Comments: softcover, 96 pages, 66 black-and-white and 2 color photos, 4 color illustrations, 8 color maps

ISBN: 978-1-4728-1795-2

Price: $24

Publisher: Osprey Publishing

From the publisher: Days before the outbreak of World War II, a handful of German commerce raiders put out to sea to prey on Allied merchantmen. Among them was the Panzerschiff (armored 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, the Graf Spee, under the command of Capt. Hans Langsdorff, went on hunting sprees from the Indian Ocean to the South Atlantic and, eventually, to South America and the River Plate. There, instead of Allied merchant ships or a friendly port, she found three Royal Navy cruisers, commanded by Commodore Henry Harwood, that were eager to put an end to the “pocket battleship” that had been terrorizing Allied shipping.

Featuring color artwork, archival photographs, and meticulous research, this book explores the Battle of the River Plate, an engagement that demonstrated the effectiveness of British sea power and international diplomacy.

FSM says: Mainly an historical account with detailed timelines. Ship details can be gleaned from some of the archival photos.