al ▁Paul ▁von ▁H inden burg ▁and ▁General ▁Er ich ▁Lud endor ff . ▁The ▁two ▁were ▁appointed ▁after ▁the ▁s ack ing ▁of ▁General ▁Er ich ▁von ▁Fal ken h ay n ▁on ▁ 2 8 ▁August ▁ 1 9 1 6 ▁and ▁intended ▁to ▁double ▁German ▁industrial ▁production , ▁to ▁greatly ▁increase ▁the ▁output ▁of ▁m un itions ▁and ▁weapons . ▁ ▁Background ▁ ▁Third ▁O HL ▁ ▁On ▁ 2 9 ▁August ▁ 1 9 1 6 , ▁Field ▁Marsh al ▁Paul ▁von ▁H inden burg ▁and ▁General ▁Er ich ▁Lud endor ff ▁were ▁appointed ▁to ▁the ▁Ober ste ▁He eres leitung ▁( O HL , ▁German ▁General ▁Staff ) ▁of ▁the ▁German ▁army , ▁after ▁the ▁s ack ing ▁of ▁General ▁Er ich ▁von ▁Fal ken h ay n , ▁who ▁had ▁commanded ▁the ▁arm ies ▁of ▁Germany ▁since ▁September ▁ 1 9 1 4 . ▁The ▁new ▁command ers , ▁who ▁became ▁known ▁as ▁the ▁Third ▁O HL , ▁had ▁spent ▁two ▁years ▁in ▁command ▁of ▁Ober be fe hl sh ab er ▁der ▁gesam ten ▁Deutschen ▁Stre it k rä fte ▁im ▁Osten ▁( O ber ▁Ost , ▁Supreme ▁Commander ▁of ▁All ▁German ▁Forces ▁in ▁the ▁East ) ▁on ▁the ▁German ▁section ▁of ▁the ▁Eastern ▁Front . ▁H inden burg ▁and ▁Lud endor ff ▁had ▁demanded ▁rein for c ements ▁from ▁Fal ken h ay n ▁to ▁fight ▁a ▁decis ive ▁campaign ▁against ▁Russia ▁and ▁intr igu ed ▁against ▁Fal ken h ay n ▁over ▁his ▁ref