I think Switzerland people say like "I don't use military power to gain benefit from war" look how strong country like France, German and Italy. They are G7 member
@@roxylius7550 Every Swiss house has a bunker. There are bunkers literally built into the mountains and with the prepper culture over there I'm sure they can weather a nuclear strike.
Its*, also, they had a beneficial trading relation, what the video said is true. Germany wouldn't get any benefit from wasting time attritioning troops in the Alps, so why not keep the status quo?They knew the Swiss wouldn't join the allies so they were never threatened by them. The best option was to leave them alone, and so they did.
My parents grew up there in the war and Switzerland was armed to the teeth. Tank traps, barriers, bombs, grenades, and guns for every citizen. It would have been tough to subjugate the country, plus my dad always said if they invaded, that Switzerland would blow up all the train tunnels in the Alps, thus cutting Italy and Germany off from each others. Switzerland made tons of money from the war and there were many sympathizers there , but they were not very vocal about it. Germany hit a lot of money there and the banking system definitely profited from it
There's more to it then just a well equipped military. A swiss director, Laurent Nègre just presented his new movie "A Forgotten Man" at the Zurich Film Festival. Situated in a zurich bunker from 1941 we made an interview with the director on the ambivalent role of Switzerland in WW2. 👉 ua-cam.com/video/CAqUR8vZ7xg/v-deo.html
That honestly wouldnt've mattered. The Germans in ww2 were the strongest superpower in the world and could've easily invaded with paratroopers and Stukas
You should be!!! Your country is an example that many countries should follow!!! Also with, good history, great landscape and many lovely places to visit!!!
A questionable video, i.e. creators didn't know that Germany didn't occupy France fully during WWII 7:33 , so a lot of other statements in video may be questionable.
Topography. Switzerland is an extremely mountainous area, which is favorable to a defender and has large arms depots in the Alps that could let the Swiss Army fight an invader until they bleed red. Bottom line: invading Switzerland is not worth it.
@@xx-jp7li the main reason was banking (not a conspiracy theory). The Bank for International Settlements (BIS (the Bank of banks)) is in Switzerland and the BIS decided to remain non-ideologically aligned in order to keep the flow of cash moving (although they tended to favour the Nazis, which was understandable given the geography and early Nazi victories). The Germans needed the services of the BIS (ie to move around cash to pay for resources ..and to stash looted gold for after the war) and so allowed this status to persist.
@@redberries8039 yeah maybe 9, but for sure number 1 is the US. It’s statistically and physically impossible to even cross the ocean without getting severely destroyed.
Swiss chocolate, particularly Toblerone, is the first thing in my mind whenever I hear Switzerland. Followed by Red Cross, then billionaires (secret bank accounts) and capitalists (in Davos), then NEUTRALITY, and finally Chocolates again.
Wrong - they were selling Pop Corn to the highest bidder - "de-facto", and "Pro-forma", and "kind of" on a totally neutral and strictly "fiduciary" basis.
Man these guys remind me of the poles. An absolutely breathtakingly stunning culture of defensive fury. They don’t take no shit from their much bigger neighbours and have their own proud culture embedded in respect worthy national pride. These two nations seem so fascinating and have cultures amazingly characteristic and strong. This is coming from a dude from glasgow. Of whom we live in the shadow of the Irish or the English. Swiss for the Swiss. Poland for the polls. Europa for the Europeans. Ave Europa brothers you are an inspiration to us all. In the face of numerous beasts you stood firm and fought like warriors. Ave Europa ! 🇵🇱 🇨🇭 🏴 Europa Invicta ! 🇵🇱 🇨🇭 🏴
Difference Poland gets f*cked in every European war even when they have a decent army either Germany or Russia come up with a way to take over Poland... Poland is like the dude that always gets bullied and Switzerland is the quiet kid...😅
How did you manage to ignore two of the reasons that invading Switzerland would be too expensive to be worthwhile? 1. Geography: Mountainous territory is the bulk of the country, making use of armor mostly impossible. The Swiss could simply cause avalanches to bury invaders. The population was mostly, with a few exceptions, dispersed in small mountain towns and villages. 2. Defensive preparations: The tunnels and passes were mined and the potential aggressors were advised of that. There were secret mountain fortifications for the use of resistance forces in case of invasion. All Swiss men, until recently, were required to keep weapons and ammunition in their houses. Military training was mandatory. Some of these resistance fortifications [never used] can now be visited by tourists, and there is even an interesting UA-cam video about them.
the main reason was banking (not a conspiracy theory). The Bank for International Settlements (BIS (the Bank of banks)) is in Switzerland and the BIS decided to remain non-ideologically aligned in order to keep the flow of cash moving (although they tended to favour the Nazis, which was understandable given the geography and early Nazi victories). The Germans needed the services of the BIS (ie to move around cash to pay for resources ..and to stash looted gold for after the war) and so allowed this status to persist.
@@redberries8039 Higher mountains, yes, but less rugged but still difficult terrain is in the North and East. True that the Lake Geneva, Rhine valley and Bodensee are exposed, but occupation of the majority of the country would be difficult. Modern weapons have largely neutralized some of this, but nuking a place renders it useless, so why bother. The US managed to force the Swiss to disclose dodgy banking where other countries failed. It wasn't military power or nukes but raw, overwhelming economic power that was used.
@@JMM33RanMA I replied ..it didnt comment (maybe due to links) Here's a shorter version from wiki: At the outbreak of World War II in September 1939, the BIS Board of Directors - on which the main European central banks were represented - decided that the Bank should remain open, but that, for the duration of hostilities, no meetings of the Board of Directors were to take place and that the Bank should maintain a neutral stance in the conduct of its business. However, as the war dragged on evidence mounted that the BIS conducted operations that were helpful to the Germans. Also, throughout the war, the Allies accused the Nazis of looting and pled with the BIS not to accept gold from the Reichsbank in payment for prewar obligations linked to the Young Plan. This was to no avail as remelted gold was either confiscated from prisoners or seized in victory and thus acceptable as payment to the BIS.[9]:245-252 Operations conducted by the BIS were viewed with increasing suspicion from London and Washington. The fact that top level German industrialists and advisors sat on the BIS board seemed to provide ample evidence of how the BIS might be used by Hitler throughout the war, with the help of American, British and French banks. Between 1933 and 1945 the BIS board of directors included Walther Funk, a prominent Nazi official, and Emil Puhl responsible for processing dental gold looted from concentration camp victims, as well as Hermann Schmitz, the director of IG Farben, and Baron von Schroeder, the owner of the J.H. Stein Bank [de], all of whom were later convicted of war crimes or crimes against humanity.[10]
@@redberries8039 We are miscommunicating because I was not clear, I was not referring to WW II era issues but to more recent banking secrecy cases of money laundering and concealment of money by Americans from the US tax collectors. Yes international pressure was responsible for uncovering the Nazi dealings, but I was not referring to that. The surrounding countries are now all in the EU and have more leverage than the US which has become mired in corruption and political intrigue worthy of a 3rd world autocracy and has lost respect and influence recently.
What's the source for Moltke deciding not to invade Switzerland in favor for Belgium? In all my years of (amateur) study on WWI, I have never heard of the Schlieffen plan going anywhere near Switzerland. The invasion of Belgium was decided decades before by Schlieffen because Belgium and The Netherlands sit on the flat European plain as well as being the direct road to Paris. There's not a single benefit in going through Switzerland and it was never an option for Imperial Germany.
True... maybe he confuses it with the German plans in WW2 to invade the swiss and if the Italians didn't drag Germany in their own quest in europe, mostly because they hid enemies of the state So Switzerland had just luck and lick the ass of Germany just enough
What a bull of crap.Why should they fight?you should only fight if you are attacked.My small country fought and none ever helped them.They protect their people
I mean if we're being real here with how mountainous it is it would be a terrible decision to attack Switzerland considering the whole country is basically a fort
Kaiser Wilhelm II: "There are 500,000 of you and you shoot well, but if I decide to move in with my army of 1,000,000 what will you do?" Swiss militia member: “We will shoot twice and go home."
the main reason was banking (not a conspiracy theory). The Bank for International Settlements (BIS (the Bank of banks)) is in Switzerland and the BIS decided to remain non-ideologically aligned in order to keep the flow of cash moving (although they tended to favour the Nazis, which was understandable given the geography and early Nazi victories). The Germans needed the services of the BIS (ie to move around cash to pay for resources ..and to stash looted gold for after the war) and so allowed this status to persist.
Switzerland while not an EU member state does have some of the closest non-member relations with the EU involving trade and open borders etc. Due to it’s geographic location
The premise of a "neutral" air-space relies on it being free of any interference from foreigner military actions. The germans threatened switzerland, when they let allied forces use their air-space. Following these complaints switzerland declared its air-space to be a prohited zone, where every foreign plane would be fired upon. All my country did was upholding that decree, no matter on whose side the offenders would be.
True but it was a completely different situation because two world wars proved that the easiest way to get into France was to go through Belgium and you fight a war based on areas you can win, you don’t throw your selves up against 500 miles of entrenched fortifications on principal. Plus Belgium was right across the channel from England so it ticked several boxes strategically. It’s unpleasant, it was wrong, but when you’re at war it makes perfect sense
It helps to have the natural defense of the mountains surrounding the country. If they had no natural features protecting like Poland they would have been easily invaded.
pretty impressive that a country of mostly farmers 700 years ago decided to not take it anymore. And look at that, today it's one of the only countries in europe that didn't engage in offensive warfare and didn't get invaded for many centuries, weird ?! Surrounded by empires and forces that stood the test of time, roman empire on the south, french to the west, powerful austria/hungary east and holy roman empire at north. You can make fun of Switzerland all you want, but for a country that didn't even have 1mio pop at 1900, and 6mio at 1960 to roughly 8mio in 2021, that's some hefty achievements.
@@Simon-nx1sc Belgium is a true neutral country, I’d agree. Too bad that the geographic location sucks. In both World War’s they got run over by the Germans.
Winston Churchill wrote in 1944: "Of all the neutrals Switzerland has the greatest right to distinction...She has been a democratic State, standing for freedom in self-defense among her mountains, and in thought, in spite of race, largely on our side."
It takes a bit of everything. Just think, how many times have you been in trouble because you were in the middle of a dispute between two people who are both friends to you. NEUTRAL - that what the Swiss do. They sell their cheese or their weapons to you and your enemies. No problem, it is allowed. Because they are neutral.
Well losing to the Savoyards and French so badly is enough to traumatize your nation for generations to come. And being invaded by France just made that decision to keep their independence even further.
@@andredeketeleastutecomplex Even the language is questionable. Germans usually don't understand Swiss German, unless they're rather close to the Swiss border. But then also only dialects that are close to the German border.
@@bertsole7278 Well if you don't want your nation to go extinct in a matter of days to years, its best to be like that than to be a moral guardian without reason
Switzerland were neutral but they definitely had their fingers crossed under the table with the inevitable outcome... if the Nazis had achieved victory over the Soviets, and the British, and the US... I do doubt they'd leave Switzerland alone...
Long story short the country is a valley with mountains on both sides that you'll lose half your army trying to cross, so you can only enter through the north or south and be funneled into a low valley while they've got fake barns and houses at the higher altitudes on both sides looking down into the vally that are actually artillery emplacements, MG nests, and hidden tanks. Basically the movie 300, you can take them eventually with numbers but will use up half your men and resources trying to funnel them through the opening to do it and then you'll have no one left to conquer anything else so all you'll have gotten for your efforts is a beatuiful valley and some mountains.
Neutral means I do not take a position. I do not discriminate between friends and foes. In practical terms, as long as the price is right, I sell my cheese or weapons to you and your enemies. Because - that what neutrality is all about.
From ancient times. The way the Swiss are treating the Chines, giving them free access to Switzerland under a special agreement for military staffers and by doing so granting them free unsupervised access to the Schengen Raum without informing those countries is treason on Europe. But all, "de facto" and under strict neutrality.
As always, follow the money. It suited both sides in many wars to have a place that allowed secret banking. It continues to this day. They pointedly don't kill anyone, they just allow the killers to stash the loot they acquire as a result of their kills. All so very neutrally pragmatic.
How do you dare to say such a thing about neutral Switzerland? The following video will teach you something. www.youtube.com/watch?v=kQxhf open in UA-cam
Richie, poor you. I know what you are talking about. And the only contribution to those meetings is a .......BUT.................. not more not less. In the fracking Swiss German it is ..........ABER.............. Because they are neutral. They don't participate in baking the cake, they will however gladly share it because the participated in the project with an ABER.............. (BUT) AND I always told you it will go wrong............
Well also Belgium and the Netherlands were armed... But of course given that Belgium was certainly considered to be the better way to Paris and into the vital regions of France Switzerland was able to remain neutral.
@@bertsole7278 It is still a fighting force. In a defensive war, your own terrain is your friend. Logistically, you do not need the best equipment if you can hide everything in the mountains, destroy any entry points, and give the enemy so much attrition to fight. Tactically, the terrain is more than enough to compensate with old weapons, bunkers, hidden military bases, and modern artillery made to destroy bridges. Deception is key to good tactical defense. Strategy, they already have their own strategy of forcing the enemy into attrition, rather than direct fighting.
@@arty7926 slippery slope, we (Swiss here) also had deportation trains going from Italy to Germany/Poland through Switzerland... yeah, not everything was what it seemed. But for the most part we were neutral.
@@arty7926 For the last three hours I checked the internet and my personal historical archive, but could not find the source. I'm a historian, and read about it in my studies 10 years back. If I recall correctly it was at least one wagon, ~60 people (if jews, POW, or Italian partisans, I don't remember). Also it was basically an illegal move by the axis powers, and against the treaties between them and Switzerland (which only allowed parts, resources (especially coal to Italy, to be transported.) Also i recall that swiss authorities were only informed after the train had already passed (i think even after the war). Since I could not find the source I will not refer to it again, since I have nothing to back it up. Sorry. I'm a bit ashamed for that, especially since I am a historian. Have a nice day. Edit: typo
Title:- why Switzerland was neutral during ww2 My brain:- probably it had equal number of protons and electrons Also my brain:- *remembering the horrors of chemistry from past*🥵
You forgot to mention the investments that both sides had in Switzerland during the world wars. Any one sided stance would see them loose a lot of revenue from France or Germany. Also it’s mountainous terrain makes it difficult to invade in comparison to Belgium or Luxembourg.
Narrator: Switzerland... For many, the first thing that comes to mind after hearing that name is simply.... Me: Swiss army kni... Narrator: Neutrality Me:... oh
Ask the Belgians how neutrality helped them in the First World War. Also Switzerland was bombed by both the allies and axis and more bombs were dropped in Switzerland than the small scale allied bombings of German cities in 1940.
One time I bought 10 lbs of Swiss black powder online made in Switzerland, my American roommates asked me “how come Swiss make “black powder”, I thought they are neutral?” I answered him as I laid my half wiped revolver on the table, “it’s called armed neutrality.”
Receive an Amazing New Player Pack, only available for the next 30 days! Play Call of War for FREE on PC or Mobile💥 callofwar.onelink.me/q5L6/8c02c4a5
Love this game
I like this game but my country, Hungary is not available... it is inside of Romania..
Love ur vids
This game is good tho
@@hitmmon7614 yea pretty good,but u need to put alot of time into it and really be invested in it
Switzerland's neutrality is kind of like a guy with a bomb strapped to his chest telling everyone he just wants to be left alone.
LMAO thats hillarious
... my God man... thats the BEST description of it I've ever heard
Considering how they have explosion around the border, that's pretty accurate
I think Switzerland people say like "I don't use military power to gain benefit from war" look how strong country like France, German and Italy. They are G7 member
Relatable
WW3: *Starts*
Switzerland: "I am gonna pretend that I didn't see anything"
Well ww3 would mean random stray nuke dropping into their cities. Doesn't matter what they think about the war
"I'm gonna pretend I didn't see that".
@@roxylius7550 you know almost all switzerland houses are protect from nuclear?if you don't beleive me you can watch "bright side"...(bad grammer)
@@roxylius7550 Every Swiss house has a bunker. There are bunkers literally built into the mountains and with the prepper culture over there I'm sure they can weather a nuclear strike.
@@MrLense and has food and water rations for years?
"Why was Switzerland neutral in WW2" well it's very simple, all you have to do is look at it's neighbors.
They also did some financial stuff for Germany, so did Liechtenstein so they were spared
Its*, also, they had a beneficial trading relation, what the video said is true. Germany wouldn't get any benefit from wasting time attritioning troops in the Alps, so why not keep the status quo?They knew the Swiss wouldn't join the allies so they were never threatened by them. The best option was to leave them alone, and so they did.
Kevin Boros he used the *right* it’s. It’s means it is. He said “well it’s very simple.”
Agree
@@Bubba___ the second one, "look at it's neighbors" should be its
My parents grew up there in the war and Switzerland was armed to the teeth. Tank traps, barriers, bombs, grenades, and guns for every citizen. It would have been tough to subjugate the country, plus my dad always said if they invaded, that Switzerland would blow up all the train tunnels in the Alps, thus cutting Italy and Germany off from each others. Switzerland made tons of money from the war and there were many sympathizers there , but they were not very vocal about it. Germany hit a lot of money there and the banking system definitely profited from it
There's more to it then just a well equipped military. A swiss director, Laurent Nègre just presented his new movie "A Forgotten Man" at the Zurich Film Festival. Situated in a zurich bunker from 1941 we made an interview with the director on the ambivalent role of Switzerland in WW2. 👉 ua-cam.com/video/CAqUR8vZ7xg/v-deo.html
Bro forgot abt Austria
The entire country is a fortress
Nazi bank for stolen goods.
Home of NWO
That honestly wouldnt've mattered. The Germans in ww2 were the strongest superpower in the world and could've easily invaded with paratroopers and Stukas
@@UFCMania155 but it wasn’t worth it, they could have but it would make no strategic sense.
@@Unknown-ht5re if they wanted all that money that Switzerland had, it would've made sense...but strategically, no
As a Swiss, I'm happy that people talk about us
I nominate to rename Switzerland to "Neutral European Chocolatey Canada". Or NECC.
I promise that I'm jesting.
Yeay
You should be!!! Your country is an example that many countries should follow!!! Also with, good history, great landscape and many lovely places to visit!!!
@@jasondyrkacz8270 i got hungry when i saw chocolate
Well not a lot of us have good things to say about you guys
"Invade us, and we will retaliate."
*Switzerland | 1939-1945.*
Have duty Fondue cannons?
@@bertsole7278 And chocolate missiles.
Knowing the Swiss - that would cost extra.
Sexy women have never had sex before.
@@eliasziad7864 what
Yeah!!! Its no longer private anymore!
The Swiss had to defend Roger Federer’s Ancestors at all costs
Lol, they are South Americans.
Damn Lmfao
Good Video
Video came out only 3 seconds calm down
Hey look he’s got that check thingy we should like his comment
A questionable video, i.e. creators didn't know that Germany didn't occupy France fully during WWII 7:33 , so a lot of other statements in video may be questionable.
@@denisoko8494 well Vichy was a puppet
When I hear the name Switzerland, I think of Banks or secret bank accounts for the really well-to-do.
when i hear Switzerland i think of Creamy Milk with Cows eating grass on the Field
You mean Naziis?
@@bjames9101 Zionists
I think of chocolate and mountains when I hear the Neutral Nation's name.
Zionists, Nazyst what a difrents?
ww1: world burns
ww2: world burns
ww3: world turn into a nuclear land
switzerland: well, colonization time
imagine lmfao
San Marino:My Turn
XD
imagine post apocalypse situation like in film, swiss become remind country surrounded by nuclear waste land border
fun fact switzerland actually has enough bomb shelters for the whole population to survive nuclear war
Topography. Switzerland is an extremely mountainous area, which is favorable to a defender and has large arms depots in the Alps that could let the Swiss Army fight an invader until they bleed red.
Bottom line: invading Switzerland is not worth it.
@@xx-jp7li the main reason was banking (not a conspiracy theory). The Bank for International Settlements (BIS (the Bank of banks)) is in Switzerland and the BIS decided to remain non-ideologically aligned in order to keep the flow of cash moving (although they tended to favour the Nazis, which was understandable given the geography and early Nazi victories). The Germans needed the services of the BIS (ie to move around cash to pay for resources ..and to stash looted gold for after the war) and so allowed this status to persist.
Switzerland is top 5 in geographically safest country. It’s number 2
@@Jay-qb9gi This list placing it at 9 makes more sense to me.
No way is it harder to invade than the UK, USA or Russia (or the others on the list)
@@redberries8039 yeah maybe 9, but for sure number 1 is the US. It’s statistically and physically impossible to even cross the ocean without getting severely destroyed.
@@Jay-qb9gi Agreed. The US is 1. Add in the fact that it's energy and food independent also.
Swiss chocolate, particularly Toblerone, is the first thing in my mind whenever I hear Switzerland.
Followed by Red Cross, then billionaires (secret bank accounts) and capitalists (in Davos), then NEUTRALITY, and finally Chocolates again.
Toblerone is mostly for tourists and I'd describe it as average quality Swiss chocolate.
We make watches too. Our beautiful mountains, lakes and cows too :)
And Yodelling too.
You forgot the first thing I see in front of me : A Swiss knife !
@@maxmantycora5132 yeah exactly first thing that comes to mind is the Swiss Army Knife.
Alternative Title: Knowledgia saying that Switzerland is eating popcorn while watching WW2 unfold in its front and backyard
Wrong - they were selling Pop Corn to the highest bidder - "de-facto", and "Pro-forma", and "kind of" on a totally neutral and strictly "fiduciary" basis.
@@bertsole7278 False, they did not even have enough popcorn to eat for themselves
Man these guys remind me of the poles. An absolutely breathtakingly stunning culture of defensive fury. They don’t take no shit from their much bigger neighbours and have their own proud culture embedded in respect worthy national pride. These two nations seem so fascinating and have cultures amazingly characteristic and strong. This is coming from a dude from glasgow. Of whom we live in the shadow of the Irish or the English. Swiss for the Swiss. Poland for the polls. Europa for the Europeans. Ave Europa brothers you are an inspiration to us all. In the face of numerous beasts you stood firm and fought like warriors.
Ave Europa ! 🇵🇱 🇨🇭 🏴
Europa Invicta ! 🇵🇱 🇨🇭 🏴
Thanks from Poland 🇵🇱
Difference Poland gets f*cked in every European war even when they have a decent army either Germany or Russia come up with a way to take over Poland... Poland is like the dude that always gets bullied and Switzerland is the quiet kid...😅
How did you manage to ignore two of the reasons that invading Switzerland would be too expensive to be worthwhile?
1. Geography: Mountainous territory is the bulk of the country, making use of armor mostly impossible. The Swiss could simply cause avalanches to bury invaders. The population was mostly, with a few exceptions, dispersed in small mountain towns and villages.
2. Defensive preparations: The tunnels and passes were mined and the potential aggressors were advised of that. There were secret mountain fortifications for the use of resistance forces in case of invasion. All Swiss men, until recently, were required to keep weapons and ammunition in their houses. Military training was mandatory. Some of these resistance fortifications [never used] can now be visited by tourists, and there is even an interesting UA-cam video about them.
The mountains are only in the South about 30% of the country?
the main reason was banking (not a conspiracy theory). The Bank for International Settlements (BIS (the Bank of banks)) is in Switzerland and the BIS decided to remain non-ideologically aligned in order to keep the flow of cash moving (although they tended to favour the Nazis, which was understandable given the geography and early Nazi victories). The Germans needed the services of the BIS (ie to move around cash to pay for resources ..and to stash looted gold for after the war) and so allowed this status to persist.
@@redberries8039 Higher mountains, yes, but less rugged but still difficult terrain is in the North and East. True that the Lake Geneva, Rhine valley and Bodensee are exposed, but occupation of the majority of the country would be difficult. Modern weapons have largely neutralized some of this, but nuking a place renders it useless, so why bother. The US managed to force the Swiss to disclose dodgy banking where other countries failed. It wasn't military power or nukes but raw, overwhelming economic power that was used.
@@JMM33RanMA I replied ..it didnt comment (maybe due to links) Here's a shorter version
from wiki:
At the outbreak of World War II in September 1939, the BIS Board of Directors - on which the main European central banks were represented - decided that the Bank should remain open, but that, for the duration of hostilities, no meetings of the Board of Directors were to take place and that the Bank should maintain a neutral stance in the conduct of its business. However, as the war dragged on evidence mounted that the BIS conducted operations that were helpful to the Germans. Also, throughout the war, the Allies accused the Nazis of looting and pled with the BIS not to accept gold from the Reichsbank in payment for prewar obligations linked to the Young Plan. This was to no avail as remelted gold was either confiscated from prisoners or seized in victory and thus acceptable as payment to the BIS.[9]:245-252 Operations conducted by the BIS were viewed with increasing suspicion from London and Washington. The fact that top level German industrialists and advisors sat on the BIS board seemed to provide ample evidence of how the BIS might be used by Hitler throughout the war, with the help of American, British and French banks. Between 1933 and 1945 the BIS board of directors included Walther Funk, a prominent Nazi official, and Emil Puhl responsible for processing dental gold looted from concentration camp victims, as well as Hermann Schmitz, the director of IG Farben, and Baron von Schroeder, the owner of the J.H. Stein Bank [de], all of whom were later convicted of war crimes or crimes against humanity.[10]
@@redberries8039 We are miscommunicating because I was not clear, I was not referring to WW II era issues but to more recent banking secrecy cases of money laundering and concealment of money by Americans from the US tax collectors. Yes international pressure was responsible for uncovering the Nazi dealings, but I was not referring to that. The surrounding countries are now all in the EU and have more leverage than the US which has become mired in corruption and political intrigue worthy of a 3rd world autocracy and has lost respect and influence recently.
Im Swiss I would rather trade with Germany then get Attack with them
That's what Heroes do
I most certainly believe you - you are Swiss.
Why is this reuplaoded?
We fixed a mistake
@@Knowledgia which was?
@@Knowledgia What was the mistake?
what was the mistake?
@@guiorgy yetr mom
Swirzerland after WW2:I can't wait till WW3 movie come's out
Switzerland stayed neutral, as the people who love chocolates cannot hate others 😃🍫🍬🍭
3 words: Those Damn Mountains
What's the source for Moltke deciding not to invade Switzerland in favor for Belgium?
In all my years of (amateur) study on WWI, I have never heard of the Schlieffen plan going anywhere near Switzerland.
The invasion of Belgium was decided decades before by Schlieffen because Belgium and The Netherlands sit on the flat European plain as well as being the direct road to Paris.
There's not a single benefit in going through Switzerland and it was never an option for Imperial Germany.
True... maybe he confuses it with the German plans in WW2 to invade the swiss and if the Italians didn't drag Germany in their own quest in europe, mostly because they hid enemies of the state
So Switzerland had just luck and lick the ass of Germany just enough
“Washing one's hands of the conflict between the powerful and the powerless means to side with the powerful, not to be neutral.”
-Paulo Freire
What a bull of crap.Why should they fight?you should only fight if you are attacked.My small country fought and none ever helped them.They protect their people
@@alexvlaxos6620 what country?
If everyone jumped off a cliff, would you do it too?
@@justinsutton5005 i'm from Greece my friend!
In ww2 Greeks were defeating Italians and albanians but then the germans came and famine was immense.
@@alexvlaxos6620 Yeah the greeks held their own.
I mean if we're being real here with how mountainous it is it would be a terrible decision to attack Switzerland considering the whole country is basically a fort
Kaiser Wilhelm II: "There are 500,000 of you and you shoot well, but if I decide to move in with my army of 1,000,000 what will you do?"
Swiss militia member: “We will shoot twice and go home."
the main reason was banking (not a conspiracy theory). The Bank for International Settlements (BIS (the Bank of banks)) is in Switzerland and the BIS decided to remain non-ideologically aligned in order to keep the flow of cash moving (although they tended to favour the Nazis, which was understandable given the geography and early Nazi victories). The Germans needed the services of the BIS (ie to move around cash to pay for resources ..and to stash looted gold for after the war) and so allowed this status to persist.
Switzerland while not an EU member state does have some of the closest non-member relations with the EU involving trade and open borders etc. Due to it’s geographic location
Switzerland in 12th century : ( Fought like beasts, Never a lost a single battle )
Switzerland in 20th century : ( ☹️ Please! Don't use my Airspace )
St Jakob was technically a defeat although it was a suicide mission
The premise of a "neutral" air-space relies on it being free of any interference from foreigner military actions.
The germans threatened switzerland, when they let allied forces use their air-space.
Following these complaints switzerland declared its air-space to be a prohited zone, where every foreign plane would be fired upon.
All my country did was upholding that decree, no matter on whose side the offenders would be.
belgium wanted to be as neutral as switzerland during both ww1 and ww2
But germany didnt like that very much
True but it was a completely different situation because two world wars proved that the easiest way to get into France was to go through Belgium and you fight a war based on areas you can win, you don’t throw your selves up against 500 miles of entrenched fortifications on principal. Plus Belgium was right across the channel from England so it ticked several boxes strategically. It’s unpleasant, it was wrong, but when you’re at war it makes perfect sense
This country is amazing
After watching this video I just have respect for their way of thinking and doing things
Well they could have helped stopped the nazis. But u know... they don’t do that
Switzerland was not that strong like super powers
Why would they go to a suicide attack anyway
That's stupid
@@nazmussakib8734 yeah it makes sense to be neutral but i still don’t respect it as much as if they made the sacrifices other countries made
@@projectc.j.j3310 Live to fight another day.
It helps to have the natural defense of the mountains surrounding the country. If they had no natural features protecting like Poland they would have been easily invaded.
pretty impressive that a country of mostly farmers 700 years ago decided to not take it anymore. And look at that, today it's one of the only countries in europe that didn't engage in offensive warfare and didn't get invaded for many centuries, weird ?! Surrounded by empires and forces that stood the test of time, roman empire on the south, french to the west, powerful austria/hungary east and holy roman empire at north.
You can make fun of Switzerland all you want, but for a country that didn't even have 1mio pop at 1900, and 6mio at 1960 to roughly 8mio in 2021, that's some hefty achievements.
Switzerland: The most True-Neutral country to ever exist
Belgium was equally neutral, but just had 'an inferiour' army
San Marino: :/
@@Simon-nx1sc Belgium is a true neutral country, I’d agree. Too bad that the geographic location sucks. In both World War’s they got run over by the Germans.
Good piece.
Even though the Swiss allowed Nazi supplies to move through their country.
4:20 I have a déjà-vu =D
Very good and Informative video keep going on bro✌️✌️✌️
Germany: hi Switzerland. Switzerland: … hi
For may the first this that comes to mind when they hear Switzerland is chocolate and watches. 😋
Winston Churchill wrote in 1944: "Of all the neutrals Switzerland has the greatest right to distinction...She has been a democratic State, standing for freedom in self-defense among her mountains, and in thought, in spite of race, largely on our side."
Because mountain fortress filled with gold where everyone is military trained and armed.
Kind of like Tolkien's dwarves in the mountains?
@@notahamster333 Nah. Switzerland didn't get raped by dragons.
What if Tannu Tuva WASN'T annexed by the USSR?
SUPREME LEADER
I'm running this simulation in HOI4 right now and Axis Argentina has taken all of South America.
What makes a man turn neutral? Lust for gold? Power? Or were you just born with a heart full of neutrality?
It takes a bit of everything. Just think, how many times have you been in trouble because you were in the middle of a dispute between two people who are both friends to you. NEUTRAL - that what the Swiss do. They sell their cheese or their weapons to you and your enemies. No problem, it is allowed. Because they are neutral.
Well losing to the Savoyards and French so badly is enough to traumatize your nation for generations to come. And being invaded by France just made that decision to keep their independence even further.
why didn't Switzerland became a part of Germany when Germany was unified.
Because the swiss aren't germans, they merely speak the language.
Because germany need a neutral/loyal vault where they can keep all that gold and stuff.
Because we are too different from the Germans
@@andredeketeleastutecomplex Even the language is questionable. Germans usually don't understand Swiss German, unless they're rather close to the Swiss border. But then also only dialects that are close to the German border.
Lol, at least, they try hard.
I love your channel keep up the great stuff!
9:35 they very very pragmatic and smart about it
Shrewd, egoistic, self-centered, and always on the take.
@@bertsole7278 Well if you don't want your nation to go extinct in a matter of days to years, its best to be like that than to be a moral guardian without reason
The cantons showed in the past, you mess with the Swiss at your own peril.
That is a long time ago. In the meantime, they have the Banks who do the dirty work.
@@bertsole7278 As a Swiss, we hate them
Sweden : *exist*
we're gonna pretend we didn't see that
Pewdiepie:Hmmmm
Don't attack me I'm Swedish!
The video was actually made a year ago. If I didn't get the joke I whoooosh myself.
Switzerland were neutral but they definitely had their fingers crossed under the table with the inevitable outcome... if the Nazis had achieved victory over the Soviets, and the British, and the US... I do doubt they'd leave Switzerland alone...
Long story short the country is a valley with mountains on both sides that you'll lose half your army trying to cross, so you can only enter through the north or south and be funneled into a low valley while they've got fake barns and houses at the higher altitudes on both sides looking down into the vally that are actually artillery emplacements, MG nests, and hidden tanks.
Basically the movie 300, you can take them eventually with numbers but will use up half your men and resources trying to funnel them through the opening to do it and then you'll have no one left to conquer anything else so all you'll have gotten for your efforts is a beatuiful valley and some mountains.
Switzerland: *Neutral*
World: _What does that _*_really_*_ mean?_
Neutral means I do not take a position. I do not discriminate between friends and foes. In practical terms, as long as the price is right, I sell my cheese or weapons to you and your enemies. Because - that what neutrality is all about.
Switzerland: Also, don't mistake our neutrality for weakness. We have guns that we know how to aim.
Switzerland is just eating popcorn while watching everyone fight each other to death
I lived in Switzerland for a couple years as a kid and I occasionally forget. Probably a good synopsis of that whole situation.
Pls come back ;-;
USA, Britain, North Korea. China. Rusia : "we declared war"
Switzerland : "we dont give a shit!"
Switzerland never gives anything. They only take.
@@bertsole7278are you really thinking that? Red-Cross only takes things?
@@sagittariusa9012 they weren’t willing to make the sacrifices other countries made. But they still cool
We have to see when Switzerland will be part of China from ancient times 😂
From ancient times. The way the Swiss are treating the Chines, giving them free access to Switzerland under a special agreement for military staffers and by doing so granting them free unsupervised access to the Schengen Raum without informing those countries is treason on Europe. But all, "de facto" and under strict neutrality.
Switzerland: "I am just chilling in the mountains from 1815"
😂😂
Knowledgia:why was Switzerland always neutral
Call of war:i'll pretend i dind',t heard switzerland was neutral 0:34
Lol
As always, follow the money. It suited both sides in many wars to have a place that allowed secret banking. It continues to this day. They pointedly don't kill anyone, they just allow the killers to stash the loot they acquire as a result of their kills. All so very neutrally pragmatic.
How do you dare to say such a thing about neutral Switzerland? The following video will teach you something.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=kQxhf
open in UA-cam
Im just gonna take a minute to thank you for making a lot of videos this week
switserland is that player in among us who always vote skip and dont talk in emergency meeting
Richie, poor you. I know what you are talking about. And the only contribution to those meetings is a .......BUT.................. not more not less. In the fracking Swiss German it is ..........ABER..............
Because they are neutral. They don't participate in baking the cake, they will however gladly share it because the participated in the project with
an ABER.............. (BUT) AND
I always told you it will go wrong............
"Neutrality, it just works" - Todd Howard
Whenever I hear Switzerland, I think of Lindt, Toblerone, Rolex, Omega, Tissot, Tag Heuer, Breitling, Longines.
Swiss:
U rlly asking that?
I always thought Switzerland is in North Europe, like northeast of Germany.
That single cover taught me new.
You think of Sweden. Common misconception.
The Swiss have armed neutrallity meaning they can protect their neutrallity with force if need be
Well also Belgium and the Netherlands were armed...
But of course given that Belgium was certainly considered to be the better way to Paris and into the vital regions of France Switzerland was able to remain neutral.
Or to be specific, make the cost of invasion far greater than any benefit one could receive from conquering.
Which force? The Howitzers they bought from the Americans at the end of WWII or their worn out Jeeps?
@@bertsole7278 It is still a fighting force. In a defensive war, your own terrain is your friend.
Logistically, you do not need the best equipment if you can hide everything in the mountains, destroy any entry points, and give the enemy so much attrition to fight.
Tactically, the terrain is more than enough to compensate with old weapons, bunkers, hidden military bases, and modern artillery made to destroy bridges. Deception is key to good tactical defense.
Strategy, they already have their own strategy of forcing the enemy into attrition, rather than direct fighting.
The title : WW2
The thumbnail : WW1
This was great do Iran next
“Your silence gives consent.”
--Plato
How is shooting down Luftwaffe airplanes silent?
@@arty7926 slippery slope, we (Swiss here) also had deportation trains going from Italy to Germany/Poland through Switzerland... yeah, not everything was what it seemed.
But for the most part we were neutral.
@@MrChillerNo1 Deportation trains? Source? As far as I know the worst was war materials
@@arty7926 For the last three hours I checked the internet and my personal historical archive, but could not find the source. I'm a historian, and read about it in my studies 10 years back.
If I recall correctly it was at least one wagon, ~60 people (if jews, POW, or Italian partisans, I don't remember).
Also it was basically an illegal move by the axis powers, and against the treaties between them and Switzerland (which only allowed parts, resources (especially coal to Italy, to be transported.)
Also i recall that swiss authorities were only informed after the train had already passed (i think even after the war).
Since I could not find the source I will not refer to it again, since I have nothing to back it up.
Sorry. I'm a bit ashamed for that, especially since I am a historian.
Have a nice day.
Edit: typo
@@MrChillerNo1 Haha no problem for me^^ Thanks for giving a deeper insight into this subject :)
Thanks for showing the car i'm playing it right now its good also i like ur channel
Was this uploaded again or was the title changed?
Uploaded again. We fixed a mistake :)
@@Knowledgia But what was the mistake? lots of people wanna know
because they were smart and had stopped playing in the ongoing European blood feuds.
German chancellor...nicely done.
The first thing that comes to my mind when I hear switzerland is cheese. neutrality is the second one
Dig deeper. ua-cam.com/video/zW5gklIKcDg/v-deo.html
Imagine The war vehicles and tanks will cross the giant mountains.
No war no wellfare = one of the richest and most armed nation Switzerland.
Age of Civilizations 2 : *We don't do that here*
Title:- why Switzerland was neutral during ww2
My brain:- probably it had equal number of protons and electrons
Also my brain:- *remembering the horrors of chemistry from past*🥵
You forgot to mention the investments that both sides had in Switzerland during the world wars. Any one sided stance would see them loose a lot of revenue from France or Germany. Also it’s mountainous terrain makes it difficult to invade in comparison to Belgium or Luxembourg.
*lose
Little do they know they will brake that neutrality 2 years later lol
The rest of the world in WW2: Noisy with war
Switzerland: Quiet
Switzerland is basically the quiet kid while the rest of the world is noisy
Nice video
Narrator: Switzerland... For many, the first thing that comes to mind after hearing that name is simply....
Me: Swiss army kni...
Narrator: Neutrality
Me:... oh
every house in switzh had a gun...that why enemy think twice to invaded it
Yes but u need to have to be in Military first before u get one
@@Sh4d891 no need...just apply the gun permits accordingly
Pleaseeee, the vast mountains were the reason they were not invaded.
Swizz neutrality just might be because that all the Bad Guys, on all sides, had their money stashed in their little country...
@Smash Sure, that's tru, Bitcoin only works as long internet works, then comes gold and silver, and at last 'under the mattress' :)
Can you do the Philippine-American war pls
Axis/Allies: Hey what sid-
Switzerland: Yes
Greatings from Switzerland boys
Which country produces the most popcorn?
Switzerland
So they were neutral in WWII but no longer neutral when the conflict is against Russia?
I would Love to live there in Switzerland hoping i will have dual citezenship with this country...
@Knowledgia could you please make a video about Why was Sweden Neutral In World War 2
Did u know Switzerland had a 100 years civil war?
Skip to 1:47 to skip the promotional ad
Helvetians were known to be bad ass warriors. Why else would the Vatican have the Swiss guard? We are incorruptible.
Ask the Belgians how neutrality helped them in the First World War.
Also Switzerland was bombed by both the allies and axis and more bombs were dropped in Switzerland than the small scale allied bombings of German cities in 1940.
We shot them down and demanded reparations.
Switzerland is just preparing, the great perfection of the jawbreaker
One time I bought 10 lbs of Swiss black powder online made in Switzerland, my American roommates asked me “how come Swiss make “black powder”, I thought they are neutral?” I answered him as I laid my half wiped revolver on the table, “it’s called armed neutrality.”
Only legends know this was re-uploaded
me, a swiss: tbh the alps help a lot
Banking has A LOT to do with it