Admiral Graf Spee

The Admiral Graf Spee was a German World War II battleship, known as a "pocket battleship" due to its design, combining heavy firepower with speed and maneuverability. It was built to disrupt Allied shipping by attacking merchant ships and then retreating before being overwhelmed. In 1939, it sank several ships but was ultimately cornered by Allied naval forces in the Battle of the River Plate. Rather than surrender, its crew scuttled (sank) the ship in Montevideo harbor to prevent its capture, marking a notable episode in naval warfare during the war.