SMS Dresden was a German light cruiser of the First World War. The keel for this unit was laid in 1906, the launch took place in 1907, and entry into service in the Kaiserliche Marine - in 1908. The displacement of the ship at the time of launching was about 4,300 tons, length - 118.3 meters, and 13.5 meters wide. The maximum speed was around 24 knots. The deck armament consisted of 10 105 mm guns, 8 52 mm guns and two 450 mm torpedo tubes.
SMS Dresden was the leading unit of the cruiser class of the same name, consisting of a total of two ships. SMS Dresden was built at the Blohm und Voss shipyard in Hamburg. At the time of entering service, it was a modern unit, with a high maximum speed, very maneuverable and of good seagoing performance, also having good armament. Before 1914, the unit participated in numerous courtesy voyages, representing the German flag. At the outbreak of World War I, the unit was in the South Atlantic, and any attempts to reach its home ports would be doomed to failure. Hence SMS Dresden headed for the Pacific in search of Allied merchant ships, and later joined the East Asian Squadron adm. von Spee. With her, he fought the victorious Battle of Coronel in November 1914. A month later, SMS Dresden took part in the same squadron in the Battle of the Falklands, which she survived - as the only German ship. It was self-sunk by the crew in March 1915 off the coast of Robinson Island in the Pacific Ocean.