Q&A ยท 12:26-15:53

Imagined captures of Graf Spee, Pola and Yamato

A successful cutting-out of Graf Spee, towing home Pola, and putting Marines aboard Yamato are imagined as dramatic reversals of their historical fates.

Question

Where would three successful Second World War boarding actions add the most heroism or hilarity?

Short answer

The choices are capturing Graf Spee at Montevideo, bringing an Italian cruiser such as Pola home after Matapan, and getting US Marines aboard Yamato.

Notes

The question grants three successful boarding actions and asks which would be heroic or funny. Capturing Graf Spee in Montevideo would reverse her role as a captor of merchant ships and embarrass Germany early in the war. At Cape Matapan, towing home a captured Italian heavy cruiser, probably Pola, would add a capture to the boarding that had already occurred, although Italian air attack would make the tow difficult. Sending US Marines aboard Yamato supplies the third imagined case. These are playful changes to history, with success assumed by the question.