Common Doctrine Rather than Secret Staff Conversations: Military Co-operation between France and Switzerland in the 1920s and 1930s

Abstract

Ever since the European Powers guaranteed Switzerland’s neutrality in 1815 the Swiss government and military leadership have always officially proclaimed to uphold its neutrality against any foreign interference. Nevertheless the development of Swiss military doctrine has always been strongly influenced by the military development in neighbouring countries, although Swiss officials would never have accepted such an influence publicly. The military authorities of neighbouring countries therefore had to rely on unofficial ways to influence the military development of Switzerland. While so far the focus has mainly been on secret staff conversations the article shows that personal contacts, public lectures and articles in Swiss military journals had a far greater impact on Swiss military doctrine than any secret conversations.