The Summer Campaign against Russia, 1915
IX
Up to that time the engagements of the Niemen Army during the months of July and August had only been directly connected with the main operations in so far as they had drawn enemy forces in their direction. There was, of course, a tactical cooperation on the Niemen between the inner wings of the loth and the Niemen Army. With the attack on Kovno this co-operation became closer, and at the taking of the fortress led to their fighting on the same field of battle ; it then relaxed again. From now onwards the association of these armies was to take a prominent part in the operations.
General Otto von Below was fighting in a distinct and separate area and his actions were therefore more independent than those of the other Army Commanders, who were fighting on a joint plan. We were able to confine ourselves to giving general instructions for the conduct of the campaign.
Up to the middle of July the Niemen Army had held the line of the Dubissa to south-west of Shavli, and of the Wenta and Windau from Hasenpot down to the coast. At the beginning of the operations General von Below was ordered to make an enveloping attack on the strong enemy forces near Shavli, and, after securing his left against attack from the direction of Riga, to push east, north of the Niemen. These operations were in particularly good hands. General von Below, who had already been regarded in peace time as an unusually efficient and self-reliant officer, had led Ms troops with great prudence and foresight during the battle of Tannenberg, and distinguished himself in the battle of the Masurian Lakes by the effective disposition of his forces. Field-Marshal von Hindenburg held his manly and upright character in high esteem and in November suggested to His Majesty that he should take over the command of the 8th Army, although he was one of the most junior Corps Commanders in the service. General von Below had fully justified
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