➔ The Shocks of War: Switzerland Between Two World Wars
| 5 minute read
Retelling of Chapter 7 from A Concise History of Switzerland by Clive H. Church and Randolph C. Head (Cambridge University Press, 2013, ISBN 978-0-521-14382-0).
In 1914, Switzerland felt pretty good about itself. Democratic, prosperous, neutral. Then two world wars and a depression happened. Everything got tested. Not everything passed the test.
World War I: Neutrality is Hard Work
When WWI broke out, Switzerland mobilized 220,000 men in days. Parliament gave the government full powers and elected a General for the duration. They picked Ulrich Wille, a 66-year-old with Prussian connections. French-speakers were not happy about that choice.