The ultimate defeat of the Graf Spee is often attributed to British propaganda making Captain Langsdorff think he faced far more opposition than he did. He believed that at least one battleship was waiting for him while in reality the wounded British task force (Exeter had been severly mauled by the Graf Spee) had only been supplemented by heavy cruiser Cumberland who was racing to the River Plate.
While the misinformation probably influenced Langsdorff’s decision to scuttle I also wonder if the Graf Spee could have escaped the ships already waiting. I once read in article that it had received some serious hits, including one taking out the bakery, deprivating her of important means to feed her crew. Are there reliable sources confirming this (I can’t recall where I read this)? And if it’s true, would it have been plausible for the Graf Spee to first fight her way out and then escape given the fact ahe would probably face supply issues?
I hope we get a special episode about the Graf Spee as I find her story as fascinating as that of the Emden or Möwe, but at the very least I would like to hear your view in this specific question.