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Coronel and Falkland: Two Great Naval Battles of the First World War

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It was the evening of November the first 1914 and the war at sea was inaugurated by the battle of Coronel, almost in front of the city of Coronel (Chile). The result of this battle, two British cruisers sunk, a slap in the face to British proud and a challenge to its superiority at sea. What happened next was simply the destruction of Von Spee German squadron, a hunting season for the British Navy thirst for revenge. German cruisers were more advanced in design than its British couterparts, but the problem with German Navy was that they didn't have many places to quietly refuel and provision their ships around the world, an important difference in this case. Von Spee didn't have much intelligence information also before deciding to attack the Falklands and what he found was the whole British squadron stationed there. It was in this battle that almost all the German ships were sunk, after escaping South of the Falklands they were hunted down one by one, and only SMS Dresden managed to escape. This last ship was found and sunk three months later in Juan Fernandez Island, off the coast of Chile, the Island of Robinson Crusoe.

After reading this book, I can only praise the courage and honor of all these sailors, either German or British, giving their life for the Flag. Dresden Bell was given back to Germany by Chilean authorities and two British battle cruisers are sunk in front of Santa Maria Island (37°01'50S & 73°31'10W), HMS Good Hope and HMS Monmouth, perhaps a job for the "Shipwrecks Hunters" to reveal and remember. A good book, with maps and pictures, but only one page dedicated to SMS Dresden capture.