The South Atlantic carried the shipping on which other theaters depended even though direct combat there was intermittent. Graf Spee's campaign demonstrated that protecting those sea lines required warships to operate far from the Royal Navy's principal bases. The campaign reinforced the importance of fleet auxiliaries, and the navy moved to enlarge its supply and oiler capacity during the war. Sea control in distant theaters depended on sustaining the hunters as well as finding the enemy.
Chapter · 1:45:28-1:46:36
The South Atlantic campaign accelerates fleet-auxiliary planning
The South Atlantic's shipping supported other theaters, and the raider campaign reinforced the Royal Navy's need for more oilers and fleet auxiliaries.