National Redoubt: Switzerland’s Plan to Survive the Nazis

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  • Опубликовано: 8 сен 2024
  • Discover the untold story of Switzerland's formidable defense strategy during WWII, including hidden fortresses, bunkers, and a massive military mobilization that deterred Hitler's invasion. Learn how the Swiss preserved their neutrality against all odds.
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Комментарии • 391

  • @larsderbar2887
    @larsderbar2887 Год назад +219

    I am Swiss and like almost all Swiss men, I was in the military. During my service I regularly sat in a bunker whose entrance looked like a normal farmhouse. from the entrance it went through a 90m tunnel into the mountain to the actual bunker. The bunker had no camouflaged cannons because it was a command bunker. In the bunker there were also old photos of the cold war. all the cutlery and the plates were also from that time.

    • @ytcensorhack1876
      @ytcensorhack1876 Год назад

      So basically Switzerland is a bunker disguised as a country

  • @xessenceofinsanityx
    @xessenceofinsanityx Год назад +475

    I would love a video on Taiwan, I'm endlessly fascinated by how they've managed to stay independent for so long

    • @jeast417
      @jeast417 Год назад

      It's pretty simple, they had strong allies in the west. Unfortunately the US is perceived as extremely weak currently and the real China will likely soon fall to the ccp

    • @sodadrinker89
      @sodadrinker89 Год назад +43

      Simple, we have the biggest moat. Plus, USA.

    • @chiapets2594
      @chiapets2594 Год назад +2

      That would be the most basic of video and boring. Smh

    • @zzzzz45zzzzz79
      @zzzzz45zzzzz79 Год назад +6

      They already made one

    • @Rockefeller.69
      @Rockefeller.69 Год назад +2

      I want the video as well

  • @tigersharkzh
    @tigersharkzh Год назад +30

    My grandfather bought a small plot of land in a village within the Redoubt a few years before the war. He built a Chalet on it and the land was used mainly for growing potatoes. He understood that if the country does get invaded, then his home city in the lowlands would be reduced to rubble within weeks. Luckily, history took another path, and today we still have that chalet in our family. The Town of Grindelwald has become a popular skiing destination and to our luck the ski slopes were put in right next to our chalet. We put on our skis at the doorstep and ski right onto the slope and down to the ski lift just a few hundred meters below the chalet. It's mind-blowing when we think about how it came to be that our family jewel was initially built with the fear of war and destruction.

    • @annehersey9895
      @annehersey9895 Год назад

      What an interesting story and history that comes with your chalet! I bet you could make a bundle on Air B&B or by renting it out yourself and cutting out the middleman-of course when you do that, you can't have anything real personal or nostalgic in there-you know, those things that transform a house into a home.

    • @showercurtain9749
      @showercurtain9749 2 месяца назад

      Bro lives the dream💀
      Nah fr tho I’m glad your family has such a nice house in Switzerland

  • @eddieo1530
    @eddieo1530 Год назад +89

    A deep dive into Taiwan's defense strategy as well as a look into possible plans that China could have on Attacking Taiwan, and even a possible American, Australian, Indian, and Japanese response to an invasion would be horrifically epic.

    • @--enyo--
      @--enyo-- Год назад +7

      I’d really like to hear this as well. I’m Australian but I have no idea what my government would do. Probably follow whatever the US did.
      I have a lot of friends in or from Taiwan so it’s worrying.

    • @miliba
      @miliba Год назад

      @@--enyo-- The failed Russian war on Ukraine should luckily deter China from invading Taiwan, especially since its a mountain fortress

    • @alexandredevert4935
      @alexandredevert4935 Год назад

      For one, Taiwan interior is mostly steep mountains covered with forest, very favorable to guerilla. They had plenty of time to build something similar to the National Redoubt. Ho, and being an island, we can assume any usable beach have been prepared for artillery. The casualties to pay to have a viable beach head would be staggering, and then you would have to maintain those beach heads, with US navy pounding your supply lines : you would have to submit the island quick, which is hard being the guerilla paradise it is.

  • @scottsandmeyer
    @scottsandmeyer Год назад +58

    Would love to see your take on Taiwan and how they would defend their straits against the PRC, and how the US would be involved.

    • @StefanMedici
      @StefanMedici Год назад

      It's been war gamed to death. There's plenty of information about the results. None are even remotely desirable. Fingers crossed the dick wavers on both sides never get enough power to put the gamings to the test.

    • @--enyo--
      @--enyo-- Год назад +1

      Seconded.

  • @johnboone9917
    @johnboone9917 Год назад +99

    While it is important to point out Switzerland's appeasement and complicity in Nazi Germany's atrocities, it should also be noted that every Nazi war plane that was detected in Swiss airspace was promptly shot down. Switzerland may have felt a need to at least appear friendly to Germany, but even in that the Swiss didn't Hitler walk over them.

    • @recoil53
      @recoil53 Год назад

      It's important to point out that the Swiss saw a lot of profit in it.
      How do we know? They've been caught trying to destroy bank records showing deposits for Jewish families, to prevent the heirs from getting their family money back. This is post war, with no Nazi war machine.
      Sure they didn't let Hitler walk over them, but look at the kind of people they were protecting.

    • @angrydoggy9170
      @angrydoggy9170 Год назад

      They just profited from all the looted valuables pouring in. It’s easy to stay “neutral” if they need you to launder your cash.

    • @rogaineablar5608
      @rogaineablar5608 Год назад +28

      They also shot down allied planes.

    • @yes1770
      @yes1770 Год назад +28

      Allied planes had the same fate. The Swiss saw no sides, just foreign invaders surrounding them.

    • @tomz5704
      @tomz5704 Год назад +12

      That's being called truly neutral I suppose

  • @br7693t
    @br7693t Год назад +48

    Definitely do one on Taiwan's porcupine doctrine

    • @OrdinaryDude
      @OrdinaryDude Год назад +3

      Yeah, I second the motion. Motion passes! ;)

    • @FortuneZer0
      @FortuneZer0 Год назад +2

      Or Singapore

    • @br7693t
      @br7693t Год назад

      @@FortuneZer0 that would be a good one too

    • @hansolowe19
      @hansolowe19 Год назад

      Indeed.

    • @tommiefunk2099
      @tommiefunk2099 Год назад +2

      "We can't know precisely what was in Hitler head during World War 2." But we all know what was in it at the end of World War 2. 🤣

  • @cmd31220
    @cmd31220 Год назад +10

    I've been to one of these fortresses up in the alps and when I saw it I knew just how suicidal any invasion of Switzerland would have been.
    It's not just how heavily defended the position is. They were built in locations that funneled enemy attackers into giant killing zones. Every nook and cranny in the mountains was a perfect snipers nest. Bombers would destroy enemy armor with little problem. It was every single thing the French defense wasn't.

    • @eduardovaldivia5572
      @eduardovaldivia5572 Год назад +1

      It would have taken years for an army to conquer Switzerland. They would have to snuff out every nook and cranny.

  • @jannuzz76
    @jannuzz76 Год назад +16

    When I was in the Swiss army in the 90s my job was blow in to dust every single bridge,tunnel and other infrastructure could be used by the enemy before retreat in to the mountains ,half of this infrastructure are already filled with explosive in the right spots ,they said to as we were the last Swiss soldier the enemy would see before a rain of bad news would fall on them by the artillery on the mountains, I went in some bunker with more than 50km of tunnels ,you could get lost very easily, big enough to drive in with trucks, they said to as that we don't have a m2 of the country who is not covered by the artillery....proudly Swiss

    • @daveconrad6562
      @daveconrad6562 Год назад +1

      Damn that is tough

    • @MrLoobu
      @MrLoobu Год назад

      Even with modern technology, there is no easy way to capture your land. Not in any profitable way, that is. Dozens, maybe hundreds of enemies would die to kill one of yours. That's what I call government assistance, taxes well spent, lessons well learned.

  • @miliba
    @miliba Год назад +46

    Having mountains sure is beneficial to deter an invasion. Besides that, the Swiss military and its engineering capabilities are a force to be reckoned with

    • @cfcblue8
      @cfcblue8 Год назад +11

      Switzerland doesn’t have an army. Switzerland is an army.

    • @theawesomeman9821
      @theawesomeman9821 Год назад +3

      they were at one point the most commisioned mercenaries in Europe.

    • @miliba
      @miliba Год назад +1

      @@theawesomeman9821
      True, and very expansionist until the Battle of Marignano. Nowadays only the Swiss Guard serve as mercenaries in the Vatican

    • @ytcensorhack1876
      @ytcensorhack1876 Год назад +1

      Hell even their fondue dish can b promptly turned in2 a weapon

    • @williamsnike452
      @williamsnike452 Год назад

      😂 don't kind yourself. It's their bankers that matter. Gold teeth from the Jews aww that's fine. Drug money from the cartels aww that's fine. The swiss don't care where it comes from as long as it ends up in their banks.

  • @jmanj3917
    @jmanj3917 Год назад +25

    11:50 This episode reminds me of the sign I saw, on the outside wall of the main building, as I was walking inside to report into the US Army's Mountain Warfare School.
    It was a quote from General Ethan Allen (who commanded Vermont's "Green Mountain Boys" during the American War for Independence).
    It read,
    THE GODS OF THE VALLEYS
    ARE NOT
    THE GODS OF THE HILLS
    It always brings a wistful smile to my face when I remember that quote, and how true it proved to be...lol

  • @EmilyJelassi
    @EmilyJelassi Год назад +16

    Very interesting video! I knew that at one point, Swiss roads and bridges were mined, but I didn’t know about all of the bunkers, tunnels and cable cars inside of the Alps! Swiss engineering isn’t something to mess with.
    Yes, please! I’d love a video about Taiwan’s redoubt!
    Excellent video as always Simon and team 😊

  • @PeachM0de
    @PeachM0de Год назад +12

    Yes, please, Simon. A video on Taiwan would be appreciated. I always look forward to learning from you and your team.

  • @tommiefunk2099
    @tommiefunk2099 Год назад +10

    The Geneva Conventions would make a great Warographics! It's origin. What it does. And infractions of it.

  • @patrickduffy8632
    @patrickduffy8632 Год назад +8

    My grandfather, who fought in world war 2, would tell me stories. One of which was several years after the war when he got into the watch and parking meter repair business, he would often do business with Swiss companies. When they would originally meet, it was normal to not first meet in an office and discuss business, so they would go out for a picnic and get to know each other. And during one of these picnics, he said a fighter jet flew right out of a mountain. And he said the business man told him that they had bunkers and airstrips right into the sides of the mountains all in the Swiss alps.
    I always thought he was yanking my chain.

  • @paulford9120
    @paulford9120 Год назад +14

    We used to say, "Switzerland doesn't have an army. Switzerland *_IS_* an army."

  • @noahfrank6034
    @noahfrank6034 Год назад +14

    Hey Simon, love the work you and your team do across all of your channels. I was hoping you could make a video about Taiwan as well. I would love to know what they’re doing to defend themselves from China.
    Thank you for your videos from the US!

  • @fireironthesecond2909
    @fireironthesecond2909 Год назад +17

    “You have a mighty army of 500,000 soldiers. However how would you respond if an army of 1,000,000 were to invade?”
    “Shoot twice and go home.”

    • @xxx_phantom_xxxw_t_a9479
      @xxx_phantom_xxxw_t_a9479 Год назад +1

      The statement is still legendary.
      In addition, how many shots are fired each year during compulsory shooting, field shooting and other voluntary shooting events? Shooting (orderly and safely in appropriate shooting ranges, i.e. not Rambo-style) is one of the Swiss leisure activities, which means that you know how to aim and how to shoot (and it can therefore be assumed that the Swiss will also hit!).

    • @pwp8737
      @pwp8737 Год назад

      a cute story but unlikely to have been uttered. Its Dutch equivalent was the Dutch Queen visiting Berlin and being shown the elite German Imperial Honor Guard, the Emperor leaned over to the Queen and hinted of the prowess of his guards who stood at 2 meters; Queen Wilhelmina was said to reply when the Dutch opened their dykes the waters stood at 3 meters deep.

    • @JackSmith-jj3bi
      @JackSmith-jj3bi Год назад

      Hitler would not attack the Swiss. He and his cronies were actively using the Swiss banking system for their plunder deposited into their personal accounts. After the war, Swiss banks were flush with unclaimed accounts from German and Jewish depositors.

  • @zackschreyer2665
    @zackschreyer2665 Год назад +29

    I would love to see Taiwan’s defense strategy

    • @Zeppathy
      @Zeppathy Год назад +3

      It's basically. "You can't touch us or the US is going to drop several thousand tons of freedom and democracy packages on you." 😂

    • @JABN97
      @JABN97 Год назад +2

      As I understand:
      - sea-mines
      - anti-ship missiles
      - air defenses + an interceptor-based airforce
      - lots of hidden bunkers in the mountains, from which artillery can fire on the landing beaches
      It’s an island with lots of mountains, and most of the coast is cliffs. That means you can either land in the ports, which are defended and regardless lands you in urban combat immediately. That’s hell for an attacker
      The few beaches that exist lead into inhospitable terrain, and have said artillery bunkers watching.
      Airforce & hidden / hardened emplacement help place enormous costs on any incoming transports

  • @jmanj3917
    @jmanj3917 Год назад +5

    "Sic Pacem Parabellum", Brain Boy. It's an ancient concept, and it continues for good reason: It works.

    • @mysterioanonymous3206
      @mysterioanonymous3206 Год назад

      It's called "si vis pacem, para bellum", brain boy.

    • @saraa.4295
      @saraa.4295 2 месяца назад

      It works...but only if everyone around you trusts you enough to know: you will not attack! Otherwise preparing for war will lead to war!

  • @Pavlos_Charalambous
    @Pavlos_Charalambous Год назад +10

    As the Roman prohib goes " if you want peace, be always prepared for war"

  • @Warmaker01
    @Warmaker01 Год назад +3

    2:32 This brought a smile to my face.
    Look at a topographical map of Switzerland, know how fortified and ready the Swiss would be, and remembering you need a hefty numerical advantage to win, the country looked real dangerous to invade.

  • @michaelhowell2326
    @michaelhowell2326 Год назад +23

    Come on, Simon. You know damn good and well that we want the Taiwan episode. Quit acting brand new!

  • @almitrahopkins1873
    @almitrahopkins1873 Год назад +4

    Finland uses a similar porcupine strategy. There is enough room in the bunkers in Helsinki to house 85% of the city’s population quite comfortably. Theirs, however, were designed during the Cold War, so they are likely able to survive nuclear bombings.

    • @standby004
      @standby004 Месяц назад

      Switzerland still has a policy that the entire population must have access to a bunker.
      This means that airraid-bunkers are still being built today and that 100% of the population can be housed. This policy was implemented during the cold war.

  • @MrLoobu
    @MrLoobu Год назад +2

    I climbed mount Katahdin in Maine as a kid, much smaller than anything in the alps, and that's what stood out to me. A couple people with rifles could lock down any of the few paths to the top, you can't hardly look up while moving, let alone trying to shoot, if you did you can't see due to the sun. No easy evac or resupply, no heavy weapons, helicopters seen coming for miles. If you go up to 10 000 feet plus that's difficult for bombers, soldiers have to scale with climbing gear, only to face bunkers, cannons, and AA batteries? It's not going to happen, even with modern weapons and tactics.

  • @Julius-kq6fl
    @Julius-kq6fl Год назад +25

    Not really survive just the Nazis but literally from everyone, they didn't want anyone to disturb their sovereignty and made sure neither side would attempt anything.

    • @Soff1859
      @Soff1859 Год назад

      This is called armed neutrality and is still todays approach. Considering our size we still have a fairly large and well equipped army, as we have no allies that can be relied upon to defend us.

  • @muthias4582
    @muthias4582 Год назад +5

    Most certainly yes, please do a video on Taiwan’s approach to the porcupine doctrine. That would definitely have put a lot of peoples minds at ease or at least let us know that there is powerful hope against tyranny in Asia.

  • @biofoot7874
    @biofoot7874 Год назад +8

    Hell yes to the Taiwan strategy episode!

  • @BruceMusto
    @BruceMusto Год назад +19

    It's a damn shame every country can't be like Switzerland.

    • @williamsnike452
      @williamsnike452 Год назад

      Damn shame the rest of the world can't be the bankers of criminals

    • @user-lv7ph7hs7l
      @user-lv7ph7hs7l Год назад +2

      Nah it's fine, we like being special. Switzerland may not be a world power but it's pretty unique in many regards which most Swiss people like. It's definetly a point of pride the Nazis considered it too costly to invade. Besides you can't just become Switzerland, you need the Swiss. We are a strange people. Switzerland is what it is because most of believe in what it represents and uphold those values such as direct democracy, autonomy from Europe and that stuff.
      The mentality is kinda special. It had many bad aspects but some good ones are politness in person and in traffic. You let people pass and because everyone is courteous in traffic it works and keeps flowing. Go to Austria and all you here is yelling and honking everyone pretending they own the road. And generally people will be quite friendly.
      But it does have dark sides too. I would lie if I said feelings of superiority weren't wide spread. We are much like Americans. Much too patriotic and way too proud of our little fortress. Well the alps. The plateau would fall in days which is most of Switzerland and where all the cities are. So it would still be catastrophic. Everyone would have to flee towards the alps, Zurich, Bern etc... would have to be abandoned and burnt. It would have been costly. The Nazis would not have taken it but how much of Switzerland would have been left? Not a lot. They would have all the industry while the army hides in the alps, maybe do some guerilla type stuff against the occupiers but 80% of the country would have to be abandoned likely using scorched Earth tactics.

  • @ignitionfrn2223
    @ignitionfrn2223 Год назад +11

    1:30 - Chapter 1 - Neutrality & the grand plan
    6:45 - Chapter 2 - The nazi problem
    12:15 - Chapter 3 - Prepared for a last stand
    - Chapter 4 -
    - Chapter 5 -
    - Chapter 6 -

  • @huiarama
    @huiarama Год назад +3

    This is very similar to Sweden's Total Defence. Is there a possible chance to explore this, given recent events??

  • @jmanj3917
    @jmanj3917 Год назад +1

    10:40 That's some pretty kick-ass defensive planning. I'd like to see the detailed fire plans.

  • @5055hunter
    @5055hunter Год назад +1

    I was in Germany in the early 80's (USAF) and took several ski trips to Switzerland. I remember going through some of the tunnels in the mountains and seeing massive doors that lead into the mountains. I was told this was part of the Redoubt. These doors were large enough to easily drive heavy armor through.

    • @Soff1859
      @Soff1859 Год назад

      We even had airports inside the mountains. With massive gates that could be opened, large enough for fighter jets to take off and land on a runway built inside the mountain. Rumour has it some of those are still active or at least ready to be reactivated. Not sure if thats true tho, as i doubt that the cold war runways would still be long enough for our more modern FA18 and F-35 jets.

  • @thejudgmentalcat
    @thejudgmentalcat Год назад +2

    I've seen a couple videos about the mountain bunkers in Switzerland, but sounds like they didn't show much for a reason. Good on them 👏
    Would love a video on Taiwan 🇹🇼

  • @cmleibenguth
    @cmleibenguth Год назад

    Got to visit one of these bunkers near Lucerne that was converted into a mini Museum
    Their defense strategy and setup was impressive

  • @kathidubach
    @kathidubach Год назад +2

    While the Swiss defenses may have aided in Switzerland being left out of the war, I still think (and I know I‘m not alone) that Hitler did not try to invade because a) he didn’t want to engage in a very hard conquest and b) he was able to profit more from Switzerland‘s neutral banks than if all the banks had become German.

  • @ericcullen878
    @ericcullen878 Год назад +5

    I once heard the story went:
    “What will 100,000 Swiss do if 200,000 Germans invade?”
    “Shoot twice and go home.”

  • @androidemulator6952
    @androidemulator6952 Год назад +2

    @15:09 "axis or allies". then "brrrrt" - was that a rasberry?

  • @bobyoung1698
    @bobyoung1698 Год назад

    I was looking forward to my trip to Bern next month. Now, not so much.

  • @nah5011
    @nah5011 Год назад +1

    A series on national redoubts would be amazing ✌️

  • @adrianthomas6667
    @adrianthomas6667 Год назад

    As an English schoolboy in 1967 I went with a school party to Switzerland, As our coach drove up a mountain road to Interlaken we drove over bumps in the road and were told there were mines laid to destroy the road upon invasion. Years later I visited a Swiss friend. He had a rifle in his house and he could cut his yearly military duties in half if he maintained a high level of marksmanship. The idea being they could shoot paratroopers out of the sky before they could land.

  • @AreJayMC
    @AreJayMC Год назад +1

    absolutely do the Taiwan porcupine doctrine video pls!

  • @matthewadams333
    @matthewadams333 Год назад +1

    Would definitely like one on Tiwain too

  • @jamesmartin6050
    @jamesmartin6050 Год назад +1

    You should do another topic on Ireland across any of your channels

  • @openfly4u
    @openfly4u Год назад

    10:32 Still there today, if you go along the Lichtenstein/Austrian Border to CH, most of it still has tank traps

  • @lauraknight5973
    @lauraknight5973 Год назад +1

    Switzerland really saw that no two Europe countries can get along for more than five seconds and said "Oh we need to be armed. Neutrality isn’t gonna stop some of these motherfuckers."

  • @Kaltagstar96
    @Kaltagstar96 Год назад +3

    This is fascinating, although when Simon was listing all the planes the Swiss had, did the Nazis give them the Messerschmitt's? I kinda assumed that the Luftwaffe would've needed them? Was it a sort of 'good will' gesture? Well, as good will as it's possible to get with the Nazis.

    • @Kevin-hp5fk
      @Kevin-hp5fk Год назад

      Given there was no state of war and they were neutral, It's likely the Swiss simply bought them. The Nazis weren't about to say no to money, and if they were purchased in the first half of the war the Nazi's could have spared them.

    • @fabianzimmermann5495
      @fabianzimmermann5495 Год назад +1

      The Swiss bought them before the war. (Swiss Messerschmitts shot down some German planes in 1940 during the invasion of France as the Germans violated Swiss air space.) They got some more during the war as an advanced German night fighter by accident had landed on a Swiss air field and the Germans made a deal with the Swiss. Destroy the night fighter so its technology doesn't reach the Allies and you'll get some new BF109s. The Swiss blew the plane up with German spectators but the new planes they got from the deal had either been sabotaged by the Germans or the quality had just dropped massively as they had multipule accidents with them and stopped using them. (I think)

  • @Beryllahawk
    @Beryllahawk Год назад +2

    Maybe it's a little uncomfy to think about how Swiss neutrality enabled the Holocaust, but I think the discomfort comes from knowing that ANY nation would do the same - given the choice between their own people and anyone else, they'll choose what protects their own. And the Swiss never claimed to be saints. Expedience wins out over the idle sophistry of theoretical ethics.
    But I'm with the other folks in comments here who've said it - I kinda wish more nations would follow Switzerland's example in this; defenses and not aggression, neutrality with the precise amount of appeasement required and not a drop of mercy for those who pick a fight. Robin Williams joked: "the "nice" Germans" - but he wasn't that far wrong, and sometimes I wonder what the world would be like if every nation had such an attitude. "Be nice, be nice - until it's time not to be, and then, destroy them."

  • @chrisvanlaarhoven2722
    @chrisvanlaarhoven2722 Год назад

    Well Simon, artillery goes bang and then somewhere else goes boom.

  • @b0gey879
    @b0gey879 Год назад +2

    15:09

  • @kaiscer
    @kaiscer Год назад +1

    17:12 I could tell you what was in Hitlers head during World War 2…
    A bullet 🥁

  • @dinsdalemontypiranha4349
    @dinsdalemontypiranha4349 Год назад +1

    Yes please Simon, I would like to see a video on the porcupine defense of Taiwan.

  • @multiyapples
    @multiyapples Год назад

    Very fascinating.

  • @cascadianrangers728
    @cascadianrangers728 Год назад

    I really value and appreciate the fine accuracy and excellent quality of Swiss firearms

    • @petergaskin1811
      @petergaskin1811 Год назад +1

      Agreed. I'd sooner use a K31 than just about anything else.

    • @cascadianrangers728
      @cascadianrangers728 Год назад

      @@petergaskin1811 one of the first center fire rifles I ever purchased. I still have it and when I die it's going to be passed down to my nephew's who will enjoy shooting it for another whole generation

  • @alexandermathar7780
    @alexandermathar7780 5 месяцев назад

    It was not all well in Switzerland. The 1918 general strike could easily have led to civil war, but thank god the strike committee eventually gave in and avoided a confrontation with the military forces. And in the 80's Punks and the police clashed in Zurich.

  • @samuelstephen8147
    @samuelstephen8147 Год назад +1

    Can you do the Sri Lankan Civil War next?

  • @peterk7428
    @peterk7428 Год назад +2

    I definitely want to see a video on Taiwan's defenses.

  • @nateoconnor97
    @nateoconnor97 Год назад

    It's super interesting how, while on nearly-opposite ends of the spectrum of funding and organization, the Swiss (and the others named), rely on escaping into the mountains and essentially sitting pretty.

  • @billotto602
    @billotto602 Год назад +1

    Please do a video on Taiwan. I'd love to hear your analysis ! You find things to consider that few others do.

  • @MrJjones543
    @MrJjones543 Год назад +1

    Is it just me or at the 15:15 minute mark, when they show a picture of Hitler is there a brief fart sound? I'm not offended I think it's great

  • @ryhol5417
    @ryhol5417 Год назад +1

    How war nowadays with Swiss would work. Both speaking nearly simultaneously:
    Enemy: WE……DECLARE……WAArrr oh wait hold up. What?! How?!
    Switzerland: ….you’re….overdrawn….yep. You heard me. Now if you’ll go away we are closed til next Tuesday.

  • @TallDude73
    @TallDude73 Год назад +3

    I thought the main reason for Germany not invading was that every single Swiss household had a rifle, and all men knew how to use them. A large percentage of the population would fight.

    • @JABN97
      @JABN97 Год назад +2

      Full male conscription, so those rifles are part of the military, as every man is expected to grab said rifle along with uniform from the safe at home, report to his pre-assigned rallying point, receive ammo there; and then start military defensive operations

    • @HingerlAlois
      @HingerlAlois Год назад

      Obviously not, the Red Army fielded multiple times more soldiers than Switzerland had inhabitants.

  • @captmorgan3515
    @captmorgan3515 Год назад +2

    Can you please please please do a video on the battle for Wuhan and the 1938 yellow river flood! There are no videos on RUclips about it and it seems super relevant to modern events.
    Not to mention it’s the single deadliest day of war in history and no one talks about it.

    • @bunyipdragon9499
      @bunyipdragon9499 Год назад

      Yep I'd never heard of it so did a quick google. Wow, I'm amazed that it is not known, the battle alone was enough but the flood adds some poignancy. It would make for a very interesting Simon video 💜

  • @PhoenixAscending
    @PhoenixAscending Год назад +1

    What happened to Biographics Simon? You know, the channel that made you, and has by far the most subscribers of any of your channels

  • @ietsbram
    @ietsbram Год назад

    Id love a deep dive on taiwans porcupine strategy. Mostly on its conscripts training and material

  • @erichouser7756
    @erichouser7756 Год назад +1

    Please do the Taiwan video

  • @paulieboren4712
    @paulieboren4712 Год назад

    Definitely do a video on Taijuan porcupine doctrine!

  • @Weeboslav
    @Weeboslav Год назад

    Speaking of defense,you could do video on Albanian bunkers. In 20ish years period for 1960's to 1984,they build 175 thousand bunkers to defend their homeland from any invasion(mostly they were afraid of invasion from Yugoslavia). Unfortunately,only action these bunkers saw was Albanian civil war in 1997...

  • @annehersey9895
    @annehersey9895 Год назад

    Yes, please, Simon! Would love to see one on Taiwan. I know that the entire Eastern side of the Island is mountainous like Switzerland so I'm sure caves are part of their system but would love seeing the entire plan laid out.

  • @kevinkissinger9462
    @kevinkissinger9462 Год назад

    Yes! do a video on Taiwans defense doctrine!

  • @davidasteed
    @davidasteed Год назад

    yes pleez a vote here for some Warographics goodness regarding Taiwan's porcupine posture (if that is what they really are doing). oh also can we tweak down the background music track a bit? and also can we get a Warographics visit to the bunker stores of swiss cheese?

  • @daveanderson3805
    @daveanderson3805 Год назад +1

    Excellent video. Very interesting. I'd love a video on Taiwan. It's really remarkable that Taiwan has managed to stay independent for all these years

  • @peterpluim7912
    @peterpluim7912 Год назад

    Most Swiss fortifications are demilitarised now. Some can be visited during the summer and others can be visited on request or on some open days in the year.

  • @zlomeny
    @zlomeny Год назад

    15:08 the stinker😞

  • @zogar8526
    @zogar8526 Год назад

    The best military investments are the ones that never see combat in eras of combat. As it means they worked.

  • @iagosevatar4865
    @iagosevatar4865 Год назад

    Very interesting and unknown subject

  • @pkellar100
    @pkellar100 Год назад

    I would love a video about General Hsu's Special Porcupine Strategy!!

  • @TheJediCaptain
    @TheJediCaptain Год назад

    I want one of those bunkers to live in.

  • @joshquivey6990
    @joshquivey6990 Год назад

    I'd love to see a vid on Taiwan's porcupine doctrine!

  • @unitedairco.5140
    @unitedairco.5140 Год назад

    The Swiss are like the dwarfs from lotr lol love gold and tunnel into mountains with fortresses

  • @nolananderson4782
    @nolananderson4782 Год назад

    17:12 Technically speaking, Hitler did show the world what was in his head in 1945...

  • @wigglepuppy
    @wigglepuppy Год назад

    @15:08 I love the fart noise

  • @Kezmanisgod9
    @Kezmanisgod9 Год назад

    This is my favorite channel out of all of Simon’s channels. More content of anything is a plus and a thumbs up from me!!

  • @cageybee7221
    @cageybee7221 Год назад +1

    "then each soldier would have to fire his gun twice" move over spartans, the swiss didn't lose right after saying this...

  • @biscuitsforeveryone5949
    @biscuitsforeveryone5949 Год назад

    Please do a video regarding Taiwan's porcupine strategy!

  • @evenhenriksen9105
    @evenhenriksen9105 Год назад

    Feel free to create an episode of hedgehog tactics on Taiwan.. Fan of more of your channels..

  • @caleblarsen5490
    @caleblarsen5490 Год назад

    Switzerland is the epitome of, "Speak softly and carry a big stick."

  • @jasonhefner7704
    @jasonhefner7704 Год назад +1

    I'd love to see a video about Taiwan's strategy!

  • @danielsantiagourtado3430
    @danielsantiagourtado3430 Год назад +1

    Do the battle of milvian bridge

  • @dsnodgrass4843
    @dsnodgrass4843 Год назад

    This video can provoke some thought about what sort of dark financial weapons the Swiss could deploy against an invading group of nations.

  • @rashkavar
    @rashkavar Год назад +1

    One thing that's worth noting about Swiss neutrality not covered by the show is the usefulness of neutral territories for the intelligence communities. Both Britain and Germany would use Switzerland and Portugal as places where spies could leave from in order to enter enemy territory without being immediately suspicious. A German bomber parachuting a spy into the UK gets noticed; a Swiss plane flying a few wealthy businessmen over to the UK to do business is just ordinary air traffic.
    Of course, it turns out that for most of the war this was greatly more beneficial for the English (and the Allies by extension) than the Germans, considering the Germans by and large badly botched the intelligence war, in part because of the sheer number of their own members who were either literally working for the English or just opposed Nazism, including the head of the Abwehr (a military intelligence group), Wilhelm Carnaris, who actively sabotaged talks with Franco intended to get Spain to ally with Germany and generally kept his entire organization as ineffective as possible. But that is several other stories.

    • @ursodermatt8809
      @ursodermatt8809 Год назад

      also germany could use the mountain passes at will, as long they were intact.

    • @rashkavar
      @rashkavar Год назад

      @@ursodermatt8809 From everything I've heard, everything military *either* side put in or over Switzerland got impounded for the duration of the war unless they got out before Swiss authorities noticed them. German forces went through Italy or through the border with France or the Benelux countries.

    • @ursodermatt8809
      @ursodermatt8809 Год назад

      @rashkavar
      Yes, you are correct. Officially only though. However everybody knew the Germans were probably hiding other things underneath coal trucks etc.
      Also carting things through the Swiss alps was faster and safer. The rails there were not bombed by the allies.
      The Swiss industry was also working for the German wehrmacht. For example the parachutes used in Greece were made in Switzerland.

  • @JackM.05
    @JackM.05 Год назад

    A video on Taiwans porcupine doctrine would be great to see.

  • @Cosmic_Fury
    @Cosmic_Fury Год назад

    A video on Taiwan would most certainly be welcomed!

  • @WaywardVet
    @WaywardVet Год назад

    "Knew like the back of their hands" made me laugh. Modern military still teaches land navigation basics using the back of the hand. That's a draw, that's a spur, that's a ridgeline, etc...

    • @WaywardVet
      @WaywardVet Год назад

      (Also, NEVER ask an American soldier what a canyon is.)

  • @robertmosher7418
    @robertmosher7418 Год назад

    Mr Whistler, when listing off the Swiss items of popularity of the people of the many countries of this planet...how could you have possibly have not mentioned the two things they are most famous for????? Speaking of course of Swiss Chocolates and the Swiss Army Knife. The SAK is the grandfather of every multitool such as the Leatherman, SOG and Gerber tools so prevalent today.

  • @brianmayer2153
    @brianmayer2153 Год назад

    Hey Simon, it would be cool if you could that video on Taiwan preparing to defend itself against china.

  • @CrimLawGeek
    @CrimLawGeek Год назад +1

    It also helps that if you invade Switzerland all the money in your Swiss bank accounts would disappear.

  • @Ubique2927
    @Ubique2927 Год назад

    TAIWAN yes please. I was there about 10 years ago and their military was something to behold then.. I would like to see how they have modernised.

  • @freshnewcungadero
    @freshnewcungadero 11 месяцев назад

    I find it delicious as swiss chocolate that while most Warographics videos and the like describe how most countries FOUGHT Ww2, the video about Switzerland is about how they simply SURVIVED it.

  • @6Shroomie9
    @6Shroomie9 Год назад

    Factboi's beard is lucking particularly lush today, the chin redoubt.