Switzerland successfully maintained its neutrality throughout the Second World War. At the outbreak of the conflict in 1939, the nation diligently readied itself for a potential invasion, even in the face of the German plan known as Operation Tannenbaum. However, despite these preparations, the perplexing question that’s endured over the years is why the choice was ultimately made not to proceed with the invasion.
History of Swiss neutrality
Switzerland choosing to remain neutral during World War II was nothing new. The roots of the country’s neutrality date back to the 16th century and the Battle of Marignano. Following the Swiss Army’s defeat to the French in September 1515, the decision was made to try and avoid any future battles, in an effort for self-preservation. This neutrality would come under threat a number of times over the subsequent centuries, due to the actions of other nations.
The Swiss formally declared neutrality during the Congress of Vienna in 1815. When World War I broke out, Switzerland stayed out of the conflict, militarily. It did, however, take in refugees and mobilize its forces. Internal strife between the country’s French-, Italian- and German-speaking populations also occurred. Following the conflict, the victors formed the League of Nations. The organization recognized Switzerland’s neutrality, and built its headquarters in Geneva.
A promise from Germany, to Switzerland
During his rapid ascension to power, the German Führer promised Switzerland that he would respect the country’s neutrality. In February 1937, he even told Swiss Federal Councilor Edmund Schulthess that Germany would not invade the European nation. Of course, the Führer wasn’t someone whose word could be taken at face value. During the conflict, Germany rapidly occupied a number of nearby countries, including Denmark, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Poland, Norway and Belgium.
Knowing Germany’s reputation, Switzerland did take the time to mobilize its Armed Forces, which, at its peak, was made up of 850,000 soldiers. This relatively large force was placed under the command of Henri Guisan, a life-long soldier and one of the most experienced men in the Swiss Armed Forces.
Guisan helped put in place the National Redoubt defensive plan, which would have seen the deployment of three mountain brigades and eight infantry divisions, who trained for a potential invasion by mimicking the battles occurring in Europe at the time. If an invasion occurred, the Swiss government would retreat to the Alps, with the aim being to preserve some of country’s territory and political power.
The planning of Operation Tannenbaum
While Germany’s Führer made his promises to Switzerland, he fully expected the country to join the war effort at some point. However, it stayed true to its promise of full neutrality. This infuriated the German government, and plans were made up to invade Switzerland. The Führer even told Italian Prime Minister Benito Mussolini, “Switzerland possesses the most disgusting and miserable people and political system. The Swiss are the mortal enemies of the new Germany.”
The plan was codenamed Operation Tannenbaum. Under it, the German Army could send a portion of its force from Central France, where two million soldiers sat idle, to Switzerland. The Italians would also be involved in the operation. While the German forces would set their sights on taking control of Geneva and Lucerne, the Italian Army would invade the Alps, after which both countries would divide Switzerland between themselves.
With those kinds of numbers, Italy and Germany could have easily occupied the country. However, for reasons still unknown, the plan was never enacted.
Why didn’t the Germans move forward with Operation Tannenbaum?
Germany ultimately faced defeat in the Second World War. With the nation’s leader deceased, the opportunity to inquire about the reasons behind shelving Operation Tannenbaum was forever lost. Consequently, historians have had to rely on theories to shed light on this decision.
The first posits that Switzerland, despite its smaller military force, was determined to put up a tough resistance. Moreover, the government had significantly increased its investment in weaponry, equipping itself with one of the most advanced arsenals of the era. Switzerland’s geography, characterized by landlocked boundaries and devoid of waterways for naval access, along with its rugged, mountainous terrain, which favored skiing but hindered military movement, further undermined the value of occupation.
The second theory suggests that Germany derived certain advantages from Switzerland’s neutral stance. It allowed the former to use the latter for activities like laundering stolen gold. Additionally, Swiss authorities provided a safe haven for German officials in case the war took a turn for the worse.
Switzerland remains neutral to this day
Against all odds, Switzerland was able to remain neutral for the entirety of the Second World War. Since then, the country has largely kept out of other major conflicts, with the one exception being the War in Afghanistan. This was the first time the Swiss had taken part in a battle since 1815. During the War in Iraq, officials gave the American forces permission to use Swiss airspace to conduct surveillance missions.
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President Ignazio Cassis explained Switzerland’s stance in 2022, saying the country’s principles include “no participation in wars; international cooperation but no membership in any military alliance; no provision of troops or weapons to warring parties and no granting of transition rights.”