German Raiders of the First World War: Kaiserliche Marine Cruisers and the Epic Chases

German raiders posed an incredible threat against the Allied forces in August 1914, particularly to British merchant vessels and their naval superiority. As the world plunged into war, two fleets of German raiders and cruisers lay beyond the North Sea. Several German admirals ventured across the world, wreaking havoc against the Allied forces; Admiral Souchon crossed the Mediterranean with a superior French and British fleet in pursuit, while Vice-Admiral von Spee struggled half a world away, with friendly shipping and colonies rapidly being overtaken by the Allies, fighting his way through British lines to get his men home. Karl von Müller led SMS Emden on a daring campaign of commerce raiding, as did the commander of the Karlsruhe. With several other episodes of cruiser warfare, the Royal Navy expended vast amounts of resources trying to quash these threats Admiral Craddock swept the entirety of the North American coast while chasing these phantoms, only to find his quarry was at Coronel and the Falklands. Illustrated by a stunning collection of historical images, German Raiders of the First World War is an in-depth history of the exploits of these German cruisers, covering the adventures of their commanders and the illustrious careers of the vessels themselves.