No doubt about Langsdorffs caracter, but a lot of his decisions were wrong. There was no reason for searching the battle, he should kept the british ships on distance with his big guns and disappear the following night - not heroic, but the only way to make it back home.
Also he should have anchored in Argentina, which was much more german-friendly, eventually selling the ship to Argentina as they did with Goeben in WWI.
@chrysanthos66 The decision to sink the Graff Spee was not a cowardly act .It was an act of bravery that saved many lives.The Graff Spee was surrounded and the potential,unnecessary loss of lives would have been hugh.Langsdorff saw the value in human life and treated his crew and the crews of merchant ships that he sunk,with respect.Certainly not the actions of a coward.
@chrysanthos66 The decision to sink the Graff Spee was not a cowardly act .It was an act of bravery that saved many lives.The Graff Spee was surrounded and the potential,unnecessary loss of lives would have been hugh.Langsdorff saw the value in human life and treated his crew and the crews of merchant ships that he sunk,with respect.Certainly not the actions of a coward.
@salvatorearcilesi So said Adof.... Hans Langsdorff stood against three RN cruisers, he showed mercy vs the heavily damaged 'Exeter', he had treated his prisoners amiably, as comrades of the sea. Despite he was named 'Tiger of theSea'. When he had at Montevideo to decide to sacrifice his almost 2000 men, in a possible fate comparable to Adm Graf v. Spee 1914 at Falkland, his decided for the lives of his men. But he, the Captain, died with his ship
Hans Langsdorff was extremely brave.He treated the crews of the ships he sunk with such respect that these same crews paid their respects to him at his funeral.A through humanitarian in a time of unspeakable horror.
@1815ish Have read many accounts regarding Captain Langsdorff, and i totally agree, he was an honourable man and treated his men and his enemy with respect, british POWs said the same.
@GRAHAM5020 Absolutely.Very few of that era displayed the bravery of Hans Langsdorff.The story of Werner Hartenstein might also be of interest to you.He saved the passengers from the Laconia.Another selfless act.
No doubt about Langsdorffs caracter, but a lot of his decisions were wrong. There was no reason for searching the battle, he should kept the british ships on distance with his big guns and disappear the following night - not heroic, but the only way to make it back home.
Also he should have anchored in Argentina, which was much more german-friendly, eventually selling the ship to Argentina as they did with Goeben in WWI.
MrCanopius 7 months ago
the ship in the middle of the film is the Scharnhorst
clama79 7 months ago
@chrysanthos66 The decision to sink the Graff Spee was not a cowardly act .It was an act of bravery that saved many lives.The Graff Spee was surrounded and the potential,unnecessary loss of lives would have been hugh.Langsdorff saw the value in human life and treated his crew and the crews of merchant ships that he sunk,with respect.Certainly not the actions of a coward.
1815ish 9 months ago
@chrysanthos66 The decision to sink the Graff Spee was not a cowardly act .It was an act of bravery that saved many lives.The Graff Spee was surrounded and the potential,unnecessary loss of lives would have been hugh.Langsdorff saw the value in human life and treated his crew and the crews of merchant ships that he sunk,with respect.Certainly not the actions of a coward.
1815ish 9 months ago
@chrysanthos66 Capt. Langsdorff didn't want to force his crew to pay for his mistake (mistaking the light cruisers for destroyers).
nonamebrand0 9 months ago
@salvatorearcilesi So said Adof.... Hans Langsdorff stood against three RN cruisers, he showed mercy vs the heavily damaged 'Exeter', he had treated his prisoners amiably, as comrades of the sea. Despite he was named 'Tiger of theSea'. When he had at Montevideo to decide to sacrifice his almost 2000 men, in a possible fate comparable to Adm Graf v. Spee 1914 at Falkland, his decided for the lives of his men. But he, the Captain, died with his ship
burrequito100 10 months ago
Hans Langsdorff was extremely brave.He treated the crews of the ships he sunk with such respect that these same crews paid their respects to him at his funeral.A through humanitarian in a time of unspeakable horror.
1815ish 1 year ago 2
@1815ish Have read many accounts regarding Captain Langsdorff, and i totally agree, he was an honourable man and treated his men and his enemy with respect, british POWs said the same.
GRAHAM5020 9 months ago
@GRAHAM5020 Absolutely.Very few in that era showed the bravery that Langsdorff did.The story of Werner Hartenstein might also be of interest to you.
1815ish 9 months ago
@GRAHAM5020 Absolutely.Very few of that era displayed the bravery of Hans Langsdorff.The story of Werner Hartenstein might also be of interest to you.He saved the passengers from the Laconia.Another selfless act.
1815ish 9 months ago
Langsdorff was a true hero.
Salute
Basti6814 1 year ago 2
langsdorff war ein feigling----
salvatorearcilesi 1 year ago
A sad end for a brave ship lost in a megalomaniac's war.
HelmutVillam 2 years ago
Unthinkable...
TheZuikaku 2 years ago
Langsdorff did the unthinkable.......He disengaged the Exeter and showed mercy....A truly remarkable gesture.
derbbus 2 years ago 11
@derbbus Yeah, that sort of thing was common for a lot of these Kriegsmarine captains. Still had a bit of chivalry in them.
sirrvs 9 months ago
@derbbus When he was being fired on by the two light cruisers....he could not finish off the heavy.
PotatoGunsRule 8 months ago
kapitän langsdorff was a hero.
djscheisse 2 years ago 26
Nice video - shame that the combat footage was actually of Scharnhorst and Gneisenau engaging HMS Glorious.
ToonandBBfan 2 years ago 2
VG thanks for posting
petethebastard 3 years ago 2