Swiss Protest
While surrounded by the Axis powers in World War II, Switzerland remained democratic and, different from most of Europe, never succumbed to the siren songs and threats of the Nazi goliath. This book tells the story with special importance and significance on two voices seldom heard. One voice is that of scores of Swiss who lived in those dark years, told through oral history. They mobilized to defend the country, labored on the farms, and helped refugees. The other voice is that of Nazi Intelligence, those who spied on the Swiss and planned subversion and invasion. Exhaustive documents from the German military archives reveals a chilling rendition of attack plans which would be dissuaded in portion by Switzerland's armed populace and Alpine defenses. Laced with distinguishable maps and photos, the book is organized into four units. The first, A War of Words and Nerves, depicts how the Swiss mobilized an active "spiritual defense" of their country. Chapters describe jokes and slurs the Swiss formulated to characterize the "Nazi pigs," the use of the press and cabaret as weapons versus totalitarianism, and the role of Swiss newsreels in building the spirit of resistance. German prewar subversion plans are likewise revealed. The second unit, To Resist to the Death, worries military preparations. Swiss soldiers recall an epoch when each day could have been "the day" when all hell would break lose and they would meet the enemy. Blitzkrieg plans versus Switzerland devised by the German Wehrmacht in 1940 are described in detail. Switzerland was an armed camp with innumerable fortifications, versus which the Axis could have attempted access with uttermost costs in blood. In Switzerland, Jews -- like all other citizens -- were in arms, and Jewish officers served in the most eminent levels of the Swiss army. Struggle for Survival: Food, Fuel and Fear, the third unit, presents oral histories of every day life for the duration of the war with it is shortages, alarms, and rumors. The role of women in the military and the economy are probed. A chapter on the refugee crisis investigates whether Swiss officials played a role in Germany's adoption of the "J" stamp on Jewish passports, how Switzerland became a lifeboat for refugees, and how asylum policies were liberalized as the persecution of Jews escalated. Espionage and Subversion, the fourth and final unit, covers strategic issues and intelligence activities. German attack plans and bickering in the Gestapo in regards to who would rule a conquered Switzerland persisted. One chapter focuses on Davos, where the Swiss was struggling versus a Fifth Column and which became a safe haven for American airmen whose crippled bombers made it to Swiss territory. The last chapter profiles Switzerland as America's window on the Reich -- how Allen Dulles and his OSS spied on the Nazis, at times with help from Swiss Intelligence. Halbrook's other books include the award-winning Target Switzerland: Swiss Armed Neutrality in World War II, which was published in five languages. REVIEWS "Through his careful analysis and by giving voice to usual people in and out of uniform, Stephen Halbrook succeeds not only in achieving a indepth analysis of Switzerland's armed neutrality, but also in revealing through their own voices the willingness of ordinary citizens to receive total war in order to preserve their freedom."Swiss American Historical Society Review, Vol 43, No. 3 11/2007 "...Halbrook has applied primary Swiss Documents, consultations and a wide breadth of exploration to undertake to answer why Switzerland escaped the Nazi onslaught."Daly History Blog, 02/16/2011 "The Swiss have gotten well-deserved bad press regarding wartime financial tricks, ongoing opacity and so on. Halbrook presents the sympathetic constituents of the complex picture."World War II Magazine, July/ August 2011
About the AuthorStephen Halbrook lives in the USA. He is a lawyer and has a PhD in doctrine from Florida State University. Author of assorted books, he has likewise published a lot of articles and regularly appears on radio and television. |
Most helpful client reviews 19 of 19 humans found the following review helpful.
 Best review of WWII Switzerland wartime behaviour
By Haubrechts Patrick
Swiss citizen born in 1944, I was too young for direct witness, but I rely on my father testimony of the time. I may certify that all the facts and descriptions are rectify to the last detail. Many of the accounts of day-to-day life were told by my father in the fifties, when I was a curious child. I was a soldier too, when I was 18 years old, until I was 50 years old. I was stationned in a military airfield where all but the landing strip was underground, with all furnishes and ammunition for one year. The sprit of resistance was still there all along the cold war time. Thanks for the author to restore a more precise view of Switzerland away from ideologies and politics. 3 of 3 humans found the following review helpful.
 A look at how Switzerland remained neutral for the duration of World War II
By E. Jaksetic
Switzerland's long history of being a neutral country was no guarantee of it is security for the duration of World War II because Nazi Germany had demonstrated it is willingness to invade and occupy neutral countries such as Belgium, Netherlands, Denmark, Luxembourg, and Norway. This book takes a look at how Switzerland dealt with the threat that Nazi Germany posed to it is neutrality and independence, prior to and for the duration of World War II.
The author provides clear or deep perception into, and perspective about, the dissimilar facets of Switzerland's difficult circumstance with respect to Nazi Germany, including: Swiss alien relations with Nazi Germany and the Allies; Swiss attempts to convince Nazi Germany that it is armed neutrality was real and would inflict heavy losses on the German military if it invaded; how broad Swiss military service and repeated mobilizations affected Swiss society; how the Swiss took steps to neutralize Nazi subversion; and Swiss intelligence actions versus Nazi Germany.
In addition to documentary sources, historical works, and published memoirs, the author draws upon personal consultations of numerous Swiss citizens who lived through the events covered in the book. The oral history distinct features of the book have a mixed quality: They provide some bright descriptions and interesting perceptivities in regards to the difficult times that Swiss citizens faced in dealing with Nazi Germany while attempting to maintain the independence and neutrality of their country. But, the oral history occasionally drifts into tangents and beguilements that do not support advance the book's narrative in any apparent way. Tighter editing would have bettered the contribution that the consultations could make in presenting the book's narrative.
This book could be suitable reading for persons mesmerized in modern Swiss history, a dissimilar look at World War II, or how a little nation was struggling with the respective dilemmas posed by being a neighbor of Nazi Germany.
14 of 20 people found the following review helpful.
 Switzerland's role in WWII
By Juan Diego Soler Díaz
I made an extended exploration concerning Switzerland's role in the WWII, reading more than 10 books, and this one was very useful. I liked the fact that the author explains a lot of the Swiss culture and traditions, and it is repercussions in the role of the country in the war.
It is very well written, and the book is unquestionably not a boring history book, but rather like a novel in regards to true facts.
Anyway, I dind't rate this book with 5 stars because I found it to be excessively biased. It is crucial to grasp that when one reads when it comes to history, exceptionally with regards to disputable issues in history, any source (in this case, book) will be biased because people are biased by nature. Unfortunately, this author seems to be blind at sure facts that took place in those years, and assumes a defensive position towards the role of Switzerland, without even attempting to leave his personal bias detached not even a moment.
Conclusion: this is a very interesting book to read and to get informed with regards to the role of Switzerland in the WWII and their kinship with the Nazis, written in an understandable manner, good for beginners in the subject. Still, any individual who wishes to genuinely recognise regarding this subject must later read other books by other authors. See all 5 client reviews... |
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