Otto von Below

Otto Ernst Vinzent Leo von Below (18 January 1857 – 9 March 1944) served as a Prussian general officer in the Imperial German Army during the First World War (1914–1918).

On 1 August 1914, at the outbreak of the First World War, Below was given command of I Reserve Corps as part of 8th Army on the Eastern Front.

As a result of his successes, he was promoted to General der Infanterie[3] at the end of August 1914 and to command of 8th Army at the beginning of November.

[10] A breakdown in German logistics brought the battle to a close on the line of the Piave River and the front soon froze again in trench warfare.

[9] Below was expected to overrun Arras during March 1918 in a repeat of Caporetto; his inability to do so led to the failure of the German campaign to capture the Somme that same month.

[11] Shortly before the war's end, Below was involved in preparations for a possible final battle on German territory (Home Defense Forces West).