The River Plate

December 13-17, 1939

Strategic Context

The Graf Spee cruises the South Atlantic Ocean for two months, raiding British
merchant shipping. Hans Langsdorff leads his pocket battleship as far as the
Indian Ocean, capturing or sinking 11 British ships. The Royal Navy scours the
seas specifically for the Graf Spee so Henry Harwood can hardly turn down a
chance to neutralize her with his cruisers.

Stakes

+ A German victory would allow the
Graf Spee to continue raiding British
shipping and draw more warships to
destroy her.

+ A British victory would end the
Graf Spee’s threat to its shipping
and free up warships to hunting
other German surface raiders.

By Jonathan Webb,
2009 ©

The River Plate, 1939

Strength

Kriegsmarine

12,100 tonnes

Well

Royal Navy

22,400 tonnes

Well

Hans Langsdorff

1 heavy
cruiser

1 pocket
battleship

Henry
Harwood

2 light
cruisers

By Jonathan Webb,
2009 ©

Langsdorff and his pocket battleship are hunting merchant shipping when he spots his own hunters, Harwood’s
cruisers, steaming towards him. Langsdorff’s Graf Spee boasts thicker armour and heavier guns with more range but
is significantly slower. Harwood on the other hand questions whether any of his cruisers’ guns can sink Graf Spee
and therefore must rely on their maneuverability.

Kriegsmari

ne

(Langsdorff)

Royal

Navy

(Harwood)

Exeter heads straight for Graf Spee while Ajax and Achilles steam ahead to cross her bow. This maneuver proves
nearly fatal for Exeter as Graf Spee fires salvoes before Exeter can even fire her own and even when she does, the
exchange is still lop-sided: Exeter is pummeled by the Graf Spee while landing few hits of her own. Meanwhile Ajax
and Achilles have yet to engage in combat.

Graf
Spree

Aja
x

Exeter

Achille
s

Graf Spee continues to smash Exeter until Ajax and Achilles charge Graf Spee to divide her guns.
Exeter lands a glancing but direct hit on Graf Spee’s bridge before listing away at low speed with
few functional weapons. Graf Spee begins to focus her guns towards Ajax and Achilles which are
already firing intently with all guns.

Harwood and Langsdorff exchange vicious salvoes, each landing respectable hits. Harwood realizes his position cannot last;
Ajax has lost a turret, his ships seem to be firing “marshmallows” at the heavily armoured pocket battleship and ammunition is
running low. Before his ships can make smoke and escape, Graf Spee also turns to retreat. Langsdorff is apparently disoriented
after being knocked unconscious momentarily from a blast. Harwood orders his cruisers to cautiously shadow Graf Spee
outside her mighty guns’ range. The pursuit ends at the port of Montevideo.

Under international law, the Graf Spee is only permitted to stay in a neutral port for three days which the Uruguayan
authorities resolve to enforce. Harwood prefers Graf Spee stay in port until reinforcements can arrive to handle the powerful
ship and so British diplomats protest; this way it appears they are anxious for Graf Spee to set sail as if there is an armada
waiting for her. British diplomats reinforce this myth by spreading rumours that this armada is already stationed outside the
harbour. In reality, only the cruiser Cumberland arrives within the three days.

Cumberlan
d

Langsdorff radios Berlin but only receives the typical order that he not allow his ship to be
captured. Langsdorff decides to scuttle Graf Spee which he orders to take place after burying the
dead and releasing the prisoners. In a hotel, Langsdorff writes a letter to his family, lays upon the
battle ensign of Graf Spee and shoots himself.

Aja
x

Royal Navy

(Henry

Harwood)

1 heavy cruiser
2 light cruisers

Kriegsmarine

(Hans

Langsdorff)

1 pocket

battleship

The River Plate, 1939

Casualties & Aftermath

Kriegsmarine:

Royal Navy:

1 pocket battleship

(scuttled)

96 sailors

or

100%

1 heavy cruiser

(heavily damaged)

100 sailors

or

33%

By Jonathan Webb,
2009 ©

The loss of Graf Spee left only two other pocket battleships for
surface raiding: the Lützow and Scheer. The South Atlantic became
safer for British merchant shipping although a number of German U-
boats still operated in the waters.

The Art of Battle:

Animated Battle Maps

http://www.theartofbattle.com

By Jonathan Webb,
2009 ©