1939年12月13日，二战史上第一场重要海战在柏拉特河上打响了。这是一场海上战略家的生死对决，一场尔虞我诈的外交博弈。交战背后的惊天骗局使两位军官命运迥然。亲历此战的人将为我们解密这场不以成败论输赢的战争。

柏拉特河海战不但是盟军在二战中第一次重大的海上胜利，也是二战中的第一件媒体大事件。此役中，英德双方的指挥官都是出色的海军战略家。在被德军视为国宝的新式袭击舰与三艘英军的巡洋舰遭遇后，一场由英军策划的瞒天过海的骗局上演了。此役让这两位指挥官走上了截然相反的命运道路。一位如英雄一般荣归故里，一位则身负骂名，饮弹自尽。然而，在种种的舆论背后，只有亲身经历了那场战役的人才知道，谁取得了真正的胜利。

    One of the most potent symbols of Nazi sea power, the Graf Spee wreaked havoc with allied merchant shipping in the opening months of World War II. By December she had become Churchill"s number one target. The battle that ensued between the two naval stalwarts, Commodore Henry Harwood and Captain Hans Langsdorff, finally saw the Graf Spee out manoeuvred by her British counterpart not only on the seas but also through military intelligence. A "cloak and dagger" attack was waged as British Intelligence leaked information claiming a large fleet was steaming to the River Plate to lie in wait for the Graf Spee. The "official" British account said that Langsdorff scuttled his ship rather than face certain defeat. But a re-examination of the official records and the captain"s war diaries, points to Langsdorff knowing the British were trying to trick him. But if this is true, why did he scuttle his ship? This program brings new understanding to this unsolved mystery.