ORIGINAL: btbw
I see many reading dude still write here?
Well since it battle of facts i toss mine.
Like I said on the other thread about Guadalcanal, you really need to read a book or two.
Dont repeat your magic words always. It work when you know more then others. But you dont.
Fact 1
It was Langsdorff's decision to disobey orders and engage the British cruisers.
Graf Spee dont have a chance to run from brit cruisers. In a DAY TIME. Best solution was engage them and kill (or heavy damaged) them one by one.
But maneuring and ESPECIALLY firing was incompetent (also from changes taken by brave Langsdorff which got wounded when stay on open bridge during battle and forerver lost any wish to fight).
During engagement (best tactic for slow but better armed and armored ship) 1/4 of brit force was lost.
If Langsdorff continue engagement and dont try hide in neutral port (with brit ships inside wich automatically make that port as trap) then brits will lost another ship or two or night time broke contact. But german admirals never had will for fight.
Fact 2
Had he taken the cautious route - and indeed obeyed orders - he would probably not have lost his ship.
Slow ship cannot run from 4 faster cruisers. In day time. Contact established at 6am. So all day ship can only run with danger lost all ammo durig counterattack incoming cruisers attacks with low probability to hit on high distances and in arc which decided by enemies.
Only solution was aggressive action in gap between effective range of 283mm and 150mm. When ship do that Exceter was taken out. When Langsdorff start chaotic evadings (from torpedoes... well commander of torpedo boats see always torpedoes) and redirect fire from one ship to another - battle come to bad part for german ship.
Fact 3
No critical or vital damage taken? So why did she put into port? She had seen off the 8-inch gunned Exeter, and now faced two light cruisers whose main armament was equal to Graf Spee's secondary weaponry.
Solution which taken by Langsdorff based on 2 things which usual for German (and also Italian) fleet.
It danger of lost very needed for country ship and execution after it from nazi leader.
So Langsdorff decide bring ship in neutral port and toss off her fate to political relations between countries and law.
But if we come back to ship we will found FACTS: ship dont take ANY critical damage which can decrease ability for run in nighttime from brits or destroy any of their ships during random night action.
Ship dont lost speed, dont have floation, still had ammo (30% for main and 50% for secondaries), dont have heavy losses in crew. Enemy dont have will for continue fight and start retreat. But incompetent captain choose baddiest port for avoid possible night (torpedoes again) action and hide in Montevideo. Even after taking look on ship and understanding real situation this commander never had will to fight but trust to brits false about BC around La Platte. His set of choices which he sent to KM was surrender or sunk. It describe how low morale had commander. And his suicide only final of that.
But again WHERE IS SHIP DAMAGE which make that ship bad? Bad morale and experience of captain - yes. Ship is fine.
Green button again for many reading dude.
