The Longest Sortie

First Edition (2014)

When World War I commenced, Germany possessed the second largest battle fleet in the world. However, it was insufficient to overcome Germany's inferior geographical position and England's warship building capabilities. As a result, the scattered German cruiser forces that were deployed across the seas, at the start of the Great War, were left to fend for themselves. One man, Vice Admiral Max von Spee, commander of the German East Asiatic Squadron, came up with an ingenious plan to save his squadron and return it to Germany.

This fictionalized telling of the German East Asiatic Squadron at the start of World War I, is factually accurate, including photos, maps, diagrams, tables and charts, providing a total picture of this aspect of the war at sea.

Contents

Prologue

Cast of Characters

Initial Deployments

First Blood

The Invisible War

Eastward Ho

Revenge at Sea

Action off La Araucana

The Empire Strikes Back

Heading North

Zeppelin LZ-31

Hinge of Fate

Appendix A: Asian Theater Order of Battle - 1 August 1914

Appendix B: Primary Combatants: Tale of the Tape (Western Pacific)

Appendix C: Support Forces: Tale of the Tape (Western Pacific)

Appendix D: Primary Combatants: Tale of the Tape (Eastern Pacific)

Appendix E: Support Forces: Tale of the Tape (Eastern Pacific)

Appendix F: Equivalent Naval Ranks (1914)

Appendix G: LZ-31 Specifications

Appendix H: U-38 Specifications

Appendix I: Gunnery Glossary

Appendix J: Cornell Battle Sequence

Appendix K: SMS Emden's Victims

Appendix L: Optical Rangefinder Analysis

Appendix M: Signalbuch der Kaiserlichen Marine

Appendix N: Battle of the Falkland Islands

67 B&W photos

2 illustrations

9 maps

14 appendices

8 diagrams

29 tables