Changes

Brest became a naval base when [[Cardinal Richelieu]] had wooden  wharves built there in 1631. Not much later, “Minister of Marine” Colbert had them replaced with ones of stone, and that great exponent of the art of fortifications, Vauban, had the port fortified during the 1680s. During the eighteenth century Brest became the site for the French Naval College (École Navale,) the French equivalent of Dartmouth in Britain or Annapolis in the U.S.A.  

Brest became a naval base when [[Cardinal Richelieu]] had wooden  wharves built there in 1631. Not much later, “Minister of Marine” Colbert had them replaced with ones of stone, and that great exponent of the art of fortifications, Vauban, had the port fortified during the 1680s. During the eighteenth century Brest became the site for the French Naval College (École Navale,) the French equivalent of Dartmouth in Britain or Annapolis in the U.S.A.  

During both the [[Seven Years’ War]] (1756-63)) and the [[Napoleonic Wars]] which ended in 1815, Brest was [[blockade]]d  for long periods by the [[Royal Navy]].  

During both the [[Seven Years' War]] (1756-63)) and the [[Napoleonic Wars]] which ended in 1815, Brest was [[blockade]]d  for long periods by the [[Royal Navy]].  

Brest was used by the [[German]] Navy as the base for its Atlantic squadron during [[World War II]] and was bombed so mercilessly by the British that the three major warships there were not able to put to sea and had to be recalled to Germany in February 1942.

Brest was used by the [[German]] Navy as the base for its Atlantic squadron during [[World War II]] and was bombed so mercilessly by the British that the three major warships there were not able to put to sea and had to be recalled to Germany in February 1942.