Commentary. The Historical Geostrategic Importance of the Caribbean and its Current Relevance

Abstract

This commentary examines Gerhard Sandner’s work on submarine warfare between Germany and the Allied Powers in the Caribbean (1942-1944) and the geopolitical lessons it provides for the current context. A cartographic analysis of German U-boat routes reveals how this naval offensive challenged traditional US geopolitical doctrines by attacking the «American Mediterranean. » German U-boats exploited maritime choke points in the Caribbean to disrupt critical oil routes from Venezuela, Trinidad, and the Gulf of Mexico to the European allies. The study demonstrates that the Caribbean constituted a strategic link in the energy supply chain during World War II, with significant local impacts on island societies. Parallels are drawn between the historical geostrategic importance of the Caribbean and its current relevance, particularly with regard to submarine internet cables and oil resources on the seabed. It is argued that Exclusive Economic Zones perpetuate regional fragmentation and neocolonial relations, while contemporary geopolitical polarization poses risks similar to those of the submarine warfare of the 1940s.