1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:01,960 Speaker 1: This Day in History Class is a production of I 2 00:00:02,040 --> 00:00:15,120 Speaker 1: Heart Radio. Hello and Welcome to This Day in History Class, 3 00:00:15,160 --> 00:00:18,400 Speaker 1: a show that gives a mostly impartial look at key 4 00:00:18,440 --> 00:00:23,160 Speaker 1: moments in world history. I'm Gabe Bluesier, and in this episode, 5 00:00:23,320 --> 00:00:27,080 Speaker 1: we're talking about the day when Switzerland's long standing neutrality 6 00:00:27,280 --> 00:00:30,320 Speaker 1: was finally affirmed by the rest of post war Europe. 7 00:00:37,840 --> 00:00:43,760 Speaker 1: The day was February, the newly formed League of Nations 8 00:00:43,920 --> 00:00:48,400 Speaker 1: formally recognized Swiss neutrality. The League had been founded just 9 00:00:48,520 --> 00:00:51,600 Speaker 1: one month earlier during the peace negotiations held at the 10 00:00:51,680 --> 00:00:55,120 Speaker 1: end of World War One. It was originally composed of 11 00:00:55,200 --> 00:00:58,200 Speaker 1: forty one member states and was similar in purpose to 12 00:00:58,240 --> 00:01:01,600 Speaker 1: the United Nations of today, with its stated goal being 13 00:01:01,760 --> 00:01:06,679 Speaker 1: quote to promote international cooperation and to achieve international peace 14 00:01:06,800 --> 00:01:11,200 Speaker 1: and security. Swiss voters had narrowly approved a measure to 15 00:01:11,319 --> 00:01:13,920 Speaker 1: join the League of Nations, but only on the condition 16 00:01:13,959 --> 00:01:18,840 Speaker 1: that the country's neutrality be acknowledged and maintained. Switzerland had 17 00:01:18,840 --> 00:01:22,520 Speaker 1: not engaged in military action during World War One, nor 18 00:01:22,680 --> 00:01:25,200 Speaker 1: had it offered aid to either side of the fighting. 19 00:01:25,720 --> 00:01:29,120 Speaker 1: The League of Nations fully agreed to that impartial stance, 20 00:01:29,319 --> 00:01:32,520 Speaker 1: and even used it to the group's advantage. When the 21 00:01:32,600 --> 00:01:35,760 Speaker 1: League held its first assembly in November of nineteen twenty, 22 00:01:36,000 --> 00:01:40,000 Speaker 1: it did so in Geneva, Switzerland as neutral Ground, a 23 00:01:40,080 --> 00:01:43,520 Speaker 1: Swiss city made the perfect headquarters for a league devoted 24 00:01:43,560 --> 00:01:49,400 Speaker 1: to international teamwork. Today, Switzerland isn't the world's only permanently 25 00:01:49,480 --> 00:01:54,920 Speaker 1: neutral country. The list also includes the likes of Finland, Ireland, Austria, 26 00:01:55,080 --> 00:02:00,000 Speaker 1: Costa Rica, and many others, but Switzerland has claimed neutrality 27 00:01:59,880 --> 00:02:03,320 Speaker 1: the longest and is probably the most well known for it. 28 00:02:04,000 --> 00:02:08,440 Speaker 1: There was no single event that resulted in Swiss neutrality. Instead, 29 00:02:08,720 --> 00:02:12,320 Speaker 1: the policy developed gradually over the course of several centuries. 30 00:02:13,000 --> 00:02:16,000 Speaker 1: One of the earliest moves in that direction occurred in 31 00:02:16,120 --> 00:02:20,440 Speaker 1: fifteen fifteen, when the Swiss Confederacy was defeated by France 32 00:02:20,600 --> 00:02:24,440 Speaker 1: at the Battle of Marignano. That wound up being the 33 00:02:24,560 --> 00:02:29,160 Speaker 1: last time Switzerland ever fought a military battle. After the loss, 34 00:02:29,360 --> 00:02:32,840 Speaker 1: the country gave up its pursuit of territorial expansion and 35 00:02:32,880 --> 00:02:37,920 Speaker 1: began concentrating more on economic and political development. The Swiss 36 00:02:37,960 --> 00:02:41,280 Speaker 1: managed to avoid conflict for the next three centuries, but 37 00:02:41,360 --> 00:02:44,120 Speaker 1: they didn't make their neutrality official until the end of 38 00:02:44,160 --> 00:02:49,079 Speaker 1: the Napoleonic Wars in eighteen fifteen. The French Emperor Napoleon 39 00:02:49,320 --> 00:02:55,200 Speaker 1: had invaded Switzerland in sevente during his ongoing conquest of Europe. However, 40 00:02:55,600 --> 00:02:58,560 Speaker 1: following his defeat at Waterloo, the nation was able to 41 00:02:58,639 --> 00:03:02,560 Speaker 1: reassert its desire to stay out of future conflicts. The 42 00:03:02,600 --> 00:03:06,760 Speaker 1: international community was glad to hear it too. With Switzerland 43 00:03:06,800 --> 00:03:09,720 Speaker 1: acting as a kind of buffer between France and Austria, 44 00:03:09,960 --> 00:03:13,120 Speaker 1: the region stood a much better chance of remaining peaceful 45 00:03:13,280 --> 00:03:18,200 Speaker 1: long term. In the century that followed, Switzerland took steps 46 00:03:18,240 --> 00:03:22,840 Speaker 1: to preserve and strengthen its non interventionist policies. It also 47 00:03:22,919 --> 00:03:27,480 Speaker 1: devoted more resources to economic growth than infrastructure, which resulted 48 00:03:27,480 --> 00:03:29,960 Speaker 1: in a thriving tourism industry by the start of the 49 00:03:29,960 --> 00:03:34,120 Speaker 1: twentieth century. The events of the First World War threatened 50 00:03:34,120 --> 00:03:37,600 Speaker 1: to drag Switzerland back into conflict, and the country did 51 00:03:37,680 --> 00:03:42,160 Speaker 1: mobilize its army in case Swiss territory was attacked. However, 52 00:03:42,280 --> 00:03:45,120 Speaker 1: the fighting never reached its borders, and in the end 53 00:03:45,320 --> 00:03:50,240 Speaker 1: Switzerland's only involvement in the war was accepting refugees. The 54 00:03:50,320 --> 00:03:54,240 Speaker 1: country's neutrality was challenged once again during World War Two, 55 00:03:54,480 --> 00:03:57,360 Speaker 1: but its promise of retaliation proved enough to keep the 56 00:03:57,400 --> 00:04:01,520 Speaker 1: surrounding access powers at bay. It's worth noting, though, that 57 00:04:01,680 --> 00:04:05,360 Speaker 1: another possible reason why Switzerland was never attacked is that 58 00:04:05,440 --> 00:04:08,800 Speaker 1: the country continued to trade with Nazi Germany throughout the war, 59 00:04:09,240 --> 00:04:12,560 Speaker 1: a decision that was later condemned by other nations and 60 00:04:12,640 --> 00:04:16,120 Speaker 1: by much of the Swiss public. In the years since 61 00:04:16,200 --> 00:04:19,680 Speaker 1: World War Two, there's been little motivation for Switzerland to 62 00:04:19,720 --> 00:04:24,000 Speaker 1: abandon its neutrality. It remains one of the most economically 63 00:04:24,120 --> 00:04:27,239 Speaker 1: and politically stable countries in the world, and a large 64 00:04:27,279 --> 00:04:30,400 Speaker 1: part of that success is generally attributed to its unique 65 00:04:30,400 --> 00:04:35,159 Speaker 1: place in global affairs. Of course, being neutral doesn't mean 66 00:04:35,240 --> 00:04:39,600 Speaker 1: Switzerland is isolationist. In the last half century, the country 67 00:04:39,600 --> 00:04:43,120 Speaker 1: has played an active role in worldwide humanitarian efforts and 68 00:04:43,160 --> 00:04:46,800 Speaker 1: has acted as an intermediary for diplomatic talks between other 69 00:04:46,960 --> 00:04:50,839 Speaker 1: feuding nations. Another thing to keep in mind is that 70 00:04:50,960 --> 00:04:55,920 Speaker 1: despite its staunchly neutral status, Switzerland still maintains a standing 71 00:04:56,000 --> 00:05:00,360 Speaker 1: army and won't hesitate to defend itself if provoked. Swiss 72 00:05:00,360 --> 00:05:02,680 Speaker 1: soldiers are armed with more than a knife and a 73 00:05:02,760 --> 00:05:06,880 Speaker 1: corkscrew too, so don't go getting any ideas about invasion. 74 00:05:12,120 --> 00:05:15,640 Speaker 1: I'm gay, bluesier, and hopefully you now know a little 75 00:05:15,640 --> 00:05:19,320 Speaker 1: more about history today than you did yesterday. If you 76 00:05:19,400 --> 00:05:22,040 Speaker 1: have a second and you're so inclined, come find us 77 00:05:22,080 --> 00:05:26,320 Speaker 1: on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at t d i HC Show. 78 00:05:26,880 --> 00:05:29,599 Speaker 1: And if you have any comments or suggestions, feel free 79 00:05:29,600 --> 00:05:32,360 Speaker 1: to pass them along by writing to This Day at 80 00:05:32,360 --> 00:05:36,360 Speaker 1: iHeart media dot com. Thanks as always to Chandler Mays 81 00:05:36,480 --> 00:05:39,440 Speaker 1: for producing the show, and thank you for listening. I'll 82 00:05:39,440 --> 00:05:42,640 Speaker 1: see you back here again tomorrow for another day in 83 00:05:42,760 --> 00:05:43,560 Speaker 1: history class.