December 8, 2014

One hundred years ago today the German East Asia Squadron, under the command of Vice Admiral Maximilian von Spee was destroyed off the Falkland Islands by the British Navy. Under Vice Admiral Maximilian von Spee command the German East Asia Squadron had harassed French and British interest a world away from the battlefields of Europe. From India, to French Polynesia, to the coast of Chile, the German East Asia Squadron had raided shore facility, attacked merchant ships and clashed with the British navy as it worked its way home to Germany. However, off the coast of the Falkland Islands (off the coast of Argentina in the Atlantic ocean) ships from the British Navy caught up with the German East Asia Squadron and defeated it.

The months of prior success had made Vice Admiral Maximilian von Spee something of a mythical figure, making his defeat a shock in Germany. Even today the destruction of the German East Asia Squadron at the Falkland Islands is something of a mystery. The attack, successful or not, would reveal the Squadron's position to the British and the Squadron had secured enough fuel (in the form of coal) to make it all the way back to Germany, so there was no need to raid the base for coal. Also any damage to the British naval presence in Falkland Islands would be quickly repaired. So why Vice Admiral Maximilian von Spee ordered the attack is unknown. Perhaps Vice Admiral Maximilian von Spee had become over confident, or perhaps he underestimated the British presence in the area.There is some evidence that British intelligence had broadcast phony orders to Vice Admiral Maximilian von Spee using stolen German naval codes, tricking him into attacking the Falklands and luring him into a trap. However, this has never been definitively proven as intelligence services rarely take credit for their actions.

Regardless of how the battle started it ended with the sinking of all of the German East Asia Squadron resulting the deaths of almost all of the over 2000 German sailors including Vice Admiral Maximilian von Spee.