Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 3:24:29-3:25:18

Did von Spee expect a vengeful British hunt?

The pursuit was a professional effort to destroy his squadron. It did not carry the exceptional emotional force associated with the later loss of Hood to Bismarck.

Battle Of CoronelBattle Of The Falkland IslandsGerman Battleship BismarckHMS HoodMaximilian Von SpeeRoyal Navy
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Question

Did von Spee expect the Royal Navy to hunt him without mercy after Good Hope and Monmouth were lost?

Short answer

The pursuit was a professional effort to destroy his squadron. It did not carry the exceptional emotional force associated with the later loss of Hood to Bismarck.

Notes

Von Spee could regard the losses at Coronel as part of the cost of war. Destroying his squadron was a professional duty for the Royal Navy, whereas the pursuit of Bismarck carried the additional emotional force of Hood's loss. Good Hope and Monmouth did not have the symbolic standing that Hood accumulated during her long service. The comparison distinguishes the obligation to defeat an enemy squadron from a particular desire for vengeance.