File:German Battleship Admiral Graf Spee after being scuttled off Montevideo, Uruguay, Dec 17th 1939. (51055373862) (cropped).jpg

The German "pocket battleship" Admiral Graf Spee "" submerged the crew from La Plata.

After the battle on 13 December 1939, the British heavy cruiser Exeter and light cruisers AJAX and Achilles a German ship came to the roadstead of Montevideo, and AJAX and Achilles, gaining hastened the split, both out of the mouth of La Plata. The following night, they were joined by heavy cruiser "Kumberlènd". As a result of the battle, Exeter was severely damaged and completely out of order, and the Admiral Graf Spee "has retained a good move, and the ability to fire. It was about a third of the shells of the main fire and about half of the 150-mm shells. Although the Admiral Graf Spee damage "had not been very large, it needed repairs, which could not be done in three days, provided by the Government of Uruguay in accordance with international law. Realizing his predicament, the English agency in Montevideo are disseminated rumors: "Admiral count Spee" at the exit of the La Plata waits for an English squadron, consisting of the battlecruiser «Rinaun» and the aircraft carrier "Ark Royal". Believing in the imminent loss of their ship, Ivanovitch Langsdorff several times contacted with the headquarters of the Kriegsmarine, inviting choice is interned in Argentina or flood the ship; attempt or death in battle was not even offered. As a result of the meeting between the Commander of the fleet of Admiral Rederom and Hitler Ivanovitch Langsdorff was ordered to destroy the ship. On the evening of December 17, 1939, at 18: 00 "Admiral Graf Spee entered Montevideo, escorted by a deferential Porter of the huge crowd at the waterfront. Having gone to the mouth of La Plata, he threw an anchor in the 4 miles from the shore. Around 20: 00 the ship was blown up. Fires and explosions, it lasted for about three days. All 1100 man team safely arrived in Buenos Aires. Commander-Captain zur see Hans Ivanovitch Langsdorff shot himself on the morning of December 20, in a hotel of Buenos Aires.

Time taken: 1939