This video shows the USS Denver as it traverses the Panama Canal. This film was taken by the Department of the Navy in 1943 during World War Two. At this time, the U.S. was overly concerned with defending the Canal from invasion due to its strategical significance. By moving ships such as the Denver from one ocean to another, they were able to be more versatile with their navy as they fought the Japanese Navy in the Pacific and the German U-Boats in the Atlantic. It was critical infrastructure for the U.S. war effort as both war ships and supply ships could be more efficient.
This relates to the project because it highlights one of the main advantages of the canal. The ability to cut travel times in half for war ships and supply ships meant a streamlined supply chains. This advantage was one of the main reasons the United States sought to build a canal and it was working out well for them. This video shows why the U.S. was involved with Panama in the first place and helps us understand just how much this relationship was built on the canal.
Primary Source:
Full Document:
Department of Navy, “USS Denver in the Canal”, National Archives 1943