As we draw close to the end of 1941, it becomes clear that neutrality is not a guarantee of safety. Its utility as a diplomatic strategy has been discarded and is non-existent. A total of 12 sovereign and neutral nations have been invaded by Allied or Axis powers since the beginning of the war - Denmark and Norway on 9 April 1940; Belgium, the Netherlands, Iceland and Luxembourg on 10 May 1940; Lithuania on 15 June 1940 and Latvia and Estonia on 17 June; Greece on 28 October 1940 and Yugoslavia in April 1941; Iran in August 1941.Even those that are spared are compelled to assist either the Allies or the Axis or both in financial and economic terms, such as Switzerland and Sweden. Others offer voluntary military assistance such as Portugal and Spain. Is neutrality dead? Feel free to discuss and share your opinions and remarks. Be sure to check out our rules of conduct before commenting: community.timeghost.tv/t/rules-of-conduct/4518
There's a small country that wasn't attack by nazi Germany, but I forgot the name. It so small nobody will know, but it was spared. I would kinda add Mongolia, but no spoilers 😎
Yeah - the equally trade with allied comment is a bit weird - Swiss cannot buy a lot of Nazi stuff without selling it or other stuff to some others - that’s just the nature of trading in small countries
Personally I think Adolf finally understood that if he attacked Switzerland. Not only would his military suffer extremely heavy loses and basicly end up likely only inheriting a charnel house for its efforts. But his list of enemies would have grown exponentially if he had attacked Switzerland. As nearly EVERY major and minor nation on Earth. Did business with Switzerland in some manner or other. Either directly or indirectly. So perhaps that cold splash of reality about the REAL effects his belligerent actions might mean for Germany.... stayed his hand? Because with world domination likely in his mind? And the successes his military had already had in running rough shod over OTHER, perhaps softer and less organized nations in Europe? I seriously doubt that merely keeping Switzerland neutral and a place for storeing or laundering Nazis Germanys ill gotten gains. Was enough incentive on its own. Simply because IF Nazi Germany HAD successfully invaded and added Switzerland to its list of conquests. It would have then been in charge of THE most financially lucrative nation on Earth at the time. If not the entire Earth. Certainly in all of most of the the Western hemishpere. The sheer amount of monies and assets it would have taken into its possession, both within and without Switzetland, would likely have been quite staggering. And couldve at least temporarily. Caused set backs for the Western Allies. But in the end. Would not have been worth the effort. Because other nations, likely also feeling the sting of THEIR assets suddenly comeing under Nazi mismanagement, wouldve possibly flocked to the Allied cause thinking that THAT might be the best way to return Switzerland to the previous status quo.
That last especally... Fun fact, 2nd largest deposits are of..."Greek" interests. All the aholes that ruined my land, "left" or "right", have deposited their... "Well earned" wealth there... if you had to do with...IRISH, things might have been different for the Swiss...
This was a pretty succinct and accurate explanation of Swiss Neutrality - I say that as a Swiss citizen. They were between a rock and hard place and certainly suffered criticisms for their behavior from all sides. Switzerland's goal was always survival of its independence, and it had to employ creative means to do that (as it had done in previous conflicts). While the Swiss did accept a significant number of refugees from Germany, they also sold material to Germany or allowed passage of trains. They also housed many allied POWs, but even that is controversial because of the camp at Wauweilermoos. Switzerland's role is messy and complicated, and frankly they wanted it that way. Make yourself simultaneously irritating and placating enough that no one knows what to do with you. I am also glad you mentioned the suffering of the civilians and soldiers. My great uncle died when the bridge he was guarding accidentally detonated and my grandfather still remembers the bombs falling on Schaffhausen (which he would tell you was no accident, given the production of ball bearings at a factory there, earmarked for Germany). You mention morale, though - he still gets fired up talking about that time and the Nazis, absolutely hated them. A fun tidbit for you, I own a Swiss service rifle from around the time and I asked my Grandpa why the sights are set to 300 meters. "That's how far it is across the Rhine," he said.
Thank you for your response. Do you think after the ball bearing factory was bombed that Switzerland modified it's behavior in regards to business ties with Germany?
@@lynncarrington9862 I think they continued to behave whichever way was beneficial with the direction of the war. Both sides put pressure on Switzerland and they made concessions as long as it didn't seriously impact their independence. Switzerland was also a hotbed for espionage and backchannel communication, so it was in the interest of both sides to remain independent.
The 300 meter story sounds really cool, but was probably just a joke. This should be pretty clear if you've been in the army. I'm not shaming you, maybe you are too young, couldn't do military service or were exempt from having a service weapon and that's all fine by me. Or you're one of the lucky guys that can use a pistol for their mandatory target practice ;-) Since 1850 the accuracy of troops were measured by how good militiamen could hit a target from 300 meters away. This hasn't changed much; We still have to go to the 300 meters mandatory target practice every year if you use the standard Stgw-90. I don't use my rifle for anything else other than the occasional guard duty, so most of the time my visor is calibrated for hitting targets at a range of 300 meters.
While I love the channel, I find that the endings of each video sometimes feel a bit forcedly jarring, could do with a bit less of those. Also because if you know for sure an "epic tirade" at the ending is coming, the impact of the same feels reduced.
During the war Switzerland served as an important transport corridor from Germany to Italy, having two of only four major railway lines through the Alps. In case of a German invasion the railway bridges and tunnels would have been blown immediately, rendering the whole country impassable for years.
Switzerland only holds value as a functioning country so unless you can take it over in one fell swoop with everything intact and without a fight it's way better to just do business with them. It's not like they have any problems with selling you arms and ammunition, stashing your money and letting your troops cross through...
@@Alfaqwertzuio They turned a blind eye to trains full of material and men from Germany passing through Switzerland to Italy as long as the waggons remainded "sealed".
@@mnk9073 Italy and Germany helped to finance the Gotthard railway tunnel and had the right to transport goods. There was no transport of foreign soldiers by train. You mix up Sweden and Switzerland. Swiss take neutrality very seriously.
*Nazi Official asks:* "Our Army is twice the size of yours. What can you do?" *Swiss Soldier replies:* "In that case, we will all have to fire our rifles _twice."_
Liechtenstein was pretty much a Swiss protectorate, as it is today. But as the defensive positions of the Swiss Army spanned from the south-west corner of Switzerland to the north-east, the Reduit did not extend to Liechtenstein. The main defensive line ended near Sargans, which is a few kilometers to the south-west of Liechtenstein.
@@abdihassan7208 Would you have been in favor of Liechtenstein falling under Nazi rule then? You need to clarify why you think aligning with Switzerland was wrong.
Nice to see something about my country Switzerland on this channel. Great coverage of the situation. Just one word did you miss out: "Anbauschlacht". That was when Switzerland run out of food for all its citizens and they had to plant vegetables on every green spot they had, even in front of the Opera-house of Zürich. And still it only worked for the basics, my grandmother told me that they didn't have sugar for a while for example.
Sure, I have a few photos here. imgur.com/a/m7QnR5x#Ss9PdoZ Our group spends a lot of time explaining to curious people that we are not a German unit because of the helmets.
Fascinating story. Switzerland also supplied the German war machine with finished products. My father worked in Switzerland in the mid-1960s as a machinist for the Swiss arms company Bühle. He recalls milling the swastikas from cannons that were shipped to Biafra during the Nigerian civil war!
The reasons behind Switzerland's neutrality are multiple and complex. But in summary it's a mix of internal reasons and European interests. When in 1815, swiss neutrality was recognized, european power were very happy to have a buffer neutral state in the middle.
I think the reason why Germany didn't invade Switzerland is quite clear: The cost of the invasion was too high for a country which wouldn't provide any strategic or economic benefit. It was actually more useful to Germany as a neutral country, since it provided international banking for them. In the end it proved useful for those escaping from the Allies and Soviets.
They just weren't a high enough priority at the time. Being neutral the Swiss weren't a threat. The Swiss were fortunate the Nazi's plans for the Russians didn't go so well, else the invasion of Switzerland would have been inevitable afterwards.
@@jefflewis4 Again, no legitimate reason to invade them or Sweden even in a Nazi Europe beating the Soviets. That's like saying Romania would have been invaded too.
I will explain : Germany needed to buy goods to neutrals as Brazil Argentina Portugal.. Reich marks doesn't fit for that only a strong money as swiss francs would be. Nazis have stolen gold of Central banks of the countries they have invaded as Belgium (given by Vichy gvt in a way to protect their own gold) Netherland also The gold seizing to the jews was melted and have a nice stamp of the Reich bank on it so it was not recognizing by anyone. Swiss doesn't have any ressources no oil no grains no coal so for feeding 4.5 millions and provide work to them we have to collaborate with germans knowing until 1942 they were invincible so we have done as we can for avoiding to be invaded..
I always thought it was because the Nazis had it so easy with Switzerland as they pretty much bent down to them, even though most Swiss certainly weren't Nazis themselves. And the second reason is that they had all their money squirreled away here.
@@mariann2111 We didn‘t exactly bend down, but we did trade with them to the point where the nazis were satisfied enough. An invasion was just not necesary or profitable, as we kept on trading with both allies and axis powers. They did intend to invade though or at least had plans to do so (Operation Tannenbaum). I believe it was a matter of priority. Why invade a neutral country that trades with you? The germans had bigger problems with the Brits and Soviets. I do believe however, that had the nazis defeated those powers and were truly the rulers of Europe without any major opposition left, they would have invaded. But Switzerland was just not worth it at the time. Trade was still going and had they invaded the cost of men would‘ve been to high, you would have had to invest troops you couldn‘t spare, especially in the east. We did however make a point of our armed neutrality. For example, Planes violating swiss airspace were shot down, from the allies and axis powers both.
Congrats Sparty and team. As a swiss, I am always wary when somebody talks about Switzerland's during WW2 for it is always missing part of the information. However, you managed to describe the fact with a lot of balance! Thank you
As a Swiss, born in the 1990s, I was taught in history class that these "accidental" bombings were more likely warnings from the Allies to say: "Now you stop selling arms to the Reich", especially the one in Schaffhausen which, it seems to me, was aimed at an arms factory. We also know nowadays that the strategy of the "Réduit" was worn by politicians and military personnel with Nazi tendencies (they will turn their jackets at the end of the war). It was rather: they left important parts of the country defenseless and pretended to fight in the mountains. Switzerland consists of 3 parts: the Jura, the Plateau and the Alps. The most important part, economically speaking, is the Plateau. The big cities of the country (Zürich, Basel, Lausanne, Geneva) as well as the major part of the population are located there. The problem is that the terrain of the Plateau is perfect for the Blitzkrieg (more hills than in Belgium but almost the same), so it was indeed indefensible. But this does not justify abandoning 3/4 of the civilians to the German occupation without fighting. The Germans would never launch into the conquest of the Swiss Alps. It would have been the same as in the Caucasus in 1942. For the people who lived during this time, Guisan was a hero (my grandmother spoke to me about him saying that he was a good person). He was more a symbol of hope in troubled times. Now, the option we have of him is mixed (in my opinion). Sorry for my English, I speak French normally ^^' Otherwise, excellent episode as always. Please continue. Your job is soooooooooooo good (can't wait the December 7 episode)
somewhat biassed view on the "Réduit": 1. The Alpine passes were important for the German-Italian exchange of goods (and thanks to Réduit they remained in the hands of the Swiss Army). 2. Would a "scorched earth" fight in the Central Plateau have been better for the population? This could be answered by the Belgians and Dutch, who were quickly overrun.
@@VolksmusikmitPfiff I don't get yours points: 1. Without the Réduit, the passes would stay in swiss hands and be destroy if Axis powers came too close (not exactly the passes, more likely the accesses). After Napoleon, Swiss neutrality was the fact of having a buffer state between France and Austria, but also based on the fact that the Alpine passes were in the hands of someone other than a major power.This was to keep them intact in case of war and always open to trade (as you said). 2. I am not sure to understand what you want to say here. Swiss army was a little bit better prepared for an German invasion than the Belgians or Dutch (who were taken completely by surprise). So a"scorched earth" fight, as you say, would be more deadly for the Germans than in May 1941. In many cases, it would help the Allies to defeat Germany because of the soldiers, the destroyed material, the amo and fuel lost in those fights. Maybe worse for the Swiss people (like in the URSS, Norway, France or North Africa) but better for the world. This is not a topic i know a lot and i will be happy to learn more in your answer :)
@@patate715 J'essaie de compléter mes pensées (attention: français = langue étrangère pour moi) 1. Chose primordiale quand on essaie de juger sur un comportement du passé: se mettre dans la peau de cette époque, dans notre cas, dans l'an 1940 après la défaite de la France: La Suisse entourée des pouvoirs de l'Axe, mais l'Angleterre toujours en lutte, peut-être les Etats-Unis les joindront... "notre" seule chance, si nous serons attaqués par Hitler/Mussolini, est celle de persister aussi longtemps que possible - jusqu'à ce que la marée tourne au gros plan. Ceci est impossible si on essaie de défendre toute la Suisse, mais peut-être possible en gardant un petit coin qu'on sait et peut défendre. (Mais c'est jouer à quitte ou double, « entre Scylla et Charybdis ») 2. Avec la stratégie Reduit, le Plateau n'est que faiblement défendu, de sorte que la plupart de la population seradélaissée aux nazis. L'autre solution, soit défendre le Plateau bec et ongles, aurait pu laisser la majeure partie de la population à l'anéantissement. - Quoi de mieux maintenant?
Bombing of Switzerland by allied planes was due to navigational difficulties existing in WW II. When assembling large bomber formations over England it often happened in cloudy weather that some groups of bombers lost contact with the main formation. The navigators of these bombers worked mainly by comparing their maps with the terrain below them and with flight direction and time. Due to clouds they often lost track of the terrain and once sight was reestablished it is very tricky to recognize ones position by terrain features. Flight direction and time calculations get thwarted by winddrift and jet streams. All of these resulted in allied bombers getting scattered all over the place and usually they got rid of their bombs at anything which looked like a worthwile target (like railstations and bridges) once they had reached the time at which they were supposed to be over their intended target. And a swiss railway does not look different like a german one from the air.
Pretty sure WW3 will be China/Russia and allies vs NATO and Allies. Why should they bother with a small nation in central europe when most of the fighting will be done in Asia, the Pacific and Eastern Europe?
I think they've "made" it tbh. If there are any more proper world wars, it'll be the extinction of humanity (or at least the apocalypse) from nuclear weapons. So either they're in a great position or the world is fucked anyways
@@Teufer2 And the fact the Russians probably wouldn't bother openly siding with the Chinese and hence would sit the entire war out selling to both sides. The same can be said for China if Russia goes to war in Europe. Russia and China are more of "allies" of convenience at best
Lots of interesting stories from Swiss neutrality in during the war. An interesting one was when a German Messerschmitt Bf 110 night fighter carrying advanced radar pursued a Lancaster bomber into Swiss airspace, but was forced to land in Switzerland due to engine trouble. The Germans negotiated a deal where the Swiss would destroy the radar in return for the sale of several modern Messerschmitt Bf 109G-6 fighters.
@@FortuneZer0 They had major defects due to wartime manufacturing, but I'm almost certain, with the amount of money they invested in them, Swiss engineers would've been able to get them operational. The standard Swiss fighter of the time was already the Bf 109.
@@_ArsNova They were scrapped shortly after the war having never flown. The handfull of the G6 that actualy flew crashed pretty much instantly. old.hermannkeist.ch/messerschmitt-me-109/messerschmitt-me-109-g-6-gustav/flottenliste-me-109-g-6.html
I like to think of Switzerland as this porcupine sitting in the middle of Europe that nobody wants to touch. A note about the air aspect. The Swiss shot down 11 German aircraft between May 10, 1940 and June 17, 1940 while losing only 3 of their own. That's pretty impressive. On June 20, 1940, however, the air force was instructed to cease intercepting violators of their airspace and they instead switched to attempting to force them to land at Swiss air fields. AAA however did continue to fire on any non-Swiss aircraft that crossed their border. I believe in the end, there were over 6,500 violations of Swiss airspace and somewhere close to 200 aircraft would end up landing at Swiss airfields and being interned. Most were Allied bomber crews that couldn't make it home and preferred internment to captivity. I'm also a tad surprised you didn't talk more about their policy on refugees since apparently the Swiss where very strict on who they let in. I read they turned somewhere between 10 and 24 thousand Jewish refugees on the basis that they simply didn't have the supplies to support everyone with a Swiss government representative saying, "Our little lifeboat is full". Note, they DID accept some 27 thousand Jews.
@@thebog11 On another TH-cam channel a photo was displayed of a crash-landed Heinkel bomber with what looked like 20mm cannon hits on its tail. Men in uniform wearing kepis could be seen nearby. The TH-cam uploader asked viewers to take a guess what the circumstances were. It turned out to be a German bomber that had wandered into Swiss airspace and a Swiss 109 had shot it down, which explained the 20mm holes.
There is a story of a Swiss general and a German general discussing their respective forces: Swiss: I can mobilize a million men immediately. German: I can mobilize five million and march them into your country. What will you do then? Swiss: My men will fire five shots each and go home.
The story is from before WW1 when in 1912 the German Emperor Willhelm II visited Switzerland for a military parade. (as it was a hobby of his) He congratulated a swiss soldier of their impressive armed forces but asked. What would half a million of you swiss soldiers do if I would invade with a million german soldiers?. The swiss soldier replied: "Shoot twice and go home, your majesty" PS: There is no proof that this conversation ever happened. It is a nice story though.
I have worked 8 years in CH. there is one thing I don't doubt: he who invades this country will face a very well trained, equipped and organized army. these people climb their mountains like ibexes and they do it in all weathers. Switzerland has become a synonym for quality equipment, I have been using the winter boots I bought there for 15 years now and they are still in perfect condition. Moreover; all of them are reserve soldiers, they regularly participate in maneuvers and go home with their equipment including their weapons in case they need to be quickly ready. In addition the mountainous terrain they know like their back yard and the defenses dug everywhere in the rock ... Even air bases
I'm so used to Spartacus' dark and grim tone in War Against Humanity that the almost cheerful segway into Between Two Wars promotions was super unexpected.
I have Swiss roots on my mother's side, for some reason I've always been fascinated with the country since I was little. Finally got the opportunity to live/work there 8 years ago. Still one of the best experiences of my life, can't wait to get to go back and see all the great people I met again. This was a very interesting episode, and being there and seeing the hidden tunnels, bunkers and hangers (from the outside) in person is amazing.
.... although the facts have long been contained extensively in the history books - also in those of the upper level of elementary school. "Who wanted - could know".
@@VolksmusikmitPfiff Yeah and I'm probably the only one that has ever read it. At least it feels like this way. Swiss history wasn't even touched in school. I'm probably the only one of my old class that has ever heared the name dufour...
@@gameer0037 I'm sorry to have to tell you, but you seem to have sourrounded yourself with uneducated morons. You shouldn't equate the general population to your personal acquaintances.
@@apgmk1970 Well I was in total on 3 different Kantonsschulen in my entire "school-career" and not a single one had an adequate teaching of swiss history. Surrounded by morons? I was surrounded by future managers, doctors and politicians. Not one teacher even mentioned that our neutrality wasn't just something we came up with, but that it was decided at the wiener kongress, that we would be considered a neutral nation in central europe. This is a basic fact and immensely improtant because neutrality is at the moment a very big topic in right wing parties (especially the nationalists within it). And nobody knows anything about it, not about Marignano, about our civil war in 1848, about the napoleonic influence, about the swiss role in the econd world war, how we handeled jews and jewish gold. I could go on. I got teached more about swiss history in primary school than in 6 years middleschool. And yes maybe I'm just unlucky but I doubt that I went exactly to the 3 schools in all of switzerland that had bad history teaching/teachers.
@@gameer0037 If someone gets all his education from middle school, he or she is an uneducated moron. "Kantonsschulen" aim to prepare you for University, not for live. So general knowledge is neglected.
There is an apocryphal story that Ribbentrop was trying to intimidate the Swiss General Guisan at a drinks party before the War. "What would happen" Ribbentrop asked, "if 2 million German soldiers invaded Switzerland that has an army of only 1 million"? Guisan answered evenly: "Each Swiss soldier would shoot two times."
I suppose it may be too far gone to suggest it, seeing as we've already passed through the Battle of Britain in the main series, but I think an episode much like this on the Irish Free State would be quite interesting. Partly as I'm Irish and partly as the complexity of German-Irish and Anglo-Irish relations during the Emergency (what the war was called in Ireland) would be fascinating to explore. Not to mention Operation Green or Plan W etc.
American aircrews briefed on what do to if shot down over Germany and able to bail out were told to make for Schaffhausen, which was the nearest bit of Swiss territory. It was Schaffhausen that was most heavily bombed by Allied planes, its proximity to Germany making it vulnerable. Some Swiss were pro-Axis, notably the commandant of the Wauwilermoos internment camp where Allied personnel were subjected to abuse.
*1914:* Belgium invaded. Switzerland neutral. *1940:* Belgium invaded. Switzerland neutral. *Belgium in 1946:* "We really need to invest in some mountains."
Great episode, I enjoyed it so much! Thank you for clearing this topic I was occasionally wondering about. Just for fun, I would only like to add here two things: 1.)an anecdote about a Swiss diplomate, when asked by a German general (or was it also a diplomate), what would the Swiss do if an army twice the size of theirs would appear on their borders, calmly responded: "Well, each our soldier would shoot twice" :D (it is rumoured that among the rifles issued to the Swiss households by the army, quite a few of them were double-barrelled LOL) 2.)And an observation about the Swiss-German relations I read somewhere some decades ago: "The only nation that's upholding the traditional Germanic values like order, precision and punctuality more than the Germans, are the Swiss. In Germany, you get fined if you do not sort and separate your trash for recycling. In Swiss, you are fined if you don't put it in trash-bags of the right colour. Coincidentally, the Swiss are the only German neighbour the Germans haven't ever went to a major war with." :D Cheers!
Please stop quoting myths and anecdotes. It‘s a nice fairy tale, but very far from the truth.... better have a real look of Switzerlands role throughout the war: There‘s good and bad stuff happening 😉
"If Hitler wants somewhere invaded, it is going to be invaded" Unless there is a channel and a navy in the way. That makes it harder. After Norway the whole navy thing makes the Heer a little nervous.
As a retired Officer of the Swiss Armed Forces, I learnt a lot about the dissuasive strategy of the army both during and after WWII. From what I’ve learnt I can only say that we would’ve put up one hell of a fight for anyone trying to invade the country! It might’ve very well been an „Alpine Vietnam“ for any invader. The „Réduit National“ was the only feasible strategical solution available to Gen Guisan at the time and closely following Clausewitz‘ principle of defending only what you can defend with your ressources at hand. German Chief of Staff Franz Halder knew this very well and was aware about the „hard nut“ Switzerland was for them to crack. Some sources quoted him that this was the reason why he didn’t try marching through Switzerland during the western campaign in May 1940.
Keep telling yourself that then look up the Bergier Comission for the real reason Switzerland was never invaded. Nazis didn't give a shit about the logistics of invading it when all their money and looted treasure was stored there
I would like to relate to you, how the Swiss actively aided casualities of this dreadful war..maintained the welfare of prisoners of war and oversaw and reported on Human Rights abuses. Something the Swiss can be rightly proud of. During the Second World war my grandfather William Preiswerk was the Swiss military attache in London. The Swiss had taken up residency in the vacated German embassy. His job was to observe that the terms of the Geneva Convention were being upheld by both sides. He ensured that POWs on both sides were receiving their Red Cross parcels. He could only did this by liasing in person with Wehrmacht and Allied commanders. Doing this he risked his own life. He had only his diplomatic passport and relevant travel authorisations, carried in just a leather briefcase. For transport, he used desperate means, for instance taking an RAF aircraft to neutral Portugal, horse and cart from Spain to Vichy France and then Switzerland, meeting Wehrmacht officers on a rough preordained meeting place for instance grass landing strip. His passport is a museum piece. It is so full of visa rubber stamps from embarcation points in Europe and Canada (where German POWs were also incarcerated) He celebrated the ending of hostilities and victory over the Nazi regime, by toasting the Allies. In doing so taking bottle of Ribbendorf's vintage wine kept in his (my grandfather's then purloined) London office. (Ribbendorf had been in pre-war years the German ambassador to London). Yes, the Swiss were very much active in the Second World war, playing a sad and positive role in upholding Human Rights. My Grandfather was also called in to witness the graves and report the slaughtering of captured Polish army officers in the woods of Katyn (I think it was). Remember the Red Cross flag (with it's base in Geneva) is the mirror image of the Swiss flag. For his unseen deeds my grandfather was very proud to receive a CBE Commander of British Empire. He was thereafter called "Sir William". He was very much an anglophile..and vain with it...He comissioned a photographic portrait of himself using Churchill's own photographer Karsh of Ottawa (the photographer that made Churchill look tough by abruptly nicking his cigar, and making him scowl) Like many that saw first hand, the horrors of war, never ever talked about much his experiences.
Nice try, but I know the real reason Switzerland was able to maintain their neutrality. The Swiss have access to the most devastating weapon that has ever been conceived: the Swiss Army Knife. This terrifying blade is so powerful that nobody messes with Switzerland. Not even Chuck Norris.
Everyone knows that the only useful things on a Swiss Army knife are the tweezers and the toothpick. These are what Chuck Norris fears. He can dull the blades with a glance.
Hitler: Dang it, the 7th Panzers are in Russia and Rommel is in North Africa. Whose gonna lead us into Switzerland?!?! Halder: *writing in his journal* endured five hours of rants again today. Swiss: bring it on, baby!! No, no, we just meant the gold.
Okay, I've noticed this before, but never said anything about it. Could you please fix the table/desk where Spartacus sits? It wobbles noticeably at the slightest touch causing the phone and the lamp (or whatever is on it) to tremble and shake. Very distracting. Thanks for the videos! Great content, as always!
@@johnbartholf777 I love Indy like a brother, but I wouldn't let him use a power tool if I wasn't at a safe distance... like in the next village, and definitely not on something I own or need (to be fair Indy would also politely decline).
I don't get this criticism of the Swiss in WW2. The Swiss did what was in the interests of their own people. WW2 was not their fight, and they only stood to lose from getting involved as a belligerent on either side.
Because the Swiss position themselves to acquire riches from both the victims and victimizers, without asking the origin of their wealth. (Because they knew quite well) They are guilty by association, and only avoided U.S. / Germany violence through quiet, coward disposition towards them both, at different times of the war. A wet noodle has nothing on swiss moral flexibility. Is not their right to defend themselves that we criticize, but the means by which they did that. Cheers.
Nicely balanced presentation of the reality, thank you - as a swiss citzen living abroad I often have to defend the complex situation switzerland found itself in during WW2.
Am so glad the team and Spartacus cover this question! It's one of those I ever had (even before I gratuated in History) and never researched myself as life went on. A glimpse on the military technological level, and financial effort Switzerland put in its Defense Army at that time would be super interesting to get the "full" picture. Comments like those from @Goldeagle1123 and @JJ's Biggest Fan help, but still.
In the end they used the same strategy as Sparta when facing Philip of Macedonia (Alexander's father). Making the potential invader understand that attacking was simply not worth the trouble, and that the best choice was simply letting them in peace.
Not really. Sparta was outdated, weak and irrelevant at that point. They had nothing worth taking compared to the cost of organizing a campaign at all, and weren't a threat either. Meanwhile, Philip was busy preparing to invade Persia. That Sparta at that point, despite its old imperial history, was not considered a serious threat, says a lot.
@@Hjernespreng Same as Switzerland. Not outdated obviously but its only neighbour that might see it as a threat is Liechtenstein, there was no scenario in which Switzerland would attack Germany.
Switzerland...you fear to go into those bank accounts. The Swiss delved to greedily and too deep. You know what they awoke in the darkness of Dufourspitze...Toblerone and Ricola.
From causal reading about Switzerland during the war years, it seems many Swiss subsidiaries of American corporations continued do business within Nazi Germany throughout the war. An interesting account IBM's relations with Nazi Germany is Edwin Black's IBM and the Holocaust.
Before we judge too harshly on the Swiss of the past we should keep in mind that millions of us today not only stand by and do nothing as unspeakable evil happens on a daily basis, but in fact profit off of them through cheap goods that came about through the blood of innocents. The more things change, the more they stay the same.
In order to understand the present and help shape the future, we must first understand the past. That is why I have long been a student of the wars of the 20th Century. In ALL my research into WWII, I have NEVER found an answer to the question : 'Why was Switzerland never occupied?'-UNTIL NOW! Thank you to all for finally allowing me to understand the answer to my long suffering question! The series' presented by Time Ghost History, Sparty, Indie et al is definitely the most in depth coverage I have yet to see or read. The information on the battles in the Middle East (Syria, Iraq) are another area I have never seen explored before also! Thanks for all you do. It has really helped this mature lady get through the Pandemic easier!_HAPPY NEW YEAR 2022!
Thanks very much and happy new year to you too! The scope of this project with the main series and specials and instagram and everything else means we can cover so much that any other type of large-scale overview of the war just wouldn't have space to include in any satisfying detail. And there sure is a lot of content here to get though times when we might not be able to get out and about as much as we might like 🙂
My grandfather (born 1920, died last year) told me many stories of him waiting at the german border and seeing german soldiers teasing them with maps of how they will invade them. He was laughing while telling me. The swiss spirit was strong 🇨🇭💪
"Special services" isn't only a euphemism for laundering Nazi loot. It shouldn't surprise anyone that even in a global war there is business and diplomacy. The expedience of Swiss neutrality was seen as a plus for both sides (Hitler's tantrums notwithstanding).
Not counting microstates, Switzerland's neighbours are France, Italy and Germany. Germany is Germany and therefore cannot fall to Germany; Italy was allied to Germany and therefore did not fall to Germany (not by 1941 anyway, which is where we still are in the continuing series). Only France fell, and 1/3 is not a majority. I see now that you may be also counting Austria as "having fallen to Germany" (which I wouldn't since Austria is a region populated by Germans (also since it was annexed *long* before the start of the war)), but 1/2 is still not a majority, it's strictly half.
It's called Tracht - which literally means 'garb.' It's the traditional style of clothing of the Germanic alpine and near alpine regions, especially worn in the more conservative rural parts of Baden Württemberg, Bavaria, South Tyrol, Austria , and Switzerland. Astrid and Sparty live near the Alps in Bavaria, and these are his own clothes.
a very impressive plan indeed! What I never got is of what use it is supposed to be to hold the mountainous inner reduit. Once an invador occupies the biggest cities with all their industry, manpower and, yes, their banks - why would they care about the rest of the country? Of Course it's not that simple, but the general idea still sounds odd. If the biggest industrial and financial centers were in the middle of the reduit, it would make much more sense. But if Bern, Zürch, ... are falling - even taken hostage to some degree - what would even the sturdiest defenders do in their snowy positions
My great grandfather Sgt John J Dvorak was a ball gunner on a b24 they called Pete the pelican, in July of 1944 they were sent to bomb an airfield around Munich, their planes engines gave out and they ended up turning south and crash landing in Switzerland, they were interned as POWs but they were treated more like guests, skiing down the alps and sleeping in hotels, in his journal he talks about them staying at the hotel Regina in Wengen, his story is what has sparked my life long interest in the Second World War and history in general
Correct. Remember that only 40 years before World War II the independent Boer republics Transvaal and Oranje Free State in South Africa were also invaded by the Brits in order to get the gold that had been found there.
What kind of company do you live in? I have the privilege of being surrounded by a crowd of well-meaning, upright, „caring“ people. The others exist too, of course - they are all over the world.
Salazar's neutral (even somewhat pro allied) Portugal and Nazi Germany did a LOT of business through Switerzland (Volfram/Tungsten paid in nazi gold bullion of very shady origin) literaly truck caravans where going back and forth. Franco and Vichy France knew about it as it went thorugh their territories and obviously turned a blind eye. By the end of WW2 Portugal state bank had a massive amount of gold bullion, they never really aknowledged it until they "lost and misplaced" in the mid 70's.
A well balanced overview of Switzerland during World War II. The final remark about after-war patriotic pride deserves an addition: After the end of the war, Switzerland was under enormous pressure from the Allies (because of their "contribution to the Axes' armament") and bought a kind of silence with significant contributions to the European reconstruction. Three times, high-ranking, government-appointed commissions examined the behavior of Switzerland during the war and produced very differentiated results - not to the delight of the right-wing parties and groups, including some of the former soldiers who had spent months or years standing on the border and now felt besmirched. (1957: „Ludwig report“; Bonjour-Report ca. 1962; „UEK" so-called "Bergier-Kommission" who published it's report as late as 2002, which, once more, provoked uproar from right-wing groups) Links: 1. Ludwig report: de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carl_Ludwig_(Jurist) 2. Bonjour report: de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edgar_Bonjour 3. Bergier report: de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bergier-Bericht
The Swiss also collaborated in other ways. For example, there are two rail tunnels under Switzerland that go from Italy to Germany and France respectively. The Swiss barred the axis from using these for military equipment, but there were still two other tunnels from Italy... One direct to Austria another direct to France, so the Germans just used these tunnels for the guns while the Swiss ones carried food, men and civilian equipment.
Just curious, will you be doing a War Against Humanity episode or two about the exploitation of Allied colonies? I'm the furthest thing from a Nazi apologist, I just think it's dangerous to only focus on the Nazis and Soviets when talking about how imperialist powers cause other countries to suffer.
As we draw close to the end of 1941, it becomes clear that neutrality is not a guarantee of safety. Its utility as a diplomatic strategy has been discarded and is non-existent.
A total of 12 sovereign and neutral nations have been invaded by Allied or Axis powers since the beginning of the war - Denmark and Norway on 9 April 1940; Belgium, the Netherlands, Iceland and Luxembourg on 10 May 1940; Lithuania on 15 June 1940 and Latvia and Estonia on 17 June; Greece on 28 October 1940 and Yugoslavia in April 1941; Iran in August 1941.Even those that are spared are compelled to assist either the Allies or the Axis or both in financial and economic terms, such as Switzerland and Sweden. Others offer voluntary military assistance such as Portugal and Spain.
Is neutrality dead? Feel free to discuss and share your opinions and remarks. Be sure to check out our rules of conduct before commenting: community.timeghost.tv/t/rules-of-conduct/4518
Yes you mentioned Luxembourg. Will we get an episode on neutral Liechtenstein?
if this turns out to be a white washing of money laundering war against humanity is gonna loose some teef
Gold teef...
There's a small country that wasn't attack by nazi Germany, but I forgot the name. It so small nobody will know, but it was spared. I would kinda add Mongolia, but no spoilers 😎
MORE THAN HAPPY TO! congrats. like button enabled.
Cool and normal!
looking forward to war against humanity discussing the Jewish refugees who fled to Switzerland . . .
< mike drop >
Them: What does Switzerland that enables them to be neutral?
Switzerland: Guns, geography, and everyone's secret money.
Plus transport services for ammunition and ordinance to Italy later in the war.
Yeah - the equally trade with allied comment is a bit weird - Swiss cannot buy a lot of Nazi stuff without selling it or other stuff to some others - that’s just the nature of trading in small countries
Personally I think Adolf finally understood that if he attacked Switzerland. Not only would his military suffer extremely heavy loses and basicly end up likely only inheriting a charnel house for its efforts.
But his list of enemies would have grown exponentially if he had attacked Switzerland.
As nearly EVERY major and minor nation on Earth. Did business with Switzerland in some manner or other. Either directly or indirectly.
So perhaps that cold splash of reality about the REAL effects his belligerent actions might mean for Germany.... stayed his hand?
Because with world domination likely in his mind?
And the successes his military had already had in running rough shod over OTHER, perhaps softer and less organized nations in Europe?
I seriously doubt that merely keeping Switzerland neutral and a place for storeing or laundering Nazis Germanys ill gotten gains. Was enough incentive on its own.
Simply because IF Nazi Germany HAD successfully invaded and added Switzerland to its list of conquests.
It would have then been in charge of THE most financially lucrative nation on Earth at the time. If not the entire Earth. Certainly in all of most of the the Western hemishpere.
The sheer amount of monies and assets it would have taken into its possession, both within and without Switzetland, would likely have been quite staggering. And couldve at least temporarily.
Caused set backs for the Western Allies.
But in the end.
Would not have been worth the effort. Because other nations, likely also feeling the sting of THEIR assets suddenly comeing under Nazi mismanagement, wouldve possibly flocked to the Allied cause thinking that THAT might be the best way to return Switzerland to the previous status quo.
That last especally... Fun fact, 2nd largest deposits are of..."Greek" interests. All the aholes that ruined my land, "left" or "right", have deposited their... "Well earned" wealth there... if you had to do with...IRISH, things might have been different for the Swiss...
This was a pretty succinct and accurate explanation of Swiss Neutrality - I say that as a Swiss citizen. They were between a rock and hard place and certainly suffered criticisms for their behavior from all sides. Switzerland's goal was always survival of its independence, and it had to employ creative means to do that (as it had done in previous conflicts). While the Swiss did accept a significant number of refugees from Germany, they also sold material to Germany or allowed passage of trains. They also housed many allied POWs, but even that is controversial because of the camp at Wauweilermoos. Switzerland's role is messy and complicated, and frankly they wanted it that way. Make yourself simultaneously irritating and placating enough that no one knows what to do with you.
I am also glad you mentioned the suffering of the civilians and soldiers. My great uncle died when the bridge he was guarding accidentally detonated and my grandfather still remembers the bombs falling on Schaffhausen (which he would tell you was no accident, given the production of ball bearings at a factory there, earmarked for Germany). You mention morale, though - he still gets fired up talking about that time and the Nazis, absolutely hated them.
A fun tidbit for you, I own a Swiss service rifle from around the time and I asked my Grandpa why the sights are set to 300 meters. "That's how far it is across the Rhine," he said.
Thank you for your response. Do you think after the ball bearing factory was bombed that Switzerland modified it's behavior in regards to business ties with Germany?
@@lynncarrington9862 I think they continued to behave whichever way was beneficial with the direction of the war. Both sides put pressure on Switzerland and they made concessions as long as it didn't seriously impact their independence. Switzerland was also a hotbed for espionage and backchannel communication, so it was in the interest of both sides to remain independent.
The 300 meter story sounds really cool, but was probably just a joke. This should be pretty clear if you've been in the army. I'm not shaming you, maybe you are too young, couldn't do military service or were exempt from having a service weapon and that's all fine by me. Or you're one of the lucky guys that can use a pistol for their mandatory target practice ;-)
Since 1850 the accuracy of troops were measured by how good militiamen could hit a target from 300 meters away. This hasn't changed much; We still have to go to the 300 meters mandatory target practice every year if you use the standard Stgw-90. I don't use my rifle for anything else other than the occasional guard duty, so most of the time my visor is calibrated for hitting targets at a range of 300 meters.
@@Simjorfeo oh it was definitely a joke, he's a snarky guy. I am a citizen abroad in the US, thus did not have to complete the military service.
@@Simjorfeo Bro, we still practice 300m because it's still 300m across the Rhine.
What a jarring transition at the end. lol
Sparty: If Hitler wants somewhere invaded, its getting Invaded! The Swiss are also know for their cheese!
I mean, they did cheese their way out of the war
Except the UK Hitler wanted to invade but that was denied to him - cheddar is hole free.
While I love the channel, I find that the endings of each video sometimes feel a bit forcedly jarring, could do with a bit less of those. Also because if you know for sure an "epic tirade" at the ending is coming, the impact of the same feels reduced.
....and cuckoo clocks!
When my kitty wants to do something, she will do that something!
During the war Switzerland served as an important transport corridor from Germany to Italy, having two of only four major railway lines through the Alps. In case of a German invasion the railway bridges and tunnels would have been blown immediately, rendering the whole country impassable for years.
Switzerland only holds value as a functioning country so unless you can take it over in one fell swoop with everything intact and without a fight it's way better to just do business with them. It's not like they have any problems with selling you arms and ammunition, stashing your money and letting your troops cross through...
@@mnk9073 Well, yes. Except the troops crossing. That is a big No-No and the reason why german as well as allied planes got shot down.
@@Alfaqwertzuio They turned a blind eye to trains full of material and men from Germany passing through Switzerland to Italy as long as the waggons remainded "sealed".
@@mnk9073 Italy and Germany helped to finance the Gotthard railway tunnel and had the right to transport goods. There was no transport of foreign soldiers by train. You mix up Sweden and Switzerland. Swiss take neutrality very seriously.
My father in law told me same story
*Nazi Official asks:* "Our Army is twice the size of yours. What can you do?"
*Swiss Soldier replies:* "In that case, we will all have to fire our rifles _twice."_
"Switzerland escaped Hitler's clutches despite MOST of its neighbors falling to them."
Liechtenstein: Thanks for acknowledging my existence.
It helped Liechtenstein that after WWI it aligned itself with Switzerland rather than Austria.
Liechtenstein was pretty much a Swiss protectorate, as it is today.
But as the defensive positions of the Swiss Army spanned from the south-west corner of Switzerland to the north-east, the Reduit did not extend to Liechtenstein.
The main defensive line ended near Sargans, which is a few kilometers to the south-west of Liechtenstein.
@@AML2000 whats wrong with aligning with austria?
@@abdihassan7208 Would you have been in favor of Liechtenstein falling under Nazi rule then? You need to clarify why you think aligning with Switzerland was wrong.
@@AML2000 im trying to understand why aligning with austria would , in your eyes, prompt a nazi invasion?
Nice to see something about my country Switzerland on this channel.
Great coverage of the situation. Just one word did you miss out: "Anbauschlacht". That was when Switzerland run out of food for all its citizens and they had to plant vegetables on every green spot they had, even in front of the Opera-house of Zürich. And still it only worked for the basics, my grandmother told me that they didn't have sugar for a while for example.
The „Anbauschlacht“ was a great Publicity stunt - no more, no less. Also called propaganda.
@@katarn999 There was an oversupply of potatoes at the end. And food independence was secured.
So glad this popped up in my inbox! I am part of the UK's only Swiss army re-enactment group, so this is a real treat for me.
Do you have photos ? I'm swiss and I would love to see what you are doing with our history :D
Sure, I have a few photos here. imgur.com/a/m7QnR5x#Ss9PdoZ Our group spends a lot of time explaining to curious people that we are not a German unit because of the helmets.
@@TammoKorsai you look fresh
Swiss army re-enactment group is one of the most random things I've heard of, kudos to you.
@@ferdblu1946 I like the uniform so much. It's much sharper and higher quality than the various German uniforms people like to talk about.
I'm just here to say that I absolutely love the clothing.
I've said it before to Andy so I'm saying it to Spartacus too: need the outfits and the inspo for my outfit to next Stockholm Burlesque festival.
Me too! Its absolutely beautiful. I'd love to wear that outfit on stage for a gig.
The dudes Larping...lol
You can't wear uniforms or medals unless your a veteran
Too bad they are not Swiss clothing.....
I genuinely thought Marcel Pilet-Golaz was Hitler for a second. I imagine he got a new look after 1945...
If not, sooner.
And he would have got away with it if it weren’t for you meddling kids
@@williamfourie6813 Scooby Doo reference detrcted.
I think he's lit from a very high angle and that's the shadow of his nose.
Fascinating story. Switzerland also supplied the German war machine with finished products. My father worked in Switzerland in the mid-1960s as a machinist for the Swiss arms company Bühle. He recalls milling the swastikas from cannons that were shipped to Biafra during the Nigerian civil war!
What makes a man turn neutral? Lust for gold? Power? Or were you just born with a heart full of neutrality?
a desire not to be used as a pawn in other countries' policies
I see you, Zap Brannigan.
The first one, apparently.
probably geography too.
The reasons behind Switzerland's neutrality are multiple and complex. But in summary it's a mix of internal reasons and European interests. When in 1815, swiss neutrality was recognized, european power were very happy to have a buffer neutral state in the middle.
See, the thing about ties using camo-based colours, on a black waistcoat no less, is I can't really see them. 2.5/5
The nature of camouflage in practice...
I looooove the outfit! Sparti rocks it like a champ! For me it's a 6/5!
I think the reason why Germany didn't invade Switzerland is quite clear: The cost of the invasion was too high for a country which wouldn't provide any strategic or economic benefit. It was actually more useful to Germany as a neutral country, since it provided international banking for them. In the end it proved useful for those escaping from the Allies and Soviets.
They just weren't a high enough priority at the time. Being neutral the Swiss weren't a threat.
The Swiss were fortunate the Nazi's plans for the Russians didn't go so well, else the invasion of Switzerland would have been inevitable afterwards.
@@jefflewis4 Again, no legitimate reason to invade them or Sweden even in a Nazi Europe beating the Soviets. That's like saying Romania would have been invaded too.
I will explain :
Germany needed to buy goods to neutrals as Brazil Argentina Portugal.. Reich marks doesn't fit for that only a strong money as swiss francs would be.
Nazis have stolen gold of Central banks of the countries they have invaded as Belgium (given by Vichy gvt in a way to protect their own gold)
Netherland also
The gold seizing to the jews was melted and have a nice stamp of the Reich bank on it so it was not recognizing by anyone.
Swiss doesn't have any ressources no oil no grains no coal so for feeding 4.5 millions and provide work to them we have to collaborate with germans knowing until 1942 they were invincible so we have done as we can for avoiding to be invaded..
I always thought it was because the Nazis had it so easy with Switzerland as they pretty much bent down to them, even though most Swiss certainly weren't Nazis themselves. And the second reason is that they had all their money squirreled away here.
@@mariann2111 We didn‘t exactly bend down, but we did trade with them to the point where the nazis were satisfied enough. An invasion was just not necesary or profitable, as we kept on trading with both allies and axis powers. They did intend to invade though or at least had plans to do so (Operation Tannenbaum). I believe it was a matter of priority. Why invade a neutral country that trades with you? The germans had bigger problems with the Brits and Soviets. I do believe however, that had the nazis defeated those powers and were truly the rulers of Europe without any major opposition left, they would have invaded. But Switzerland was just not worth it at the time. Trade was still going and had they invaded the cost of men would‘ve been to high, you would have had to invest troops you couldn‘t spare, especially in the east. We did however make a point of our armed neutrality. For example, Planes violating swiss airspace were shot down, from the allies and axis powers both.
Congrats Sparty and team. As a swiss, I am always wary when somebody talks about Switzerland's during WW2 for it is always missing part of the information. However, you managed to describe the fact with a lot of balance! Thank you
Agreed!
Thank you!
As a Swiss, born in the 1990s, I was taught in history class that these "accidental" bombings were more likely warnings from the Allies to say: "Now you stop selling arms to the Reich", especially the one in Schaffhausen which, it seems to me, was aimed at an arms factory. We also know nowadays that the strategy of the "Réduit" was worn by politicians and military personnel with Nazi tendencies (they will turn their jackets at the end of the war). It was rather: they left important parts of the country defenseless and pretended to fight in the mountains. Switzerland consists of 3 parts: the Jura, the Plateau and the Alps. The most important part, economically speaking, is the Plateau. The big cities of the country (Zürich, Basel, Lausanne, Geneva) as well as the major part of the population are located there. The problem is that the terrain of the Plateau is perfect for the Blitzkrieg (more hills than in Belgium but almost the same), so it was indeed indefensible. But this does not justify abandoning 3/4 of the civilians to the German occupation without fighting. The Germans would never launch into the conquest of the Swiss Alps. It would have been the same as in the Caucasus in 1942.
For the people who lived during this time, Guisan was a hero (my grandmother spoke to me about him saying that he was a good person). He was more a symbol of hope in troubled times. Now, the option we have of him is mixed (in my opinion).
Sorry for my English, I speak French normally ^^'
Otherwise, excellent episode as always. Please continue. Your job is soooooooooooo good (can't wait the December 7 episode)
somewhat biassed view on the "Réduit":
1. The Alpine passes were important for the German-Italian exchange of goods (and thanks to Réduit they remained in the hands of the Swiss Army).
2. Would a "scorched earth" fight in the Central Plateau have been better for the population? This could be answered by the Belgians and Dutch, who were quickly overrun.
@@VolksmusikmitPfiff I don't get yours points:
1. Without the Réduit, the passes would stay in swiss hands and be destroy if Axis powers came too close (not exactly the passes, more likely the accesses). After Napoleon, Swiss neutrality was the fact of having a buffer state between France and Austria, but also based on the fact that the Alpine passes were in the hands of someone other than a major power.This was to keep them intact in case of war and always open to trade (as you said).
2. I am not sure to understand what you want to say here. Swiss army was a little bit better prepared for an German invasion than the Belgians or Dutch (who were taken completely by surprise). So a"scorched earth" fight, as you say, would be more deadly for the Germans than in May 1941. In many cases, it would help the Allies to defeat Germany because of the soldiers, the destroyed material, the amo and fuel lost in those fights. Maybe worse for the Swiss people (like in the URSS, Norway, France or North Africa) but better for the world.
This is not a topic i know a lot and i will be happy to learn more in your answer :)
Good contribution! Merci.
@@patate715
J'essaie de compléter mes pensées (attention: français = langue étrangère pour moi)
1. Chose primordiale quand on essaie de juger sur un comportement du passé: se mettre dans la peau de cette époque, dans notre cas, dans l'an 1940 après la défaite de la France: La Suisse entourée des pouvoirs de l'Axe, mais l'Angleterre toujours en lutte, peut-être les Etats-Unis les joindront... "notre" seule chance, si nous serons attaqués par Hitler/Mussolini, est celle de persister aussi longtemps que possible - jusqu'à ce que la marée tourne au gros plan. Ceci est impossible si on essaie de défendre toute la Suisse, mais peut-être possible en gardant un petit coin qu'on sait et peut défendre. (Mais c'est jouer à quitte ou double, « entre Scylla et Charybdis »)
2. Avec la stratégie Reduit, le Plateau n'est que faiblement défendu, de sorte que la plupart de la population seradélaissée aux nazis. L'autre solution, soit défendre le Plateau bec et ongles, aurait pu laisser la majeure partie de la population à l'anéantissement. - Quoi de mieux maintenant?
Bombing of Switzerland by allied planes was due to navigational difficulties existing in WW II. When assembling large bomber formations over England it often happened in cloudy weather that some groups of bombers lost contact with the main formation. The navigators of these bombers worked mainly by comparing their maps with the terrain below them and with flight direction and time. Due to clouds they often lost track of the terrain and once sight was reestablished it is very tricky to recognize ones position by terrain features. Flight direction and time calculations get thwarted by winddrift and jet streams. All of these resulted in allied bombers getting scattered all over the place and usually they got rid of their bombs at anything which looked like a worthwile target (like railstations and bridges) once they had reached the time at which they were supposed to be over their intended target. And a swiss railway does not look different like a german one from the air.
Thank you for covering this part of history of my country.
@@KIM-JONG-UN-84 nice one big man
Damn, this is fantastic. I never knew quite how intense the calculations were behind this. Pyrrhic victory or death, holy moly.
A tiny prelude to the cold war, I guess..
I just wanna see how Switzerland will pull it off for the third time...
Pretty sure WW3 will be China/Russia and allies vs NATO and Allies.
Why should they bother with a small nation in central europe when most of the fighting will be done in Asia, the Pacific and Eastern Europe?
You want a third time?
@@Teufer2 Things generally work out somewhat differently than the common perception. That's why people are surprised when a war breaks out.
I think they've "made" it tbh. If there are any more proper world wars, it'll be the extinction of humanity (or at least the apocalypse) from nuclear weapons. So either they're in a great position or the world is fucked anyways
@@Teufer2
And the fact the Russians probably wouldn't bother openly siding with the Chinese and hence would sit the entire war out selling to both sides. The same can be said for China if Russia goes to war in Europe.
Russia and China are more of "allies" of convenience at best
Lots of interesting stories from Swiss neutrality in during the war. An interesting one was when a German Messerschmitt Bf 110 night fighter carrying advanced radar pursued a Lancaster bomber into Swiss airspace, but was forced to land in Switzerland due to engine trouble. The Germans negotiated a deal where the Swiss would destroy the radar in return for the sale of several modern Messerschmitt Bf 109G-6 fighters.
Yea. But they were so shoddy they were unusable.
I think Mark Felton made a video about it.
@@FortuneZer0 They had major defects due to wartime manufacturing, but I'm almost certain, with the amount of money they invested in them, Swiss engineers would've been able to get them operational. The standard Swiss fighter of the time was already the Bf 109.
@@_ArsNova They were scrapped shortly after the war having never flown.
The handfull of the G6 that actualy flew crashed pretty much instantly. old.hermannkeist.ch/messerschmitt-me-109/messerschmitt-me-109-g-6-gustav/flottenliste-me-109-g-6.html
I like to think of Switzerland as this porcupine sitting in the middle of Europe that nobody wants to touch.
A note about the air aspect. The Swiss shot down 11 German aircraft between May 10, 1940 and June 17, 1940 while losing only 3 of their own. That's pretty impressive. On June 20, 1940, however, the air force was instructed to cease intercepting violators of their airspace and they instead switched to attempting to force them to land at Swiss air fields. AAA however did continue to fire on any non-Swiss aircraft that crossed their border. I believe in the end, there were over 6,500 violations of Swiss airspace and somewhere close to 200 aircraft would end up landing at Swiss airfields and being interned. Most were Allied bomber crews that couldn't make it home and preferred internment to captivity.
I'm also a tad surprised you didn't talk more about their policy on refugees since apparently the Swiss where very strict on who they let in. I read they turned somewhere between 10 and 24 thousand Jewish refugees on the basis that they simply didn't have the supplies to support everyone with a Swiss government representative saying, "Our little lifeboat is full". Note, they DID accept some 27 thousand Jews.
I seem to recall that the Swiss flew Me-109s, so they weren't working with obsolete aircraft. It's still an impressive kill ratio.
@@thebog11 On another TH-cam channel a photo was displayed of a crash-landed Heinkel bomber with what looked like 20mm cannon hits on its tail. Men in uniform wearing kepis could be seen nearby. The TH-cam uploader asked viewers to take a guess what the circumstances were. It turned out to be a German bomber that had wandered into Swiss airspace and a Swiss 109 had shot it down, which explained the 20mm holes.
Aviation fuel and food was limited.
There is a story of a Swiss general and a German general discussing their respective forces:
Swiss: I can mobilize a million men immediately.
German: I can mobilize five million and march them into your country. What will you do then?
Swiss: My men will fire five shots each and go home.
The story is from before WW1 when in 1912 the German Emperor Willhelm II visited Switzerland for a military parade. (as it was a hobby of his)
He congratulated a swiss soldier of their impressive armed forces but asked. What would half a million of you swiss soldiers do if I would invade with a million german soldiers?.
The swiss soldier replied: "Shoot twice and go home, your majesty"
PS:
There is no proof that this conversation ever happened. It is a nice story though.
This story is a myth. That's why there is so many different version of it.
@@alcaulique8358 Might be a myth but it is not one I would like to put to the test. I bet their redoubt is better now than it ever has been.
@@shawnr771 The strategy changed since WW2. We do not use really use the redoubt anymore.
I have worked 8 years in CH. there is one thing I don't doubt: he who invades this country will face a very well trained, equipped and organized army. these people climb their mountains like ibexes and they do it in all weathers.
Switzerland has become a synonym for quality equipment, I have been using the winter boots I bought there for 15 years now and they are still in perfect condition.
Moreover; all of them are reserve soldiers, they regularly participate in maneuvers and go home with their equipment including their weapons in case they need to be quickly ready. In addition the mountainous terrain they know like their back yard and the defenses dug everywhere in the rock ... Even air bases
There is a photo of Guisan giving his address on the Rütli. I'm surprised you didn't use it.
There's a little thing called copyright ;-)
@@WorldWarTwo Ah drat. What a pity. It's a great moment in our history.
I'm so used to Spartacus' dark and grim tone in War Against Humanity that the almost cheerful segway into Between Two Wars promotions was super unexpected.
And frightening
most cheerful Never Forget I've heard from him
I have Swiss roots on my mother's side, for some reason I've always been fascinated with the country since I was little. Finally got the opportunity to live/work there 8 years ago. Still one of the best experiences of my life, can't wait to get to go back and see all the great people I met again.
This was a very interesting episode, and being there and seeing the hidden tunnels, bunkers and hangers (from the outside) in person is amazing.
Thank you for your accurate video. Many of these facts are forgotten or get overlooked by my fellow citizens.
Greetings from Switzerland ^^
.... although the facts have long been contained extensively in the history books - also in those of the upper level of elementary school. "Who wanted - could know".
@@VolksmusikmitPfiff Yeah and I'm probably the only one that has ever read it. At least it feels like this way. Swiss history wasn't even touched in school.
I'm probably the only one of my old class that has ever heared the name dufour...
@@gameer0037 I'm sorry to have to tell you, but you seem to have sourrounded yourself with uneducated morons. You shouldn't equate the general population to your personal acquaintances.
@@apgmk1970 Well I was in total on 3 different Kantonsschulen in my entire "school-career" and not a single one had an adequate teaching of swiss history. Surrounded by morons? I was surrounded by future managers, doctors and politicians. Not one teacher even mentioned that our neutrality wasn't just something we came up with, but that it was decided at the wiener kongress, that we would be considered a neutral nation in central europe. This is a basic fact and immensely improtant because neutrality is at the moment a very big topic in right wing parties (especially the nationalists within it). And nobody knows anything about it, not about Marignano, about our civil war in 1848, about the napoleonic influence, about the swiss role in the econd world war, how we handeled jews and jewish gold. I could go on. I got teached more about swiss history in primary school than in 6 years middleschool. And yes maybe I'm just unlucky but I doubt that I went exactly to the 3 schools in all of switzerland that had bad history teaching/teachers.
@@gameer0037 If someone gets all his education from middle school, he or she is an uneducated moron. "Kantonsschulen" aim to prepare you for University, not for live. So general knowledge is neglected.
Last time I was this early, Cardorna was only fighting the 7th battle of the Isonzo River ;)
Spartacus talking about the neutrality of switzerland
Also spartacus: cheese
Hey, the cheese must flow.
@@ArkadiBolschek He who controls the cheese, controls the universe!
@@variouscheeses type fault: "the univeese"
Spartacus is Sheogorath
There is an apocryphal story that Ribbentrop was trying to intimidate the Swiss General Guisan at a drinks party before the War. "What would happen" Ribbentrop asked, "if 2 million German soldiers invaded Switzerland that has an army of only 1 million"? Guisan answered evenly: "Each Swiss soldier would shoot two times."
Gen Guisan never met Rippentrop...
I suppose it may be too far gone to suggest it, seeing as we've already passed through the Battle of Britain in the main series, but I think an episode much like this on the Irish Free State would be quite interesting. Partly as I'm Irish and partly as the complexity of German-Irish and Anglo-Irish relations during the Emergency (what the war was called in Ireland) would be fascinating to explore. Not to mention Operation Green or Plan W etc.
Thank you for this fascinating story of Switzerland during the war. Great Trachtanzug, Sparti!
Just to let you know if you see any F18 Hornets flying around UK this week they are Swiss Airforce flying from RAF Leeming North Yorkshire.
Only during office hours though!
American aircrews briefed on what do to if shot down over Germany and able to bail out were told to make for Schaffhausen, which was the nearest bit of Swiss territory. It was Schaffhausen that was most heavily bombed by Allied planes, its proximity to Germany making it vulnerable.
Some Swiss were pro-Axis, notably the commandant of the Wauwilermoos internment camp where Allied personnel were subjected to abuse.
*1914:* Belgium invaded. Switzerland neutral.
*1940:* Belgium invaded. Switzerland neutral.
*Belgium in 1946:* "We really need to invest in some mountains."
Great episode, I enjoyed it so much! Thank you for clearing this topic I was occasionally wondering about. Just for fun, I would only like to add here two things: 1.)an anecdote about a Swiss diplomate, when asked by a German general (or was it also a diplomate), what would the Swiss do if an army twice the size of theirs would appear on their borders, calmly responded: "Well, each our soldier would shoot twice" :D (it is rumoured that among the rifles issued to the Swiss households by the army, quite a few of them were double-barrelled LOL) 2.)And an observation about the Swiss-German relations I read somewhere some decades ago: "The only nation that's upholding the traditional Germanic values like order, precision and punctuality more than the Germans, are the Swiss. In Germany, you get fined if you do not sort and separate your trash for recycling. In Swiss, you are fined if you don't put it in trash-bags of the right colour. Coincidentally, the Swiss are the only German neighbour the Germans haven't ever went to a major war with." :D Cheers!
Thank you - there's some truth to the latter statement...
Please stop quoting myths and anecdotes. It‘s a nice fairy tale, but very far from the truth.... better have a real look of Switzerlands role throughout the war: There‘s good and bad stuff happening 😉
@@spartacus-olsson Sir, I feel so honoured by your kind response. Thank you so much!!! *starstruck*
"If Hitler wants somewhere invaded, it is going to be invaded" Unless there is a channel and a navy in the way. That makes it harder. After Norway the whole navy thing makes the Heer a little nervous.
As a retired Officer of the Swiss Armed Forces, I learnt a lot about the dissuasive strategy of the army both during and after WWII. From what I’ve learnt I can only say that we would’ve put up one hell of a fight for anyone trying to invade the country! It might’ve very well been an „Alpine Vietnam“ for any invader. The „Réduit National“ was the only feasible strategical solution available to Gen Guisan at the time and closely following Clausewitz‘ principle of defending only what you can defend with your ressources at hand. German Chief of Staff Franz Halder knew this very well and was aware about the „hard nut“ Switzerland was for them to crack. Some sources quoted him that this was the reason why he didn’t try marching through Switzerland during the western campaign in May 1940.
You are full of crap. "dissuasive strategy" Is that code for Nazi
Keep telling yourself that then look up the Bergier Comission for the real reason Switzerland was never invaded. Nazis didn't give a shit about the logistics of invading it when all their money and looted treasure was stored there
I would like to relate to you, how the Swiss actively aided casualities of this dreadful war..maintained the welfare of prisoners of war and oversaw and reported on Human Rights abuses.
Something the Swiss can be rightly proud of.
During the Second World war my grandfather William Preiswerk was the Swiss military attache in London. The Swiss had taken up residency in the vacated German embassy. His job was to observe that the terms of the Geneva Convention were being upheld by both sides. He ensured that POWs on both sides were receiving their Red Cross parcels. He could only did this by liasing in person with Wehrmacht and Allied commanders. Doing this he risked his own life. He had only his diplomatic passport and relevant travel authorisations, carried in just a leather briefcase. For transport, he used desperate means, for instance taking an RAF aircraft to neutral Portugal, horse and cart from Spain to Vichy France and then Switzerland, meeting Wehrmacht officers on a rough preordained meeting place for instance grass landing strip. His passport is a museum piece. It is so full of visa rubber stamps from embarcation points in Europe and Canada (where German POWs were also incarcerated)
He celebrated the ending of hostilities and victory over the Nazi regime, by toasting the Allies. In doing so taking bottle of Ribbendorf's vintage wine kept in his (my grandfather's then purloined) London office. (Ribbendorf had been in pre-war years the German ambassador to London).
Yes, the Swiss were very much active in the Second World war, playing a sad and positive role in upholding Human Rights.
My Grandfather was also called in to witness the graves and report the slaughtering of captured Polish army officers in the woods of Katyn (I think it was).
Remember the Red Cross flag (with it's base in Geneva) is the mirror image of the Swiss flag.
For his unseen deeds my grandfather was very proud to receive a CBE Commander of British Empire. He was thereafter called "Sir William".
He was very much an anglophile..and vain with it...He comissioned a photographic portrait of himself using Churchill's own photographer Karsh of Ottawa (the photographer that made Churchill look tough by abruptly nicking his cigar, and making him scowl)
Like many that saw first hand, the horrors of war, never ever talked about much his experiences.
Nice try, but I know the real reason Switzerland was able to maintain their neutrality.
The Swiss have access to the most devastating weapon that has ever been conceived: the Swiss Army Knife. This terrifying blade is so powerful that nobody messes with Switzerland. Not even Chuck Norris.
And the K31! 😉
Everyone knows that the only useful things on a Swiss Army knife are the tweezers and the toothpick. These are what Chuck Norris fears. He can dull the blades with a glance.
Hitler: Dang it, the 7th Panzers are in Russia and Rommel is in North Africa. Whose gonna lead us into Switzerland?!?!
Halder: *writing in his journal* endured five hours of rants again today.
Swiss: bring it on, baby!! No, no, we just meant the gold.
huh
Never forget. Thanks Spartacus, Indy and team.
Thanks
Glad I lived there for a bit
I happen to know your handicraft teacher. He told me you had made rockets with him in class.
can i get asylum? capitalism fuckin' me up bruh
Okay, I've noticed this before, but never said anything about it. Could you please fix the table/desk where Spartacus sits? It wobbles noticeably at the slightest touch causing the phone and the lamp (or whatever is on it) to tremble and shake. Very distracting.
Thanks for the videos! Great content, as always!
I mean to fix it between every shoot, but there's always something else needs fixing first...
@@spartacus-olsson Indy is handy, right? Have him do it! :D
@@johnbartholf777 I love Indy like a brother, but I wouldn't let him use a power tool if I wasn't at a safe distance... like in the next village, and definitely not on something I own or need (to be fair Indy would also politely decline).
I don't get this criticism of the Swiss in WW2. The Swiss did what was in the interests of their own people. WW2 was not their fight, and they only stood to lose from getting involved as a belligerent on either side.
Because the Swiss position themselves to acquire riches from both the victims and victimizers, without asking the origin of their wealth. (Because they knew quite well)
They are guilty by association, and only avoided U.S. / Germany violence through quiet, coward disposition towards them both, at different times of the war.
A wet noodle has nothing on swiss moral flexibility.
Is not their right to defend themselves that we criticize, but the means by which they did that.
Cheers.
@@lightwishatnight To judge from many comments, today there are many „better“, more ethically acting persons than during WW2 - including you?
I was just thinking about this topic a few days ago. Thanks for the upload.
Marcel's appeasement strategy was to get Hitler's mustache
Spartys on point today. Presented the heck outta this episode.
"The only reason the Swiss make chocolate is so we don't associate them with blood diamonds and nazi gold"
-Sean Lock
Isn't blood diamonds Belgium? The dude might have gotten his chocolatiers mixed up
really appreciate that you pronunce or make an effort to pronunce non-English names.
That is because Spartacus speaks a few non - English languages. (:
10:02 Damn Sparty, that link to the B2W episode was pretty tasty. Keep up the great work /gunfingers!
Nicely balanced presentation of the reality, thank you - as a swiss citzen living abroad I often have to defend the complex situation switzerland found itself in during WW2.
As a Swede is see a lot of similiarites to how Switzerland did neutrality both good and bad
It seemed to have worked, their people were (*mostly) safe, the government performed its duty to the people, even if not always admirably.
First video I saw by you, I am not even a minute in, and I love it already!
Could you make an episode like this for Sweden and Turkey.
Ireland aswell, I'm Irish and its rarely mentioned that Ireland was kinda sympathetic to Nazi's
There is already episode about Sweden
Turkey declared war on Germany
The Last Führer In Feburary 1945 when the war was won
@@od9694 The Irish were kinda sympathetic to anyone fighting the English.
Am so glad the team and Spartacus cover this question! It's one of those I ever had (even before I gratuated in History) and never researched myself as life went on. A glimpse on the military technological level, and financial effort Switzerland put in its Defense Army at that time would be super interesting to get the "full" picture. Comments like those from @Goldeagle1123 and @JJ's Biggest Fan help, but still.
In the end they used the same strategy as Sparta when facing Philip of Macedonia (Alexander's father). Making the potential invader understand that attacking was simply not worth the trouble, and that the best choice was simply letting them in peace.
Not really. Sparta was outdated, weak and irrelevant at that point. They had nothing worth taking compared to the cost of organizing a campaign at all, and weren't a threat either.
Meanwhile, Philip was busy preparing to invade Persia. That Sparta at that point, despite its old imperial history, was not considered a serious threat, says a lot.
@@Hjernespreng Same as Switzerland. Not outdated obviously but its only neighbour that might see it as a threat is Liechtenstein, there was no scenario in which Switzerland would attack Germany.
Definitely the best episode Spartacus has presented by far.👍
Switzerland...you fear to go into those bank accounts. The Swiss delved to greedily and too deep. You know what they awoke in the darkness of Dufourspitze...Toblerone and Ricola.
This was immensely educational! Keep up the great work!
From causal reading about Switzerland during the war years, it seems many Swiss subsidiaries of American corporations continued do business within Nazi Germany throughout the war. An interesting account IBM's relations with Nazi Germany is Edwin Black's IBM and the Holocaust.
epic apparel Spartacus! Congrats
Hitler was concerned that the Swiss would blast shut the mountain passes if Germany invaded.
Excellent as ever Spartacus. Thank you
Before we judge too harshly on the Swiss of the past we should keep in mind that millions of us today not only stand by and do nothing as unspeakable evil happens on a daily basis, but in fact profit off of them through cheap goods that came about through the blood of innocents.
The more things change, the more they stay the same.
In order to understand the present and help shape the future, we must first understand the past. That is why I have long been a student of the wars of the 20th Century. In ALL my research into WWII, I have NEVER found an answer to the question : 'Why was Switzerland never occupied?'-UNTIL NOW! Thank you to all for finally allowing me to understand the answer to my long suffering question! The series' presented by Time Ghost History, Sparty, Indie et al is definitely the most in depth coverage I have yet to see or read. The information on the battles in the Middle East (Syria, Iraq) are another area I have never seen explored before also! Thanks for all you do. It has really helped this mature lady get through the Pandemic easier!_HAPPY NEW YEAR 2022!
Thanks very much and happy new year to you too! The scope of this project with the main series and specials and instagram and everything else means we can cover so much that any other type of large-scale overview of the war just wouldn't have space to include in any satisfying detail. And there sure is a lot of content here to get though times when we might not be able to get out and about as much as we might like 🙂
Switzerland: had no oil orthwise it might have been a different story!
It's good to see you covering something less horrifying than your usual sparty. Great work.
They've still got the passes ready to blow and the planes in the mountains!
You mean our aging fleet of F-18 jet fighters that have not yet crashed and who were only operated during business hours up until recently? :D
Glad to have this more clarified
My grandfather (born 1920, died last year) told me many stories of him waiting at the german border and seeing german soldiers teasing them with maps of how they will invade them. He was laughing while telling me. The swiss spirit was strong 🇨🇭💪
Can we all just take a moment and appreciate Spartacus.
Beautiful voice, powerful orator, a dapper dresser and an all over beautiful man 😊
"Special services" isn't only a euphemism for laundering Nazi loot. It shouldn't surprise anyone that even in a global war there is business and diplomacy. The expedience of Swiss neutrality was seen as a plus for both sides (Hitler's tantrums notwithstanding).
3:59 Now, *that's* one heavily fortified thunderbox, if I've ever seen one. Most outdoor dunnies I've seen have been made with weatherboards.
Stalin: I have the most extreme scorched earth policy
Switzerland: hold my cheese
Not counting microstates, Switzerland's neighbours are France, Italy and Germany. Germany is Germany and therefore cannot fall to Germany; Italy was allied to Germany and therefore did not fall to Germany (not by 1941 anyway, which is where we still are in the continuing series). Only France fell, and 1/3 is not a majority.
I see now that you may be also counting Austria as "having fallen to Germany" (which I wouldn't since Austria is a region populated by Germans (also since it was annexed *long* before the start of the war)), but 1/2 is still not a majority, it's strictly half.
What is Spartacus Olsson wearing? Looks awesome but I have no clue and would love to learn. good special!
I would prefer there to be an option to pay via ideal, which is a dutch paying option. But I would get it if the costs didn't outweigh the benefits.
Traditionell clothes. Looks very southern german.
@xeepromx Ethnic Germans in central or eastern Europe sometimes wore them as well.
It's called Tracht - which literally means 'garb.' It's the traditional style of clothing of the Germanic alpine and near alpine regions, especially worn in the more conservative rural parts of Baden Württemberg, Bavaria, South Tyrol, Austria , and Switzerland. Astrid and Sparty live near the Alps in Bavaria, and these are his own clothes.
@@WorldWarTwo Thank you so much for your answer, means a lot and fills me with joy!! 😁
Never thought about Switzerland in WWII. Love the details you guys include.
With all the cheese and chocolate i'm surprised that neither the germans or allies decided to take a snack detour :)
It should be noted that Swiss armed neutrality has to some extent been a merit of Czar Alexander I envoy count Ioannis Kapodistrias.
Just commenting to help you guys in the algorithm, especially ahead of Dec 7
Thank you
Thank you all for the work
Nice waistcoat ! This series is becoming increasingly snappily dressed ...
We aim to please and always try to dress for the occasion.
a very impressive plan indeed!
What I never got is of what use it is supposed to be to hold the mountainous inner reduit. Once an invador occupies the biggest cities with all their industry, manpower and, yes, their banks - why would they care about the rest of the country?
Of Course it's not that simple, but the general idea still sounds odd. If the biggest industrial and financial centers were in the middle of the reduit, it would make much more sense.
But if Bern, Zürch, ... are falling - even taken hostage to some degree - what would even the sturdiest defenders do in their snowy positions
Resources, and the mountains become bases for attacks and counter attacks.
How about an episode on lrish neutrality during ww2
THG's episode on the subject had a lot of information I never knew. It'd certainly be interesting to have Time Ghost expand on the subject.
The History Guy did an Irish episode yesterday. 11/23/20.
My great grandfather Sgt John J Dvorak was a ball gunner on a b24 they called Pete the pelican, in July of 1944 they were sent to bomb an airfield around Munich, their planes engines gave out and they ended up turning south and crash landing in Switzerland, they were interned as POWs but they were treated more like guests, skiing down the alps and sleeping in hotels, in his journal he talks about them staying at the hotel Regina in Wengen, his story is what has sparked my life long interest in the Second World War and history in general
Always wanted to know this. Thankyou
That tunic is something out of the napoleonic wars
"Allied gold was procured legally while the Nazi gold was not!" Many colonized holdings of the British, French & Belgian empire would beg to differ!
Correct. Remember that only 40 years before World War II the independent Boer republics Transvaal and Oranje Free State in South Africa were also invaded by the Brits in order to get the gold that had been found there.
We need specific details on your attire for this episode! Very smart!!!
It's not exactly ideal tank country.
Tank meaning armor and the alps can still be bombarded with nukes it won't really matter to the bunkers 400m inside the mountain.
I am Swiss all we care about is money and chocolate
me too... fuck this bitch !
What kind of company do you live in?
I have the privilege of being surrounded by a crowd of well-meaning, upright, „caring“ people. The others exist too, of course - they are all over the world.
"We will store your gold and launder your money."
"OK I won't invade you."
A decent assessment of the reason Switzerland was not invaded. It was too valuable to invade - particularly for its financial services.
Gussaint's plan sounds pretty solid.
Salazar's neutral (even somewhat pro allied) Portugal and Nazi Germany did a LOT of business through Switerzland (Volfram/Tungsten paid in nazi gold bullion of very shady origin) literaly truck caravans where going back and forth. Franco and Vichy France knew about it as it went thorugh their territories and obviously turned a blind eye. By the end of WW2 Portugal state bank had a massive amount of gold bullion, they never really aknowledged it until they "lost and misplaced" in the mid 70's.
at 1:07 Belgian is misspelled Begian. by the way great episode!
A well balanced overview of Switzerland during World War II.
The final remark about after-war patriotic pride deserves an addition: After the end of the war, Switzerland was under enormous pressure from the Allies (because of their "contribution to the Axes' armament") and bought a kind of silence with significant contributions to the European reconstruction.
Three times, high-ranking, government-appointed commissions examined the behavior of Switzerland during the war and produced very differentiated results - not to the delight of the right-wing parties and groups, including some of the former soldiers who had spent months or years standing on the border and now felt besmirched.
(1957: „Ludwig report“; Bonjour-Report ca. 1962; „UEK" so-called "Bergier-Kommission" who published it's report as late as 2002, which, once more, provoked uproar from right-wing groups)
Links:
1. Ludwig report: de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carl_Ludwig_(Jurist)
2. Bonjour report: de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edgar_Bonjour
3. Bergier report: de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bergier-Bericht
The Swiss also collaborated in other ways. For example, there are two rail tunnels under Switzerland that go from Italy to Germany and France respectively.
The Swiss barred the axis from using these for military equipment, but there were still two other tunnels from Italy... One direct to Austria another direct to France, so the Germans just used these tunnels for the guns while the Swiss ones carried food, men and civilian equipment.
Nice uniform and presentation Spartacus!
Thank you Mr. Jones!
Just curious, will you be doing a War Against Humanity episode or two about the exploitation of Allied colonies? I'm the furthest thing from a Nazi apologist, I just think it's dangerous to only focus on the Nazis and Soviets when talking about how imperialist powers cause other countries to suffer.
Methinks we have given that due focus so far in Between Two Wars, but we will continue looking at in WaH as well.