The first significant naval campaign of World War II commenced when the British navy pursued the German battlecruiser Graf Spee, which was on a mission to attack British merchant vessels. Between September 30 and December 7, 1939, the Graf Spee, under the command of Captain Hans Langsdorff, sank nine cargo ships with a combined tonnage of 50,089. Notably, not a single crew member or passenger on any of the sunk vessels perished.

The British navy accurately anticipated that the Graf Spee would subsequently proceed to the vicinity of Montevideo to intercept further shipping. A British task force comprising the cruisers Ajax, Achilles, and Exeter converged upon the Graf Spee. On the morning of December 12, 1939, the British forces discovered the Graf Spee positioned at the entrance to the River Platte off the coast of Uruguay. Initially, the Graf Spee believed that two British destroyers and a merchant vessel were imminent, prompting her to close to engage. She commenced firing first, inflicting damage on the Exeter. All three British vessels responded accordingly. In the ensuing battle, both the British ships and the Graf Spee sustained damage, with the Exeter severely damaged and compelled to withdraw from the engagement. The combined firepower of the three British ships severely crippled the Graf Spee’s fuel supply, and the damage proved beyond repair while the Graf Spee was engaged in combat. Consequently, the Graf Spee steered upstream towards Montevideo, requesting time for repairs. However, the Uruguayan authorities declined, while the British promptly dispatched additional forces towards Montevideo. Convincing himself that he faced an overwhelming British force, Captain Langsdorff made the decision to scuttle the Graf Spee in Montevideo harbor.