The most aggrieved country in Europe, because Germany's coastline is so bad.

Among the major powers in Europe and the United States, the country with the most unfavorable maritime situation is Germany.

Britain is situated between the Atlantic Ocean and the North Sea, with easy access, and has a port at Gibraltar, as well as overseas territories in the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans.

France borders the Mediterranean Sea in the south and the Atlantic Ocean in the west, and has overseas territories in these waters, especially French Guiana in South America, which covers an area of 84,000 square kilometers.

Although Russia has a vast territory, but the maritime situation is general, to enter the ocean needs to cross a number of Western countries controlled sea areas, but Russia's northern 10,000 kilometers of coastline facing the Arctic Ocean, is its unique existence on the ocean.

In contrast, Germany's coastline, although not short at 2,389 kilometers, does not face the ocean or sea directly.

Germany's coastline is divided into eastern and western parts, with the eastern part facing the Baltic Sea, which is similar to the Mediterranean Sea and relatively closed.

Thus, to enter the Atlantic, German ships had to pass through the Oresund between Denmark and Sweden, the Skagerrak between Denmark and Norway, and the Skagerrak between Denmark and Norway to reach the North Sea and then the Atlantic Ocean.

Germany's coastline was on the Baltic Sea and it had to bypass Jutland to access the Atlantic Ocean, which greatly reduced its strategic value.

However, through the opening of the Kiel Canal, Germany successfully opened the communication line between the North Sea and the Baltic Sea, avoiding the restrictions of Jutland.

Germany is a latecomer, but its western coastline is superior, facing the North Sea across the sea from Britain.

However, before the First World War, there were some contradictions between Germany and Great Britain.

Britain had occupied the island of Helgoland on Germany's doorstep, and in exchange Germany had to cede to Britain the jewel of East Africa, Zanzibar, which was only a small island but showed the presence of Britain in Europe's maritime sphere of influence.

After World War I, Germany lost all of its overseas colonies, in stark contrast to the global reach of the United States, Britain, and France.

Germany's colonies in the western Pacific were divided between Japan, Great Britain, France and Australia, while its colonies in Africa were mainly divided between Great Britain and France, making Germany a half sea and half land country.

In peacetime, German merchant ships may have access to the sea bases of France, Britain, and the United States, but in time of war, Germany has no advantage at sea.

During World War II, Germany remained strong in the army and weak in the navy, although the army achieved many victories in Poland and the western Soviet Union, but the navy did not achieve much.

In contrast, Germany's rivals, Britain and France, relied on their overseas territories for a constant supply of supplies, which caused Germany a great deal of trouble.

In view of its own maritime inferiority, Germany dug a large number of canals to ensure the smooth flow of water transport lines.

At present, Germany's three major rivers - the Danube, Rhine and Elbe are connected by canals, and the canal network also opens up the Rhone in France, which means that German water traffic can be directly connected to the Black Sea, the North Sea, the Baltic Sea and the Mediterranean Sea, covering more than 20 countries.