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by Randolph Bradham |
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| The French naval bases at St. Nazaire and Lorient, occupied by the Germans in June 1940, quickly became the homes of massive U-boat fortresses -- nearly indestructible submarine pens, built mostly by slave labor. From these bases, the U-boats struck merchant shipping at will from the Mediterranean to the North Sea. Thousands of vessels were lost, along with vital war material from the U.S. destined for Britain and the Soviet Union. The Royal Air Force began an all-out bombardment of the two ports. Despite their extensive efforts — and those of the Americans who joined them in 1942 — the fortresses would survive, surrounded by decimated French towns and countryside. | 
Hitler's U-Boat Fortresses by Randolph Bradham Lyons Press, 2005. Order a copy |
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