River Plate 1939: The sinking of the Graf Spee

by Angus Konstam, Tony Bryan (Illustrator)

Overview

Days before the outbreak of World War II a handful of German commerce raiders put out to sea to prey on Allied merchantmen. Amongst them was the Panzerschiff ('armoured ship') Graf Spee, a formidable warship that boasted the firepower of a battleship but the size, speed and range of a cruiser. When World War II commenced, under the command of Captain Langsdorff the Graf Spee began a hunting spree across the South Atlantic and the Indian Ocean that eventual 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 colour 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.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781472817976
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Publishing
Publication date:	08/25/2016
Series:	Campaign , #171
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	96
File size:	40 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.

About the Author

Angus Konstam hails from the Orkney Islands, and is the author of over 50 books, 30 of which are published by Osprey. This acclaimed and widely published author has written several books on piracy, including The History of Pirates, and Blackbeard: America's Most Notorious Pirate. A former naval officer and museum professional, he worked as the Curator of Weapons at the Tower of London and as the Chief Curator of the Mel Fisher Maritime Museum in Key West, Florida. He now works as a full-time author and historian, and lives in Edinburgh, Scotland.

Tony Bryan is a freelance illustrator of many years' experience who lives and works in Dorset. He initially qualified in Engineering and worked for a number of years in Military Research and Development, and has a keen interest in military hardware – armour, small arms, aircraft and ships. Tony has produced many illustrations for partworks, magazines and books, including a number of titles in the New Vanguard series.
Angus Konstam is a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society and has written widely on naval history, with well over a hundred books in print. He is a former Royal Navy officer, maritime archaeologist and museum curator, who has worked in the Royal Armouries, Tower of London, and Mel Fisher Maritime Museum. Now a full-time author and historian, he lives in Orkney.

Table of Contents

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

Editorial Reviews

This volume is certainly useful as an overall introduction to the wartime activities of the Graf Spee, and would also make a great gift for a budding naval enthusiast.” —Warship International

“If you are a fan of things nautical or just interested in this particular event, then this is a book for you.” —Modeling Madness

“Highly recommended. . . . I learned a lot from this book, and I think you would too.” —IPMS/USA

From the Publisher