The Longest Sortie

Merriam Press Historical Fiction HF7 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 FateAppendix 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