The Graf Spee was armed with 6 x 11" main guns across two main turrets - three guns to a turret - with one turret emplacement set forward and the other held aft. This was supplemented by 8 x 5.9" guns and further strengthened by 6 x 105mm, 8 x 37mm and 10 x 20mm cannons throughout. The larger-caliber weapons were suitable against surface ships and land-based targets while the smaller-caliber systems could be used against both surface vessels and low-flying aircraft. Additionally the vessel was given true "ship-killing" capabilities in the form of 8 x 533mm torpedo tubes. Two Arado Ar 196 floatplane aircraft were carried aboard and launched from a catapult held amidships behind the bridge superstructure. These aircraft provided the vessel with the required "eye in the sky" conducting various reconnoitering sorties and, if called too, attacking with machine guns, bombs and depth charges. The aircraft could then be recovered from the water via a crane to be used again. The Graf Spee's side profile was characterized by its single smoke funnel held at amidships and high ranging mast. A crew of 1,150 officers and sailors made the vessel their wartime home.
Upon her completion, the Graf Spee set out on various propaganda tours after having completed her requisite sea trials. In August of 1939, the vessel was ordered to the South Atlantic with Captain Hans Langsdorff at the helm. World War 2 officially broke out in September of that year which now opened all Allied shipping in the Atlantic to raiding.
The Graf Spee is best known for her ultimate action at the "Battle of River Plate" in the South Atlantic, taking on British Royal Navy warships in December of 1939. The Germans spotted the HMS Exeter and a pair of cruisers - HMS Ajax and HMS Achilles - sailing on the horizon. Langsdorff ordered his men to battlestations and full speed ahead in an effort to surprise the enemy. However, the British spotted her in turn and readied for battle. British officer Henry Harwood directed his fleet to split from formation, forcing the Graf Spee to specifically select her targets to engage. Shells were exchanged in anger between the two sides with the Graf Spee crew earning much respect in the foray - considering she was outnumbered. The HMS Exeter was turned from the battle, heavily damaged, with successive hits from the Graf Spee. The German vessel's main guns were truly a match for the light-armored British vessels. A smokescreen was then laid by the Graf Spee believed to be under attack from torpedoes. Exeter returned after a break but was repelled once more. HMS Ajax now suffered damage from the Graf Spee, losing one of her turrets. The action was enough to see both sides break off combat and sail their respective ways.
Despite the showing, the Graf Spee was not an invincible vessel. In the action she incurred enough battle damage and wounded to force her to find a friendly port for repairs and removal of the injured. Some reports state that the Graf Spee received as many as 60 to 70 direct hits in the fighting. Additionally, her ammunition stores were low and both of her oil purification and water desalination systems were completely ruined - making a return trip home to Germany a near-impossibility.
The vessel therefore ended up in nearby neutral Montevideo, Uruguay, the idea being that the ship could be made seaworthy again. While in harbor, the British Navy had convinced the Germans through deliberately-intercepted radio transmissions that there was a sizeable nearby force awaiting their return to sea. This eventually left the Graf Spee captain with two decisions - make a suicide run towards friendly Argentina or scuttle the boat where she lay. The decision was ultimately made to scuttle the ship and, due to the neutral state of Uruguay, the Graf Spee crew had 72 hours on their side before the vessel would be turned over. This time was spent removing the injured and wiring explosives.
On December 17th, 1939 the crew of the Graf Spee began the scuttle process. When all was readied, the remaining crew were taken prisoner and the Graf Spee was blown up on December 18th. However, her captain (Langsdorff) elected to kill himself in macabre honorary fashion on December 20th, taking the full blame for the failure of the Graf Spee and not wanting to face his homeland Germany in disgrace. The Graf Spee's participation in World War 2 had officially ended.
The wreckage of the Graf Spee is known today and a painstaking endeavor to raise the ship began in 2004.
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