Swiss And The Nazis How The Alpine Republic Survived In The Shadow Of The Third Reich

Switzerland played a thoroughly unique role in World War II, yet the experience of its army and people while staving off Nazi aggression have seldom been understood. Here, for the first time in English, is an in-depth study of the Nazi-Swiss relationship on a grass-roots level. The Alpine nation-surrounded by totalitarian powers--was, in fact, a study in contrasts. Philosophically neutral, the Swiss conscripted every able-bodied man into their army, trained them as marksmen, and achieved the highest ratio of soldiers to civilians in Europe. Alone among Germany's neighbors to escape invasion, the Swiss undertook the most massive strategic defense preparations on the continent by fortifying their Alpine zone. While deterring German aggression through deterrence, the Swiss press and its free cabaret society continued to ridicule Nazi pretensions, while its Jewish population-unlike those of other European states, Germanic or not--increased rather than diminished throughout the war. In this book the author describes how the Swiss expected to be attacked and prepared themselves accordingly from the start. Through exhaustive research in German military archives, he also reveals a chilling rendition of German invasion plans ranging from 1940's "Tannenbaum" to the even greater crisis when Allied armies began to assault the Third Reich from the south in 1943. Also provided is valuable information on how Switzerland navigated the combatants' blockade and counterblockade of Europe, its essential humanitarian guardianship of the Geneva Conventions via the ICRC, its role as a veritable lifeboat for refugees and interned soldiers, and its fascinating status as a beehive for both Axis and Allied Intelligence. With primary research and expert analysis, this work illuminates the stalwart Swiss wartime generation for the first time, and thus fills a glaring gap in our understanding of World War II. Stephen Halbrook is a prominent lawyer in Fairfax, VA, who has argued before the Supreme Court, and whose previous books include the much acclaimed Target Switzerland and That Every Man Be Armed.Halbrook, Stephen is the author of 'Swiss And The Nazis How The Alpine Republic Survived In The Shadow Of The Third Reich', published 2006 under ISBN 9781932033427 and ISBN 1932033424.