World War II Database

Contributor: C. Peter Chen

ww2dbaseThe work on a canal to link the Atlantic Ocean with the Pacific Ocean began in 1881 by French engineers, but it was halted in 1889 after the project went bankrupt. In 1894, a second French company was formed for this project, but this company would not further the canal building project significantly. In 1903, the United States gained the territory from the newly formed Republic of Panama, a US protectorate, for a one-time cost of US$10,000,000 plus an annual cost of US$250,000. In 1904, the US purchased all equipment, excavations, and the Panama Railroad from the French for US$40,000,000. In 1908, the US Navy requested that the locks across the canal to be increased from 28.5 meters (94 feet) in width to at least 36 meters (118 feet); it was eventually compromised to the width of 33.53 meters (110 feet). In 1913, the Gatun Lake was created by damming the Chagres River; it provided several million gallons of water for the operation of locks, as well as drinking water for nearby cities. After a 10-year effort that cost nearly US$500,000, the canal was completed in 1914. In 1914, about 1,000 ships made the 50-mile transit from one ocean into the other. In 1921, in the interest of safeguarding the canal, the US agreed to pay Colombia (which Panama rebelled against) US$25,000,000 for Colombia to drop its claims on Panama. In 1935, the building of the Madden Dam was completed across the Chagres River above Gatun Lake to provide additional water storage for the canal. In 1939, a project was begun to create a new set of locks that would allow the US Navy to build wider ships, but this project would be canceled after WW2.

ww2dbaseJust prior to the US entry into WW2, Caribbean Defense Command was given the responsibility of guarding the entire territory. When the tension with Japan mounted, all Japanese ships were forced out of the territory by 22 Jul 1941. When the US entered the war, the strategically-important Panama Canal Zone was defended by anti-torpedo nets and naval mines, chemical smoke generators, anti-aircraft gun positions, two long range radar installations (one on each coast), 634 search lights, 30 aircraft warning stations, 11 16-inch coastal gun batteries. US troops were stationed at Colón, Margarita Island, and Toro Point (Fort Sherman). A great number of Allied warships and various other vessels transited the Panama Canal during WW2. Although hostile submarines did venture near the canal, the canal was never in serious harm.

ww2dbaseAfter the Suez Canal crisis of 1956, the United States pressured France and the United Kingdom to abandon their attempts to take control of the Suez Canal. This was perceived as hypocrisy by Panamanian nationalists for that the US showed no signs of ever wanting to give up the control of the Panama Canal to Panama. With pressure mounting over several decades, in 1977, the Torrijos-Carter Treaties finally provided a road map to transfer the canal to Panama; as a condition, Panama was required to uphold a neutrality over the canal's operations. The transfer was executed on 1 Oct 1979. Toll revenues from the canal immediately became one of Panama's main sources of revenue. In 1999, true full control was given to Panama.

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