Hitler's U-Boat Fortresses
ISBN: , SKU: , AUTHOR: Bradham, Randolph, PUBLISHER: Ly<strong>onstrong>s Press,.".. A most unexpected gift to our nati<strong>onstrong>. I know veterans will want to read this; but I hope all Americans, especially <str<strong>onstrong>g>thestr<strong>onstrong>g> children, will read it so <str<strong>onstrong>g>thestr<strong>onstrong>g>y understand <str<strong>onstrong>g>thestr<strong>onstrong>g> sacrifices <str<strong>onstrong>g>thestr<strong>onstrong>g>ir grandparents made..." --Sen. Ernest F. Hollings, D-South Carolina <str<strong>onstrong>g>Thestr<strong>onstrong>g> French naval bases at St. Nazaire and Lorient, occupied by <str<strong>onstrong>g>thestr<strong>onstrong>g> Germans in June , quickly became <str<strong>onstrong>g>thestr<strong>onstrong>g> homes of massive U-boat fortresses--nearly indestructible submarine pens, built mostly by slave labor. From <str<strong>onstrong>g>thestr<strong>onstrong>g>se bases, <str<strong>onstrong>g>thestr<strong>onstrong>g> U-boats struck merchant shipping at will from <str<strong>onstrong>g>thestr<strong>onstrong>g> Mediterranean to <str<strong>onstrong>g>thestr<strong>onstrong>g> North Sea. Thousands of vessels were lost, al<strong>onstrong>g with vital war material from <str<strong>onstrong>g>thestr<strong>onstrong>g> U.S. destined for Britain and <str<strong>onstrong>g>thestr<strong>onstrong>g> Soviet Uni<strong>onstrong>. <str<strong>onstrong>g>Thestr<strong>onstrong>g> Royal Air Force began an all-out bombardment of <str<strong>onstrong>g>thestr<strong>onstrong>g> two ports. Despite <str<strong>onstrong>g>thestr<strong>onstrong>g>ir extensive efforts--and those of <str<strong>onstrong>g>thestr<strong>onstrong>g> Americans who joined <str<strong>onstrong>g>thestr<strong>onstrong>g>m in --<str<strong>onstrong>g>thestr<strong>onstrong>g> fortresses would survive, surrounded by decimated French towns and countryside. <str<strong>onstrong>g>Thestr<strong>onstrong>g> desperate battle was waged <strong>onstrong> land, air, and sea. Because <str<strong>onstrong>g>thestr<strong>onstrong>g> dock at St. Nazaire could house and repair Hitler's powerful warship, <str<strong>onstrong>g>thestr<strong>onstrong>g> "Tirpitz," British <str<strong>onstrong>g>commandosstr<strong>onstrong>g> carried out a daring <str<strong>onstrong>g>raidstr<strong>onstrong>g> to destroy it in March of . <str<strong>onstrong>g>Thestr<strong>onstrong>g>y succeeded, but with a great loss of life, and <str<strong>onstrong>g>thestr<strong>onstrong>g> Germans were able to quickly repair much of <str<strong>onstrong>g>thestr<strong>onstrong>g> damage. <str<strong>onstrong>g>Thestr<strong>onstrong>g> defenses of <str<strong>onstrong>g>thestr<strong>onstrong>g>se fortresses were so str<strong>onstrong>g that General Eisenhower would ultimately decide to seek c<strong>onstrong>tainment ra<str<strong>onstrong>g>thestr<strong>onstrong>g>r than destructi<strong>onstrong>. <str<strong>onstrong>g>Thestr<strong>onstrong>g> U.S. Army's 66th Infantry Divisi<strong>onstrong>, <strong>onstrong> its way to take up <str<strong>onstrong>g>thestr<strong>onstrong>g> task, lost its troopship "Leopoldville" to a German torpedo, with 802 men going down with <str<strong>onstrong>g>thestr<strong>onstrong>g> ship. <str<strong>onstrong>g>Thestr<strong>onstrong>g> French underground movement in <str<strong>onstrong>g>thestr<strong>onstrong>g> area would spawn a fighting force of men to fight al<strong>onstrong>gside <str<strong>onstrong>g>thestr<strong>onstrong>g> Allies, and <str<strong>onstrong>g>thestr<strong>onstrong>g>subsequent German reprisals would devastate many families in Brittany. Yet, <str<strong>onstrong>g>thestr<strong>onstrong>g> bases stood--and <str<strong>onstrong>g>thestr<strong>onstrong>g>y c<strong>onstrong>tinue to stand today.