A portrait of the younger Millington-Drake leads into an account of the social skill behind his diplomacy. By 1939, he had spent 14 of his 27 Foreign Service years in South America, and he would remain there for another two years. That experience made him important to Britain's understanding of the region. Before the Battle of the River Plate, he was already making contacts, sending information to the right places, and trying to keep British assessments well informed. Dinners and public functions were part of the everyday work of soft diplomacy. He also kept Harwood and the Royal Navy ships off the coast familiar to his Uruguayan contacts, building as much support for Britain as circumstances allowed.
Chapter · 2:33-4:20
Soft diplomacy before the Battle of the River Plate
Millington-Drake's long South American service built the regional knowledge and personal connections that Britain could draw on when the River Plate crisis began.