german or american cruiser world of warships

German Captain Hans Langsdorff believed that the Exeter and the destroyers were protecting a convoy. The two vessels with Exeter were thought to be protecting destroyers. The first mast was identified as the larger ship, the heavy cruiser HMS Exeter, with 8-inch guns. At first light on December 13, 1939, the Graf Spee’s lookout shouted the alert-two masts were sighted on the dimly lit horizon.

In the early weeks of World War II, the South Atlantic was a hunting ground for German raiders.

One of the new and innovative ships was the Admiral Graf Spee. In spite of the 20-year-old Treaty of Versailles, Germany had successfully built a massive military machine for land and sea. The year 1939 pitted the Axis forces, pushing for war, against the Allied forces of France, Great Britain, and the Low Countries, which were trying desperately to avoid conflict. Let us Out!” they cried as a third, and then a fourth shell hit, and then the room went silent.

They were seasoned sailors, these captains and mates of the nine British ships captured and sunk by the pocket battleship Admiral Graf Spee, and not happy to be pounded by British gunfire.Ī second shell landed near their prison, and more alarm was heard from the stalwart sailors. There were oaths and shouts, but no Germans appeared to undo the hatches that held the prisoners hostage. When the first shell hit in the dimly lit interior of the German ship, a subdued chorus came from the 29 ships’ officers held prisoner on board.

German or american cruiser world of warships