SMS Emden: How a lone German Cruiser sank 17 Allied ships, 1914

In 1914, the SMS Emden, a German light cruiser, emerged as a great threat as it executed a daring lone raid in the Bay of Bengal. Under the command of Captain Karl von Müller, the Emden wreaked havoc on Allied shipping lines. By itself, it disrupted crucial naval communication and trade routes, leaving destruction and sunk vessels in its wake.

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0:00 Introduction

📚 Sources:

Written by House of History

🎵 Music courtesy of Epidemic Sound

🖼 Photos, paintings and imagery: Public Domain, Wikicommons
🧾Machinima: Total War, Creative Assembly

#HouseofHistory #History

[Barwasser]

The stories of German Cruisers taking on multiple naval powers with the sheer audacity and independent decision-making of their captains are always fascinating to me. I guess I just love a good underdog story.

[kaijudirector]

Imagine being a Tsushima survivor on the Zhemchug only to be sunk by a lone German crusier.

[brokenbridge]

Solo ships like the Emden talking on this kind of Warfare has always intrigued me. Great video.

[captainfury]

There is a word called "Emenden" in some South Indian languages meaning gigantic . It is still used and is derived from the popular memory of Emden's attack on Madras

[pilum]

WW1 Naval Warfare was so interesting. Truly shocking that there aren't any good games covering this.

[DarthVader-igci]

I'm from South India and in my native language Malayalam, there's a word "Yemanden", which means gigantic or massive. This word was derived from SMS Emden and it's actions around that area. I'm from the state of Kerala (on the south western coast of peninsular India), while Madras (today called Chennai) is on the south eastern side)

[taek]

Could you please make a kind of part 2 as the story continues quite interestingly after that. After the SMS Emden was sunk 60 sailors, under Melmut von Mücke, reached the Arabian Peninsula on another ship and fought their way through the Arabian Desert to get from there to Istambul and back to Germany.

[georgetrent]

This vid reminded me I have had an sms Dresden kit that I’ve wanted to make into an Emden diorama for a few years now, such an amazing part of history!

[MrDeadstu]

Great video on the Emden. The only thing more audacious were the Commerce Raiders of WW1&2, armed and disguised merchant ships prowling the high seas. Stuff of legends.

I would love a video of the final confrontation between the HMAS Sydney II vs HSK Kormoran. Epic balls of steel on the German Captains part.

[mitchycool]

I'd love to see a video covering General von Lettow-Vorbeck during the East Africa Campaign during WWI. It's a front that most people don't even know about but it's actually quite fascinating. Relations between African colonies were actually very calm and non-confrontational (until the outbreak of WWI obviously) whereas Europe was a power keg of powerful competing nations in close proximity to each other. But also, von Lettow-Vorbeck stands out in that he's the only German general to successfully invade a part of the British Empire during WWI and he was never defeated or captured in battle, lasting until Germany surrendered in 1918 using mostly local native askari soldiers.

But anyways, yeah, a video on that would be cool! 

Keep it up man, I love your content!

[_Raspovic_]

von Müller got that *pirate mentality* 🏴‍☠️

[louislowery]

Great video. How about a video on the surviving crew of Emden and there trip home. I believe they took a sailing ship from the cable station to Arabia??

[monfort]

Crew members of the Emden were given the honor of adding the ships name as a name suffix. The descendants of those men are still come together from time to time. They call themself the Emden-Familie (Emden Family)

[danielsantiagourtado]

Had an amazing time as always! Very well done! Suggestion: Edward longshannks conquest of wales.

[FelipeScheuermann]

Loved this video, you, sir, got yourself a subscriber! Love from Brazil.

[YasserMaghribi]

14:46 yes ! I would love to see a documentary video about the battle of the Three Kings one day

[shanedoesyoutube]

Never have I expected the Malay Peninsula to get involved in WW1 as a naval battle site, long before Japanese takeover in 2

[arslongavitabrevis]

Excellent reconstruction and presentation. Thank you!

[braddonovan]

Conservation of ammunition would be a big deal for the Emden, one would think. Were they able to resupply ammo at any point? Coal is coal, but artillery shells and torpedoes are rather unique and specific items.

[cjthebeesknees]

The sneak of all sneaks, the light cruiser of merchant bruisers.