Gun Ownership in Switzerland

[JoFo]

This from an Associated Press report on a recent shooting incident in Switzerland:

Many in Switzerland believe that distributing guns to households helped dissuade a Nazi invasion during World War II. In 2011, Swiss voters rejected a proposal to tighten gun laws.

Here is a link to the full article:

http://www.rr.com/news/topic/article/rr ... ed_history

Question: Was an invasion of Switzerland ever seriously considered during World War II by the Nazis?

[Mkk]

According to recent books, there were some plans being thrown about, although there's controversy as to whether these were serious.

[Hektor]

According to recent books, there were some plans being thrown about, although there's controversy as to whether these were serious.

There would be at least some plans on invading neighboring countries in any professional army. It's the job of the military to do so considering that officers need to be trained on such things. So some plans alone do not mean that much.

[Balsamo]

As a fact neutrality status did not prevent Hitler to invade countries like Belgium and Luxembourg.
The case of Switzerland have certainly be thought, but as rejected as a frontal assault on the maginot line. Switzerland is a natural fortress, and its army is organized as a well trained militia. It is the only country i know were military training lasted for almost twenty years. Each farmer has his military equipment strored at home and can convert himself into a Elite soldier without having to gather in barracks and supplies, organized.
By 1940 the best equipment, plains, tanks, artillery were just useless in case of an invasion. ( just like would have been an invasion of Checkoslovakia with the Sudentenland, btw). The casualties would have been unbarable for any army, occupation as tricky as for Serbia...Not an option, really.
In the same logic, Hitler refused an attempt to invade malta after the bloodshed of the invasion of Creta (?)...not enough paratroopers...decision that will cost him a lot...
This situation led to transform Switzerland into the Safe for European wealth, Germany's included...

The funny thing about this - which is not news - is that it shows that gun possession does not lead systematically to more crimes, if the population is mature enough and don't live in fears. The weapons one of my ski teacher had in his farm was simply amazing: and a sniper riffle, along with a guns, ammunitions...When i asked if he was not affraid of being stolen, he stared at me as if as was crazy, saying "why would anyone do that?" as any of his neighboors had more or less the same equipment...Other times...that was some 25 years ago....

[Hektor]

As a fact neutrality status did not prevent Hitler to invade countries like Belgium and Luxembourg.
....

The neutrality status didn't prevent Allied war planes from flying over Belgium and the Netherlands neither (not sure, if they flew over Luxembourg tough). Switzerland on the other hand would shoot at any war plane be it Axis or Allied.

[JoFo]

It is apparent that both the Axis and the Allies "imposed" themselves on otherwise neutral countries out of strategic necessity during WWII. The article only mentioned Nazi Germany as a potential threat towards Switzerland and that made me wonder if there was any truth to it or if it was yet another subtle attempt to paint Germany as the out-of-control, mindless aggressor during that time.

JoFo