River Plate 1939

The sinking of the Graf Spee

River Plate 1939 cover

Description

Days before the outbreak of World War II, a handful of German commerce raiders put out to sea to prey on Allied merchantmen. Among them was the Panzerschiffe ("armored ship") Graf Spee, a formidable warship that boasted the firepower of a battleship, but had the size, speed, and range of a cruiser. When World War II commenced, the Graf Spee, under the command of Captain Langsdorff, began a hunting spree across the South Atlantic and the Indian Ocean that eventually took her to the River Plate in search of her next victim--an Allied convoy. Instead, she found three Royal Navy cruisers under the command of Commodore Harwood, eager to put an end to the "pocket battleship" that had been terrorizing Allied merchant ships.

Featuring full color artwork, archive photographs, and meticulous research, this comprehensive volume explores the thrilling story behind the Battle of the River Plate, an engagement that unquestionably demonstrated the effectiveness of British seapower and diplomacy on an international stage.

Table of Contents

Origins of the Campaign
Opposing Commanders
Opposing Fleets
Opposing Plans
Campaign
Battle
Action
Aftermath
Conclusion
Vessels today

Chronology
Bibliography

Product details

Published Aug 23 2016
Format Paperback
Edition 1st
Extent 96
ISBN 9781472817952
Imprint Osprey Publishing
Illustrations 65 b/w; 17 col
Dimensions 10 x 7 inches
Series Campaign
Short code CAM 171
Publisher Bloomsbury Publishing

About the contributors

Author

Angus Konstam

Angus Konstam is a Fellow of the Royal Historical…

Illustrator

Tony Bryan

Resources

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