When Spain collapsed into civil war in 1936 it didn’t spill over into Portugal. But, Portugal had its own problems then, with a dictatorship starting in 1933 that lasted about 40 years.
During WWII Austria was the first to fall to Germany, but there was at least some popular support for that. There would be virtually none for Canada joining the US at this point. Poland required an invasion, but they collapsed in almost no time. But, then there’s Switzerland, which wasn’t touched.
Italian fascism never really spread beyond Italy. But, again, much of that was the Great Depression so other countries had unrelated problems of their own.
If a unified US decided to invade Canada, there’s nothing the Canadian military could do to stop it. But, if the US descends into a conflict between multiple factions and Canada stays neutral, it could avoid being invaded. IMO, one of the major reasons that Switzerland was never invaded during WWII was that it was useful for both the Axis and the Allies to have a neutral place nearby that was untouched by all the conflict. It’s a place to get hard-to-get items when there’s a blockade. It’s a place where the elite can put their families where they’re safe from the conflict, etc.
No matter what happens Canada would be in trouble. The US is a major trade partner and the border has been something Canada hasn’t had to worry about defending for a long time. But, there’s a chance the worst of the chaos could remain on the other side of the border.
I’d add that there are practical reasons no one invaded Switzerland, as well. It’s borderline fucking impossible with all the mountains.
In the sense that anything is possible it could obviously be invaded but the terrain would ensure that any attacker would pay very dearly for trying. Same was true in we2.
Still, someone who is willing to work with you and who would make you pay dearly for any land you conquered doesn’t really make an appealing wartime target I’d imagine.
From what I’ve read, the Germans did consider invading, and especially did consider attacking France by going through the Swiss plateau, but it wasn’t necessary in the end.
In the end, I think it was useful to have a neutral trading partner in Switzerland. I also don’t think Switzerland would have been all that hard to conquer in the end. Switzerland imported (and still imports) most of their food, so they could have just starved them out if they weren’t in a rush. An armed invasion might have been slowed by all the mountainous terrain and the tunnels and bridges which the Swiss defenders could destroy. But, considering they had the country surrounded, they could have just starved them out.
When Spain collapsed into civil war in 1936 it didn’t spill over into Portugal. But, Portugal had its own problems then, with a dictatorship starting in 1933 that lasted about 40 years.
During WWII Austria was the first to fall to Germany, but there was at least some popular support for that. There would be virtually none for Canada joining the US at this point. Poland required an invasion, but they collapsed in almost no time. But, then there’s Switzerland, which wasn’t touched.
Italian fascism never really spread beyond Italy. But, again, much of that was the Great Depression so other countries had unrelated problems of their own.
If a unified US decided to invade Canada, there’s nothing the Canadian military could do to stop it. But, if the US descends into a conflict between multiple factions and Canada stays neutral, it could avoid being invaded. IMO, one of the major reasons that Switzerland was never invaded during WWII was that it was useful for both the Axis and the Allies to have a neutral place nearby that was untouched by all the conflict. It’s a place to get hard-to-get items when there’s a blockade. It’s a place where the elite can put their families where they’re safe from the conflict, etc.
No matter what happens Canada would be in trouble. The US is a major trade partner and the border has been something Canada hasn’t had to worry about defending for a long time. But, there’s a chance the worst of the chaos could remain on the other side of the border.
Great insight.
I’d add that there are practical reasons no one invaded Switzerland, as well. It’s borderline fucking impossible with all the mountains.
In the sense that anything is possible it could obviously be invaded but the terrain would ensure that any attacker would pay very dearly for trying. Same was true in we2.
Parts of it are, but there’s the whole Swiss Plateau area that’s just hilly. That whole area from Zurich through Berne to Lausane isn’t too bad.
Makes sense.
Still, someone who is willing to work with you and who would make you pay dearly for any land you conquered doesn’t really make an appealing wartime target I’d imagine.
From what I’ve read, the Germans did consider invading, and especially did consider attacking France by going through the Swiss plateau, but it wasn’t necessary in the end.
In the end, I think it was useful to have a neutral trading partner in Switzerland. I also don’t think Switzerland would have been all that hard to conquer in the end. Switzerland imported (and still imports) most of their food, so they could have just starved them out if they weren’t in a rush. An armed invasion might have been slowed by all the mountainous terrain and the tunnels and bridges which the Swiss defenders could destroy. But, considering they had the country surrounded, they could have just starved them out.