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Was just reading a little on the Battle of the Falkland Islands and the Battle of Coronel, but one thing I couldn't find explained was why the Germans were there in the first place. Was it used as some sort of docking location or were there resources there?
The Falklands belonged to Britain. The ships that sank the German force at the outbreak of the war were based there. They were actually a navigation obstacle to the German flotilla.
I can see if the islands were more north near the Panama Canal, but why down there? I don't see any strategic advantage for Germany unless it was an alliance with Argentina or something.
The first known settlers were from Saint-Malo, Brittany in the 18th c. hence the name Malouines aka Malvinas in Spanish
The Germans were running away at the Battle of the Falklands. Do you think they wanted to invade the Falklands? The Germans wanted to raid the islands for supplies and were surprised that the British were already there in force. The Falklands are strategically located to control the traffic around the Cape, that is the main reason the British siezed the Islands in the 1830's. Today they retain them as more of a prestige thing is my impression. The German squadron in 1914 was trying to get back to home waters and needed supplies, particularly fuel oil. After they realized the British were there al;ready they tried to run for Montevideo but were caught and destroyed.
OK, I figured it was a raid by the Germans. It's weird though that the Germans could beat the British in the Battle of Coronel, and not just beat them, they anhilated them. But the British got their revenge in the Battle of the Falkland Islands.Still doesn't explain strrategic significance for either of them. Why so concerned with going around the cape when the canal was already open? Did the US not let any foreign ship pass through at that time?
There are two ways around the Americas, the Cape is one. As long as the canal is in friendly hands whoever controls the Cape can control world shipping. This is especially important for a maritime power like britain was at the time. All traffic does not go through the canal, it has a finite throughput, the Cape route costs more but is not really limited in traffic in any practical sense.The twin battles of Coronel and The Falklands were not strategic except in the sense that the British eliminated one more threat to merchant traffic. The German squadron was under instructions to commence commerce raiding.
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