Ep 5. Hitler's Island Megafortress
In the fifth episode of season three of Nazi Mega Weapons, titled "Hitler's Island Megafortress," viewers are taken on a tour of one of the most heavily fortified places on Earth – Hitler's Island in Norway. During World War II, Hitler had ordered the construction of this island fortress to be used as a base for his U-boats, which were crucial in the German Navy's naval campaigns.
The episode first delves into the history of the Nazi's presence on the island. After occupying Norway in 1940, Hitler declared that the island – located in the Trondheim Fjord – was to be used as a base for his U-boat fleet. The Germans believed that they could use U-boats to cut off Britain's vital supply lines across the North Atlantic, crippling their war effort. They also believed that the location of the island would provide a perfect base for launching attacks on allied convoys.
The episode then turns to the construction of the megafortress itself, which was nothing short of a formidable feat of engineering. The Germans built miles of tunnels and walkways right into the island's granite mountains, carving out entire sections to create workshops, engine rooms, and enormous fuel tanks capable of holding over 70,000 gallons of fuel. Meanwhile, on the surface, they built a maze of bunkers, anti-aircraft emplacements, and gun turrets to defend against any potential attackers.
The show goes on to explain how the Germans made such a facility nearly self-sufficient, complete with its own water and power supply. They even established a bakery on the island to keep the crew fed with fresh bread. The labor-intensive construction work was carried out by prisoners of war from all over Europe, who were forced to work under appalling conditions. Thousands of them lost their lives while working on the facility, and their bodies were dumped into the fjord.
The episode is full of fascinating details and insights into Hitler's Island Megafortress, which was an impressive, if ultimately flawed, piece of engineering. Had the Germans been able to continue using the island, it's possible that they might have had a greater impact on the outcome of the war. As it was, the U-boat fleet based there was ultimately defeated, and Hitler's Island became a ghost town. Nevertheless, the megafortress remains a testament to the ingenuity and determination of the Nazi engineers who built it.
Overall, this episode of Nazi Mega Weapons is an intriguing look into one of the lesser-known aspects of World War II. By exploring the construction and purpose of Hitler's Island Megafortress, viewers can gain a deeper understanding of the technological and logistical challenges that the Germans faced during the war. It's a compelling story that's well worth watching, especially for those interested in the history of engineering and warfare.
