▁more ▁than ▁two ▁million ▁by ▁November , ▁ ▁being ▁kv . ▁The ▁dem ands ▁of ▁the ▁H inden burg ▁Program me ▁ex ac erb ated ▁the ▁man power ▁crisis ▁and ▁constraints ▁on ▁the ▁avail ability ▁of ▁raw ▁materials ▁meant ▁that ▁targets ▁were ▁not ▁met . ▁ ▁War ▁economy ▁ ▁The ▁H inden burg ▁Program me ▁was ▁provided ▁with ▁a ▁legal ▁basis ▁in ▁the ▁A ux ili ary ▁Service ▁Law , ▁implemented ▁on ▁ 6 ▁December . ▁The ▁German ▁Army ▁returned ▁ ▁workers ▁to ▁the ▁war ▁economy ▁and ▁ex empt ed ▁ ▁from ▁cons cription ▁from ▁September ▁ 1 9 1 6 ▁to ▁July ▁ 1 9 1 7 . ▁Ste el ▁production ▁in ▁February ▁ 1 9 1 7 ▁was ▁ ▁short ▁of ▁expect ations ▁and ▁explos ives ▁production ▁was ▁ ▁below ▁the ▁target , ▁which ▁added ▁to ▁the ▁pressure ▁on ▁Lud endor ff ▁to ▁retre at ▁to ▁the ▁H inden burg ▁Line . ▁Despite ▁the ▁short falls , ▁by ▁the ▁summer ▁of ▁ 1 9 1 7 , ▁the ▁West he er ▁art illery ▁park ▁had ▁increased ▁from ▁▁ ▁guns ▁and ▁from ▁▁ ▁guns , ▁many ▁being ▁newer ▁models ▁of ▁superior ▁performance . ▁Machine - gun ▁output ▁enabled ▁each ▁division ▁to ▁have ▁ ▁and ▁ ▁machine - g uns ▁and ▁for ▁the ▁number ▁of ▁Mas ch inen ge wehr - S char f sch üt zen - Ab teil ungen ▁( M GA , ▁machine - gun ▁sh ar ps ho oter ▁det ach ments ) ▁to ▁be ▁increased . ▁The ▁greater