Swiss invaded WW2

How would things have gone down if Germany had been able to implement it's invasion of Switzerland?
 
well, seeing as how just about every major European nation was guaranteeing Switzerland's independence and neutrality, it would result in further condemnation of Germany. but seeing as the war was already on, I don't see very much difference.


how much success would a Swiss guerrilla movement in the Alps meet with?
 
i can't remember where i have read this, but i remember reading that it would have been suicide for the Germans to invade switzerland in ww2. the swiss had a bunch of alpine divisions, the nation itself was honeycombed with tunnels and underground defenses. i am sure the germans would have conquered the nation, but it would have been utterly apalling in terms of losses. enough where they wouldn't have been able to attack the USSR.
 
I'm tempted to call it a Nazi vietnam, if only because the Swiss had almost a decade of preparing defenses in the countryside, much as the viet cong did. Now the Swiss will have to rely upon themselves, and in the long term this may be their down fall, but the issue is if someone invades the Swiss where did those troops come from?

Is D-day easier now? Does Italy not have the forces to reinforce it once the allies attack?
 
To this day the swiss have C4 in all their tunnels leading in and out of the country. The biggest problem for them is the supplies being surround by enemies and have very little arable land starvation is a real possibility. Germany never invaded Switzerland for two reason the large resitence movement and the large German minority there of course why invade a nation with all your money in it?
 
To this day the swiss have C4 in all their tunnels leading in and out of the country. The biggest problem for them is the supplies being surround by enemies and have very little arable land starvation is a real possibility. Germany never invaded Switzerland for two reason the large resitence movement and the large German minority there of course why invade a nation with all your money in it?

Hitler was utterly willing to invade though, things like D-day got in the way. The Swiss was trying to make not invading the best option, but you gotta recall this is talking about logic with Hitler in charge.
 

Anaxagoras

Banned
The problem with invading Switzerland is that whatever the invader gains in the end will not be worth the cost incurred during the invasion. The Swiss had not only prepared defensives and made excellent use of the natural fortress that is the Alps, but they had also arranged for all their industry to be destroyed rather than letting it be captured.

They had also notified their citizens that any announcement that the Swiss government had surrendered was to be regarded as enemy propaganda and ignored.
 
the 3 Reich had real plans for invading Switzerland in 1940 called "Operation Tannenbaum"
but Hitler never gave the go-ahead, for reasons that are still uncertain today.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Tannenbaum

German Invasion Plan Map
800px-Operation_Tannenbaum_-_nord.jpg

the German test on top right say
Troop deploment:
F = Paratrooper
Blau =infantry division
Grün= mountain infantry division
Schwarz= Tank Division
Rot = line of demarcation
Lila =German Italian Border with Demilitarized zone

Italian Invasion Plan Map
800px-Operation_Tannenbaum_-_sued.jpg




the country was cut in three piece
the Swiss Germans to 3 Reich, french Swiss to Vichy France and Swiss Italian and Romansh to Fascism Italy
however Swiss German canton wallis and Graubunden would go to Fascism Italy

800px-Map_Languages_CH.png
 
Well, you've got an odd situation on your hands. I suppose it matters whether this is in 1940 (as a means to bypass the Maginot Line) or something like 1941-2.

The Swiss are immediately going to join the Allies. But Unless a friendly France is on their border, there is nothing that can be done. The Swiss are going to collapse.

The odd result is that the Swiss Nazis might play a critical role in the situation. Undoubtedly, if the Swiss were a target, Hitler would try to crack the government as much as possible. This could follow the Austria, Czechoslovakia and Poland model--force the Swiss into concessions, and then deal a killing blow. Certainly, he has no need to blitz into Switzerland, as they are already prepared anyhow, and this might make it much easier to take down.

The role that Franz Burri plays in Switzerland is going to be critical to determine whether Switzerland becomes a Denmark or a Netherlands. It should be bad, but the Swiss Nazis might be numerous enough to make a difference.
 
there is another problem
Swiss Industry produced for the Nazi war industry and the allies as well !
mostly high quality Swiss clock mechanic for Bombs
with a Swiss occupied by Nazi, the Allies are cut off from Swiss clocks and other high tech...

Bizzar:
during the WW2 Swiss exported with out problem there goods true Nazi occupied land to the Allies :D

this Swiss website give a good overview of Swiss army in 1940 and Operation Tannenbaum
http://www.schweiz1940.ch/tannen40-en/
 
Its going to screw up Nazi finances somewhat

It is also going to be a huge problem for Dehomag, because if the Nazis delete IBM's European subsidiary in Geneva (and by US law it had to be based in a neutral state) then Dehomag isn;t going to get its punchcards, and the efficiency of the Nazi state is going to start to break down (bad news for locomotive drivers, good news for Jews)

Schellenberg in his memoirs grandiously congratulates himself on persuading Hitler not to invade Switzerland (I think we're looking at c1942+ here), so possibly if Hitler decides to do it, Schellenberg's star will also wane

Best Regards
Grey Wolf
 
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