Graf Spree Emerges From Its River Plate Grave

The Telegraph (UK) ^ | 2-27-2004 | Seamus Mirodan

[gcruse]

neutral Uruguay gave in to British pressure and sent it back out

Please, Mr Custer, I don't want to go...

[Viking2002]

Only 36 feet of water? Her superstructure must've been a navigational hazard. How big was she?

[Dilbert56]

Britain bluffed. They invoked some weird rule that would force the Graf Spee to sail (it was only supposed to stay a minimum number of hours in a neutral port). Meantime they pretended to have a large fleet wiating over the horizon. The captain and German embassy fell for it. The captain (Langsdorf?) scuttled to save his crew and then blew his brains out.

[dinok]

She was the size of a large cruiser...but she had big guns that could outrange cruiser guns. Its why she faught 3 cruisers to a draw.

[gcruse]

I love psychological warfare. Rommel was another master of it.

[solitas]

And it was a great movie too!

[nkycincinnatikid]

The Plate is so wide where she went down , they probably just marked her on the charts

[Tennessee_Bob]

Go here: http://www.battleships-cruisers.co.uk/h_class.htm and scroll down a bit - you'll see pictures of what she looked like after being scuttled.

[Viking2002]

Incredible. Thanks!

[blam]

Dang, I just remembered that I have/had a 1939 Life magazine with a picture of the Graf Spree on the cover. I gave it to my son. I'll email him this story.

[gcruse]

I used to have Life from 1942, the year of my birth. The Japanese were portrayed as buck-toothed, spectacle wearing monkeys in the magazine. Makes me think of the Quiznos critters, come to think of it.

[hc87]

12,100 tons. Length 609', Width 70', Draft 21.5'.

[martin_fierro]

Check it out!

This is like end-of-the-world-kewl stuff for little Uruguay.

HUIJA!! <|:)~

[Petronski]

I can't wait to visit that museum, wherever it is (hopefully close).

[blam]

"The Japanese were portrayed as buck-toothed, spectacle wearing monkeys in the magazine. Makes me think of the Quiznos critters, come to think of it."

I remember see those...I was born in 1943.

[SAMWolf]

Admiral Graf Spee

Size (Max): 16023 t
Length (Total): 186,0 m
Length (Waterline): 181,7 m
Beam: 21,65 m
Draft: 7,34 m
Crew: 1001-1150

[blam]

Graf Spree Entering Montevideo Harbor

[Wumpus Hunter]

This is kind off the subject, but have you ever been to Chicago's Museum of Science and Industry?

They have a Nazi sub you can walk through. The whole saga of it's capture and transport to where it's now sitting is documented and is really interesting.

[eddie willers]

LOL....I remember that song!