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.
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.