naval engagement, landmark, interwar and Second World War

Battle of the River Plate

Name: Battle of the River Plate
Start: 1939-12-13
Location: Battle of the River Plate

Battle of the River Plate was a naval engagement fought on 13 December 1939. It was part of the American Theater, which ran from 1941 to 1946. The recorded result: Allied victory. Recorded strength: Heavy cruiser Exeter; Light cruiser Achilles; Light cruiser Ajax against Panzerschiff Admiral Graf Spee.

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The German armored cruiser Admiral Graf Spee in flames after being scuttled in the River Plate Estuary off Montevideo, Uruguay.. Orginal link: http://www.iwmcollections.org.uk/media/images/Photographs/Image/A_000002.jpg, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.

Fought13 December 1939

Whererecorded coordinates34.000S, 49.000W

OutcomeAllied victory

BelligerentsUnited Kingdom; Dominion of New ZealandagainstNazi Germany

Casualties and losses72 killed; 28 woundedand36 killed; 60 wounded; Admiral Graf Spee scuttled

Part ofAmerican Theater1941 to 1946

Record

Date	13 December 1939
Place	recorded coordinates only 34.000S, 49.000W
Kind	Naval engagement, interwar and Second World War
Strength	Heavy cruiser Exeter; Light cruiser Achilles; Light cruiser Ajax	Panzerschiff Admiral Graf Spee
Casualties and losses	72 killed; 28 wounded	36 killed; 60 wounded; Admiral Graf Spee scuttled
Commanders	Henry Harwood	Hans Langsdorff

The recorded site, with the nearest other engagements in the atlas. Present-day coastlines, rivers and borders; towns from Natural Earth.

Nearest engagements

Battle of Ponte da Azenha 1835, 486 km NW
Battle of India Muerta 1816, 488 km W
Battle of Fanfa 1836, 514 km NW
Battle of Porongos 1844, 515 km NW
Battle of Seival 1836, 527 km NW

In the same war

After: Action of 5 July 1942 5 July 1942

Elsewhere in 1939

Battle of the River Plate is one of 2,997 engagements of the 20th century in the atlas.

Sources

Identity, coordinates, dates and the war from Wikidata Q713529, released under CC0. Result, belligerents, commanders, strength and casualties from the infobox of the English Wikipedia article Battle of the River Plate, revision 1381629277, read 2026-11-14, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0; the article's text is not reproduced here. Present-day country and state from Natural Earth. Dates before 1582 follow the Julian calendar as recorded.