The demonstrations that resulted in the US Navy's being forced out of Vieques in 2003 were the result of the island's occupation during and after World War II. After German U-boats sank more ships in the Caribbean than anywhere else, the US government decided to transform the island of Vieques into an unsinkable battleship. The Navy thereby ignored the cultural traditions of the Puerto Rican population, introduced racial discrimination, forced the relocation of its population, and showed no concern for the local economy, which was ruined by the occupation.