Miller David. Command Decisions: Langsdorff and the Battle of the River Plate

Pen and Sword, 2013. — 216 p.This compelling new study of the Battle of the River Plate (1939) focuses on Captain Hans Langsdorff, the commander of the German pocket battleship Graf Spee. Written from the German commander’s point of view, Miller provides a gripping narrative of his mission to prey on merchant shipping. Operating alone and thousands of miles away from home with no prospect of support, Langsdorff had to grapple with the enormous burden of a lone command. This fascinating reexamination of his actions and his leadership confirms Langsdorff ‘s reputation as one of the most admired officers of the Kriegsmarine, who may have placed too much trust in the flawed design of the Graf Spee as a ‘pocket battleship.