December 17, 1939: Admiral Graf Spee at anchor at Montevideo, Uruguay just before departing.

 

December 17, 1939: Admiral Graf Spee at anchor at Montevideo, Uruguay just before departing.

 

December 17, 1939: Admiral Graf Spee departing Montevideo, the Tacoma is seen to the left.

(Photo courtesy of Hugh R. Sochi, from the private collection of Hugo Oehler Jr. son of
Matrosenobergefreiter Hugo Oehler, Division 4, Admiral Graf Spee)

 

December 17, 1939: Thousands gather along the shoreline to watch as the Admiral Graf Spee departs
Montevideo. They believed they were about to witness a great naval battle.

 

December 17, 1939: The scene in the motor launch just minuets before the explosion. Kapitän zur See Hans W.
Langsdorff, seated and looking despondent and Fregattenkapitän Paul Ascher (standing center), have just
left the Admiral Graf Spee after setting the scuttling charges.

(Photo courtesy of Hugh R. Sochi, from the private collection of Hugo Oehler Jr. son of
Matrosenobergefreiter Hugo Oehler, Division 4, Admiral Graf Spee)