I still don't know how the hell they did it, was it because nobody wanted to start a fight with them? was it because nobody hated them? How the hell did the Swiss stayed out of two of the greatest wars of the 20th Century?
They live in the mountains and don't have much resources. It's a logistical nightmare to kill people in the Alps. That being said they haven't always been neutral, I remember hearing about them killing Austrians and being involved in the Napoleonic Wars.
During World War I, Switzerland did not offer any meaningful military assistance to Germany or France, but other governments did not always respect Switzerland's borders or airspace. This fact did not escape the notice of the Swiss government, which made regular protests to both the League of Nations and its successor, the United Nations. Switzerland's policies and practices during WWII, however, did raise a number of concerns about its neutrality among Allied countries. Nazi Germany did maintain an economic relationship with Switzerland throughout the entire war. Swiss bankers were distressingly willing to establish secret accounts for Nazi officers seeking safe storage of money and other valuables looted from countries overtaken by the German war machine. While Swiss diplomats also provided safe passage for victims of Nazi oppression, the Swiss government often came perilously close to appearing politically allied with Germany. Some historians suggest that Switzerland's eagerness to work with Nazi Germany and their caches of money and artworks helped to prolong the war itself. The German war machine was on the losing end of the conflict militarily several times, but influxes of cash and other support from ostensibly neutral Swiss banks helped Nazi Germany regain its footing and continue fighting the war. Formal accusations of Swiss financial assistance and political empathy towards Nazi Germany have been leveled several times over the years, but to date Switzerland has never charged with violating its own neutrality policy. Fun Fact: Swiss fighters shot down 116 intruding aircraft (mostly German) and forced down or interned more than 100 allied heavy bombers during World War II
God. From what i heard the country financially gave more aid to the Nazis, but statistically gave more aid to allies in terms of everything else and according to my philosophy teacher the Swiss high command wanted the Allies to win. Tough it might be because the Nazis had a pretty complex invasion plan for Switzerland.
I will make sure to next time also that fun fact comes from a book I have. Weber, Louis, ed. World War II Extraordinary Facts and Stories. Lincolnwood: West Side, 2007. Print. Armchair Reader. Since you want sources.
If I recall, Nazi spies in Switzerland advised Hitler not to carry out the planned invasion of Switzerland(to complete the whole greater Germany thing) because they were just so dug in to the alps, and their army was just so badass that an invasion would be impractical and disastrous.
Of course they have, but they had not fought in the Alps, they helped push the French fries back, in fear of a crappy unstable imperial system that could destroy them and kill millions ahead of time. I'm no historian but that's the only logical reasoning I could come up with for them helping the Russian Empire and the rest of eastern Europe. If what you say is true, that is.
oh god so much nonesense about my country............ makes me sad. i mean it is not hard to just google the shit. but let me address some points made here: 1. Switzerland was trading with nazi germany: eh well duh, would you go look at a map betwen 40-45! There was nobody else then nazis to trade with. who the hell should we have traded with instead? But it is true that swiss made dirty business with nazis (heck a lot of the people where nazis) for far to long then necessary. The us even threatened to interveene if the swiss wouldn't stop all trade after they freed france. But on the other hand a lot of jews (and other unwanted people) where rescued over the boarders despite threats from gemany. 2. killing austrians and being invoved in napoleonic wars: it is true "switzerland" fought the austrians, atleast if you want to call the house of habsburg austrians. the early parts of the swiss eidgenossenschaft where part of habsburgs territory so they fought a war of independance against them but this was in the 13th century long before the declaration of neutrality. also the napoleonic wars, napoleons grand army was on the hight of it's power and pretty much occupied switzerland without resistance. Not much switzerland could have done against it. Then he lost the war and the russians came and liberated us. But napoleon did a great job while occupying us. he impelemnted much needed reforms and thus french ocupation is seen as a good thing in switzerland. 3. Switzerland is ruled by a right wing nationalist government: lol what nonesense. please inform yourself about politics before making such wild claims. Also being a direct democracy makes party rule pretty much improbable. So now to the op's question. Swiss neutrality first came up after the defeat of Marignano 1515. For nearly 3 centuries Swiss Mercenerys have dominated European conflicts. Largely in service to the French king. For this time period no body dared to fight the swiss because of their military might. But as time passed and cannons and muskets rose on the battlefields. Swiss tactics became outdated (lol tactics, tactic basicly was a large phalanx that rushed the enemy head on) and the defeat of marignano, swiss merc vs. swiss mercs with 10000s of dead swiss, made the government of switzerland realize that never again switzerland wants to be the playball of European conflicts. Atleast that is what the myth is about. There are many other reasons why switzerland is neutral. Going in depths of all of them would take to long. But with the decline of military power entranched betwen the rising superpowers of the time, there was really no other option. Now if we fast forward into the first world war. None of the powers French or Germany probably wanted to open another Front. One thing was clear to them, if they atack Switzerland their respective enemy will win an other ally. For example if the French atacked Switzerland, Austraina and German troops could reinforce the Swiss and open a large front. Also Mountain warfare in this time was not a good idea against a well prepared Enemy. And if you look at the map of europe and the potential new frontlines neither of the countries wanted to risk it. And the swiss didn't atack anyone because of the neutrality being allready deeply in the national soul of the swiss pluss switzerlands offensive capabilities are verry limited. So the only worhty contribution of switzerland to world war one was the founding of the Red Cross. Adolf Hittler once said: Switzerland the little porcupine will be conquered in retreat(loosely translated). there where plans to integrate Switzerland into Grand Germany, but historicly switzerland is much different then Austria. And it is not easy to predict what Hittler thought about it. It is however clear that there where plans to conquer Switzerland. This however was countered by the swiss "reduit-strategy", in case of invasion the army would retreat into a nearly invincible ring in the alps, however this plan has a fatal flaw. All the urban territories would have ben taken in a few weeks if the Wehrmacht invaded, and the army would then fight a guerilla war against them. The same fate like the one of the yugoslaves would have come over the general population of switzerland. But the strenghts of the plan was, that hittler needed a passage betwen germany and italy and this passage leads through the mountains. If you want to send goods from Germany to Italy you have to go through the Alps. This passage would have ben lost in case of an invasion. Also war against Switzerland would probably only ben succesful right after the victory over france. After operation Barbarossa, the wehrmacht was not powerfull enough to go against the reduit strategy. No doubt Hittler would have sacrificed 100000s of dead german soldiers just for the sake of it, but after barbarossa they just didn't have the manpower. Also Hittler kind of needed a place to trade in his gold since the reichsmark was not excepted anymore in most places of the world. So all in all Switzerland managed to stay out of war by being usefull for both parties as long as there is no war. Ofcourse with a lot of dirty deals but again the realities of time somtimes dictate such things. I am sure the WWW will have a more accurate and more indepth view of all this events. or feel free to ask me.
This is the question that has stood the test of time, a question far greater then what is the meaning of life, and that question is "Why do Swiss put holes in there cheese"
What else would they be? They pretty much dominated the country for a few hundred years, and then drove it into the ground in the next few hundred. They're a pretty fundamental part of Austria.
It is true that Austria's history is dominated by the Habsburgs, the habsburgs weren't dominated by the Austrians all the time. They were everywhere.
I know. They tended to sleep around, and then get really lucky. That whole Spain thing panned out pretty well.
Well, apart from sirdust's really good explanation you only have to think, in WW1 they were bordered by 4 major nations, Germany and Austria-Hungary in one side, France and Italy on the other and on WW2 bordered by Mega-Germany and Italy on all the sides, you'd have to be crazy to pick a side when you don't have an army big enough to confront these powers.
