▁responsible ▁for ▁raising ▁new ▁units ), ▁had ▁grave ▁doub ts ▁about ▁the ▁wisdom ▁of ▁the ▁increase ▁in ▁the ▁expansion ▁of ▁the ▁army ▁but ▁was ▁over - ru led ▁by ▁Lud endor ff . ▁ ▁Am mun ition ▁The ▁German ▁Army ▁had ▁begun ▁ 1 9 1 6 ▁equally ▁well ▁provided ▁for ▁in ▁art illery ▁and ▁am mun ition , ▁mass ing ▁ ▁field ▁and ▁ ▁heavy ▁art illery ▁shell s ▁for ▁the ▁beginning ▁of ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁Verd un . ▁Four ▁million ▁r ounds ▁were ▁fired ▁in ▁the ▁first ▁fort night ▁and ▁the ▁ 5 th ▁Army ▁needed ▁about ▁ ▁trains ▁a ▁day ▁to ▁replace ▁consumption . ▁The ▁Battle ▁of ▁the ▁Som me ▁further ▁reduced ▁the ▁German ▁reserve ▁of ▁am mun ition ▁and ▁when ▁the ▁inf antry ▁was ▁forced ▁out ▁of ▁the ▁front ▁position , ▁the ▁need ▁for ▁S per r fe uer ▁( def ensive ▁bar rages ), ▁to ▁compens ate ▁for ▁the ▁lack ▁of ▁obst acles , ▁increased . ▁Before ▁the ▁war ▁and ▁the ▁Al lied ▁naval ▁Block ade ▁of ▁Germany , ▁nit r ates ▁for ▁explos ives ▁manufact ure ▁had ▁been ▁imported ▁from ▁Chile . ▁Production ▁of ▁prop ell ants ▁could ▁continue ▁only ▁because ▁of ▁the ▁industrial isation ▁of ▁the ▁ ▁Hab er ▁process ▁for ▁the ▁synth esis ▁of ▁nit r ates ▁from ▁atmos pher ic ▁nit ro gen ▁but ▁this ▁took ▁time ▁to ▁achieve . ▁Under ▁Fal ken h ay n , ▁the ▁proc ure ment ▁of ▁am mun ition ▁and ▁art illery ▁had ▁been ▁based ▁on ▁the ▁output