Japanese and Australian forces hem in von Spee

Japanese ships such as Kongō and the Ibuki class were serious threats to the German squadron. Ibuki's combination of twelve-inch, eight-inch, and 4.7-inch guns made even an armored cruiser dangerous to Scharnhorst and Gneisenau, while Kongō could overmatch the entire force. A Japanese victory over von Spee could also have strengthened Japan's position in the postwar settlement, giving a tactical encounter wider political consequences. Britain hedged its alliance through the developing Royal Australian Navy. Australia, Melbourne, Sydney, destroyers, and older cruisers gave the Empire a local force that could hunt raiders and support regional operations without relying entirely on Japanese power.