La Base Sous-Marine

*** Article written by Nieves A. Calvo López *** Europe. France. Bordeaux. Second World War. Summer of 1940. The country was invaded by the German army. With the defeat of France, the capability for German expansion across the Atlantic Ocean grew exponentially. (Image 1) Europa. Francia. Bordeaux. Segunda Guerra Mundial. Verano de 1940. El país es invadido por el ejército alemán. Con esta maniobra, las posibilidades de expansión de Alemania hacia el Atlántico crecen de forma exponencial. (Imagen 1) The situation in Bordeaux, one of the main European cities beside the Atlantic Ocean, was crucial for the German military. Founded around the third century B.C., the importance of the city as a commercial enclave was due to its harbors, which were created by the Romans. Its port structures do not access the sea directly; they are located about 50 km away, down the Garonne River, which is the axis of the city’s growth. When the Second World War broke out, the city of Bordeaux was the fourth most populated in France. Due to its proximity to the sea, the German army thought the city would be an essential point at which to build a base for their submarines. Ships would be well-protected from English attacks on their way to the Atlantic. Also, this route avoids the English Channel. (Image 2) La situación de Burdeos, una de las principales ciudades europeas al borde del Atlántico, era crucial para los militares alemanes. Fundada en torno al siglo III a.C, la importancia de la ciudad como enclave comercial fue posible gracias a sus puertos, creados por los romanos. Sus estructuras portuarias no dan directamente al mar, que se sitúa a unos 50 km de distancia, sino al río Garona, eje de su crecimiento. Cuando estalló la Segunda Guerra Mundial, la ciudad de Bordeaux era la cuarta más poblada de Francia.