Summary of Trujillo, Colón y EE.UU. trataron de mantener ESTE LUGAR en SECRETO -- ¿Por qué?

00:00:00 - 00:10:00

The video discusses the history of a small island and bay off the coast of the Dominican Republic. The island has a unique history, as it was first visited by Christopher Columbus, then claimed by the United States, and finally taken over by dictator Rafael Trujillo. The island is home to a number of geographic phenomena, including a large bay with calm waters. The bay is also home to a variety of animals, including gulls, toucans, and flamingos. The video goes on to discuss why the Trujillo, Colón, and the United States attempted to keep this place a secret. The bay was seen as a perfect place to base hydroplanes during the war against submarines. The video ends with a discussion of how the island has changed over time, but how some things, like the presence of iguanas, have remained the same.

• 00:00:00 This small island and its bay to the south of the Dominican Republic not only have an unusual geographic location, but also a unique history and circumstances. First, Christopher Columbus, then the United States, and finally dictator Rafael Trujillo wanted to keep the place a secret. But why? The unique geography of the area is the result of natural poetry. For centuries, wind and waves pushed sand over exposed coral reefs, accumulating until massive dunes were formed. This created a number of geographic phenomena, like in its most easterly point, where high water deposits water in lakes, which evaporates, leaving behind layers of salt. But the most notable phenomenon is the creation of a large bay with an area of 41.7 kilometers and 10 meters of depth. The bay is open to the Caribbean in the northeast, but is protected from the Caribbean and its waves by dunes. This creates a bay with relatively calm waters, even during storms. And without the dunes, the bay could not exist. Although the area is a desert with strong sun and constant winds, it contains mangroves and subtropical dry forests. All of these serve as shelter for a variety of animals, such as gulls, toucans, and flamingos. It
• 00:05:00 The Trujillo, Colón, and the United States attempted to keep this place secret--why? Las Calderas was a perfect place in the Caribbean as a source of  supplies during the war against submarines. After declaring war on Germany and the subsequent loss of a large part of her merchant fleet to German submarines, including President Trujillo, Trujillo signed the 25th of January 1943 an agreement with the United States to establish a Naval Mission in the Dominican Republic. One of the main weapons against submarines were hydroplanes. The Bay of the Calderas was the perfect place, thanks to the protection of the wind and the tide that the reefs offered. Here in the bay, hydroplanes could go and come without risk and patrol the Caribbean Sea to protect American interests in Cuba, Puerto Rico, and the Panama Canal. It was the perfect place for a secret base: as the bay is shallow, it was impossible for a submarine to approach the base. And the reefs were a natural protection against German cannons. It is not clear if submarines actually attempted to approach the base, but there were reports of sightings. The naval base not only served as base for hydroplanes, but also for military American ships, part of the
• 00:10:00 This video discusses the history of Trujillo, Colón, and the United States' attempts to keep this place a secret. Trujillo, Colón, and the United States were all situated on the coast, and the winds that created the peninsula now allow kitesurfing. Fishing is practiced by many locals, though there are also seafood restaurants. One must not forget to eat at one of the several fish restaurants in the bay. The restaurants specialize in what was caught in the same area. And of course, pigs. The base of the Calderas continues to be a base for the Navy, and an area for training. It is not unusual to see the military, both the army, navy, and air force training alongside forces from other countries, such as the United States and France. Several areas remain a military restricted area. Much has changed since Colón, Independence, the German submarines, and Trujillo. But one thing remains the same: the iguanas always are present. They cross the streets, watch the tourists, and study them. They are the eternal observers of humanity, and without them, the peninsula and its bay would be incomplete. And of course, without pigs, it wouldn't be the same either. Thank