Admiral Graf Spee entered Montevideo with casualties, shell and splinter damage, damaged electrical leads and a wrecked galley. The engineering inspection distinguished underwater holes that had been plugged from other holes that required welding. Damage to fighting equipment and an unexploded British shell also needed attention. The six-inch holes prompt an objection to claims that Exeter alone inflicted damaging hits. German specialists estimated a minimum of fourteen days to prepare the ship for sea using the crew and local civilian assistance. Requesting that much time also risked revealing the extent of the damage to Britain. Uruguayan inspectors accepted that repairs were necessary but would not give the Germans a duration before reporting to their superiors.
Chapter · 58:42-1:03:33
Graf Spee's repair needs and Uruguay's inspection
The damage assessment explains why Germany requested fourteen days of repairs and why that request created a diplomatic problem.