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Well if anything, it's good to see that it's just not the United States that is burdened with self-loathing moral elitists.
Why, thanks!
We too have our share of people who let themselves be blinded by flag-waving and proud national anthems.
They tend to ignore sad historical facts, too, and generally like to criticize the "classe politique", those "elitist fools in the capital who try to wreck our nice country", while profiting from federal wellfare and a boatload of other subsidies.
But they HAVE guns...actual military rifles...in people's homes.
Yes they do. The neat thing is being in the country when they get called up...something i've had the pleasure of seeing in person. You've got all these dudes with full military gear and assault rifles riding around on the trains.
Still though, the gun culture there is very different than it is here.
Switzerland has remained free because we do the dirty financial work for the world's crooked super-rich or dictators, aka "bank secrecy laws".
It's good to have a place where you can move money and resources around without having to report on them. Blood diamonds, anyone?
Our militia system isn't what saved us from the Nazis, the money-laundering of confiscated jewish fortunes and the possibility to buy black market weapons from us was. Sad but true.
If faced with enemy military forces, our army would be toast in two/three days max.
Without the strong defense, Hitler would have had no issue taking Switzerland, and taking all the gold, etc., with it.
You'd last longer than 2 or 3 days, and may well have won or at least held out until the allied victory during WWII.
Without the strong defense, Hitler would have had no issue taking Switzerland, and taking all the gold, etc., with it.
You'd last longer than 2 or 3 days, and may well have won or at least held out until the allied victory during WWII.
The swiss defensive strategy was based on (and still partly is) on funneling opposing forces to defensive choke-points that could be held for a week or two. This was to buy time to destroy transportation infrastructure, and to get military and political leadership to strongholds in the mountains.
Switzerland's value wasn't (and isn't) resources (natural or personal), and it wasn't (and isn't) the actual gold that lies in our banks.
It's the transalpine tunnels and passes, which would have been destroyed. And it's the image as eternally neutral country with vague banking laws that allows waring parties to move money and buy material without conflicting with embargoes etc.
Hitler didn't need to actually conquer us, he got what he wanted anyway:
Switzerland allowed for troop- and material-transportation (in trains that had their windows nailed shut), and it dealt freely with both Axis and Allies.
The few soldiers on the front was Switzerland putting on a brave face, they wouldn't have mattered.
As it was, Switzerland gave Hitler what he wanted. If he tried to conquer Switzerland with actual forces, he wouldn't have gotten it.
Switzerland rolled over and cooperated with the Nazis, simple as that.
The swiss defensive strategy was based on (and still partly is) on funneling opposing forces to defensive choke-points that could be held for a week or two. This was to buy time to destroy transportation infrastructure, and to get military and political leadership to strongholds in the mountains.
Switzerland's value wasn't (and isn't) resources (natural or personal), and it wasn't (and isn't) the actual gold that lies in our banks.
It's the transalpine tunnels and passes, which would have been destroyed. And it's the image as eternally neutral country with vague banking laws that allows waring parties to move money and buy material without conflicting with embargoes etc.
Hitler didn't need to actually conquer us, he got what he wanted anyway:
Switzerland allowed for troop- and material-transportation (in trains that had their windows nailed shut), and it dealt freely with both Axis and Allies.
The few soldiers on the front was Switzerland putting on a brave face, they wouldn't have mattered.
As it was, Switzerland gave Hitler what he wanted. If he tried to conquer Switzerland with actual forces, he wouldn't have gotten it.
Switzerland rolled over and cooperated with the Nazis, simple as that.
I admire your honesty. I cannot imagine my Swiss friends saying anything like that.
Switzerland is cool. Someday I may live there. Not for the guns though. Where else can I have Italian, French, and German mistresses under the same roof.
Die Kaese is am besten in der Schweiz, aber der Bier is *******e.
Yes they do. The neat thing is being in the country when they get called up...something i've had the pleasure of seeing in person. You've got all these dudes with full military gear and assault rifles riding around on the trains.
Still though, the gun culture there is very different than it is here.
Yes.it is like seeing pics from Israel,it is wild to see young girls in flip flops at a store with M-16's nonchalantly slung over their shoulders.
And yes we have a different culture,especially nowadays.
People forget that guns used to be for sale mail order and from the local Sears,no checks,just go in and buy it....
I admire your honesty. I cannot imagine my Swiss friends saying anything like that.
It's because it's pure and utter bull**** as per my reference above. The cityfolks in Zurich and Geneva may believe in a lollipop and unicorn world where the civilians are at peace without guns and relative harmony can be preserved as they transition from a responsible and proud gunowner society to one of a universal gun ban, but it's certainly not the reality among many who have lived in Switzerland.
It's because it's pure and utter bull**** as per my reference above. The cityfolks in Zurich and Geneva may believe in a lollipop and unicorn world where the civilians are at peace without guns and relative harmony can be preserved as they transition from a responsible and proud gunowner society to one of a universal gun ban, but it's certainly not the reality among many who have lived in Switzerland.
You have lost me. I was commenting on his statements of Switzerland during WWII, not Swiss domestic gun policy.
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