are determined that it arrives safely even though it must travel over a dangerous route and deal with a massive snow storm.  Finally, past the snowstorm you let yourself to relax only to receive a call that it was all mistaken, there was no train and no, the extra cars you found cannot now be found.  Welcome to the Soviet Union.