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Caribbean Sea
The Caribbean was not a major area of World War II operations, although some
Germn U-boats did operarte there. Unlike South America, there were no Caribbean
countries with Axis sympathies and many islands were colonial possessions of Allied
countries (America, Britain, France and the Netherlands). Caribbean bases were
involved in the Anglo-American bases for destroyers deal (1940). The Dutch West
Indies and close-by Dutch Guiana were the only Dutch territory not occupied by Axis
forces. Refineries there processed Venezuelan crude. The primary importance of the
Caribbean was that it was connected to the Panama Canal, vital for the American war
effort. Thus the Caribbean Islands were important for the defence of the Canal. Here
Vichy control of Guadalupe and Martinique for a time was a concern. The Germans
planned an attack on the Canal from U-boats operating in the Caribbean, but never
carried it out. American anti-submarine patrols were conducted from several islands.
Puerto Rico and Trinidad were especially important. The Caribbean was, however, not
a major area of U-boat activity. The shallow clear waters were not idea for U-boat
operations and the ring of Allied island air bases made the Catibbean dangerous for Uboats once America enteredc the War. The islands were a source of raw material.
Cuba was a major supplier of sugar.
Bahamas
The Bahamas is actually located north of Cuba outside the Caribbean, but it is so close
to the Caribbean that for our purpses makes more sence to consider as a Caribbean
Island. The Duke of Windsor (former Edward VIII) was assigned to France during the
first months of the War. With the German invasion (May 1940), his behavior was of
deep concern to the British Government. Finally he was made Govenor General of the
Bahamas where he was safely out of the way for the remainder of the War. He was
out of favor with the Royal family and his behavior bother even Primeminister
Churchill who had supported him during the accension criis before the War. He
managed to escape the Germans by entering Spain. He and the Duchess arrived in the
Bahamas during the Battle of Britain (August 1940). They were not happy to be
shunted aside. He complained about their new quarters in Government House which
were not up to their stabndards. They did, however, try 'to make the best of a bad
situation.' [Higham, p. 300-02.] The Duke beleve the oposting was beneath him and
was unhappy abouit it throughout the War. He referred to the Bahamas as "a thirdclass British colony". [Bloch, p. 364.] The Duke opened the Bahamian Parliament
(October 29, 1940). True to form, his stay there was not without controversy. The
Duke and Duchess conducted a tour of the 'Out Islands' (November 1940). He used a
yacht owned by Swedish magnate, Axel Wenner-Gren. American intelligence
wrongly believed that Wenner-Gren was close to Reichmarshal Hermann Göring.
[Higham, pp. 307-09.] The British Foreign Office strenuously objected. [Bloch, pp.
154–59 and 230–33. Despite his personal beliefs and behavior, the Duke did serious
work to reduce poverty. The Duke made no secret about his racial prejudice. The
Bahamian population was mostly black. The Duke had similar attitudes toward other
non-white people in the Empire. [Ziegler] A riot erupted in Nassau, primarily because
of low wages (June 1942). . He is generally praised for his intervention to resolve the
unrest. [Higham, p. 331-32.] This performance was marred by statements made about
the rioting. The Duke blamed the unrest on 'mischief makers – communists' and 'men
of Central European Jewish descent, who had secured jobs as a pretext for obtaining a
deferment of draft'. [Ziegler, pp. 471-72.] The Duke resigned his post (March 16,
1945) just before the War in Europe ended. The Allies extensively used the Bahamas
for flight training. It was also used for antisubmarine operations in the Caribbean.
Barbados
Barbados did not play a major role, but there were air and naval based that played a
role in the Battle of the Atlantic. Barbados is located outside the Caribbean of the
Lesser Antilles, well into the Atlantic. This helped to project Allied air cover over a
substantial area of the Western Caribbean. Actual participation was minimal. The
British Royal Air Force recruited 12 men. They composed the Second Barbados
Contingent of Volunteers for the Armed Forces. They were shipped to Britain
(November 1940 to join the battle with the Germn Luftwaffe. A German U-Boat was
patrolling off Barbados where it spotted and topedoed SS Cornwallis near Bridgetown
(September 1942). The ship was brought ashore an repaired. It was subsequently
orpedoed a second time and sank. The shipwreck has been converted into a reef and
Marine park. There was some economic hardship felt in Barbados after established
sea lanes and trading patterns were disrupted by World War II and the German Uboats. Barbados also contributed raw materials to the Allied war effot, primarily
sugar,
Cuba
Cuba first played a role in the move toward war in Europeand th Holocust. Cuba
denied entry to Jewish refugees attempting to escape the NAZIs on the SS St
Louis months before the War began. Cuba and much of Ltin merica are proof that you
can have anti-Semitism wihout Jews. Cuba joined the Allies immediately after the
Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor (December 8, 1941) and Germany and Italy after
those countries declared war on the United Sttes a few days later. The United States
already had a naval station at Guantanamo Bay in eastern Cuba. This was an
important base protecting the Panama Canal and protecting Allied shipping in the
Caribbean. The Cuban Navy sank a German U-boat near Havana.(May 15, 1943). The
Government initited conscription, but the draftees were never committed to the War.
Cuba was a source of raw materials to the Allied war effort, especially sugar and
nickle. Like other Latin American countries, the economy benefitted from the Allied
war purchses.
Dutch West Indies
The Neterlands attempted to remain neutral as it did during World War I. German
without warning invaded and occupied the country (May 1940). Queen Wilhemina
escaped to Britain and set up a Government-in-Exile. Colonial officials were loyal to
this government. The Dutch West Indies and Surimame after the Japsnese invasion of
the Dutch East Indies were the only Dutch territories that were not occupied by Axis
forces.
Guadeloupe
Jamaica
Jamaica like other British colonis was immediately involved in World War II when
after Germany invaded Poland, Britain declared war on Germany (September 1939).
Britain applied thge the Defence of the Realm Act. This gave the Governor the
authority to regulate prices of all commodities to prevent profiteering from war time
shortages. The Governor also imposed press censorship as well as controls on mail
and telegraph and cable messages. Jamaica was far from the war in Europe and
Germany's small U-boat fleet was not at first active in the Caribbean. The U-boats
werw, however, a major concern for Britain's over streached Royal Navy. The War
did not go well for the Allies and after the fall of France (June 1940), it looked for a
time that Britain itself might also fall. America at the time was neutral, but President
Roosevelt moved to help Britain as much as possiblents of the Neutrality Acts and
public opinion. One of those steps was theBases for Destroyers deal (August 1940).
Britain gave the United States the right to build bases in British possessions in return
for 59 moth-balled World war I destroyers. This arrangement was more for U.D.
punlic consumption than a real deal as Britain at the time welcomed American
deployment to its overseas possessions. President Roosevelt could justify this aid to
Britain as a step in protect the outer perimeter of the United States. The bases in the
Caribbean were primarily air and naval bases. The two major American bases were
Vernamfield Air Base and Goat Island Naval Base. Some of the other Caribbean
islands proved of more strategic importance than Jamaica. Even as the German U-boat
fleet grew, the Caribbean was not well suited for U-boat operations. Jamaica also
benefitted from Lend Lease (March 1941). The American servicemen deployed to
Jamaica was the first major contact beyween Jamaicans and Cubans. Jamaicans
volunteered for military service. They served with British units. Some trained in the
United States. There were some problems as both the British anand American military
at the time was segregated. Some British civilans refugees from the Mediterranean
were cared for in Jamaica.
Martinique
Martinique was one of the two principal French Caribbean possessions. The other was
Guadeloupe. After the fall of France, Martinique authorities remained loyal to
Marshall Petain's Vichy government. Elements of the French fleet, including an
aircraft carrier, were interned at Marinique. The situation on the island, however, as
volitile. Unlike France itself, support for Vichy seems limited on Martinque. Vichy
was neutral in the War, but in many ways cooperated with the NAZIs. This was of
considerable concern tamong American authorities over Martinique because of the
security of the Panama Canal, vital in American defense strategy. French French
support grew on the island. At for a time an insurection was possible. The United
States prepared to intervene. The United States organized a joint Army-Marine Corps
task force on Puerto Rico (the 295th Infantry and the 78th Engineer Battalion).
American intervention proved unecessary when Martinique authorities decided to
recognize the French Committee of National Liberation. br>
Puerto Rica
Puerto Rico was a Commonwealth of the United States and military bases already
existed there before the War. It made up part of the Panama Canal defenses as well as
opeational air and naval bases fot the struggle against the Germn U-boats in the
Atlantic.
Trinidad
Trinidad is the largest island of the Lesser Antilles. It is located off the coast of
eastern Venezuela. At the time of World war II, Trnidad was a British colony. Bases
on Trnidad were valuable for both protecting approaches to the Panama Canal and
patrolling streaches of the Atlantic. Trinidad was one of the islands includes in the
important "Bases for Destroyers" deal btween America abd Britain (1940). This
resulted in the United States opening naval and air bases that played an important role
in the Battle of the Atlantic.
Virgin Islands