# Swiss Accidentally Invade Liechtenstein **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [March 2, 2007, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/swiss-accidentally-invade-liechtenstein/394336 "2007-03-02T19:14:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2007, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/swiss-accidentally-invade-liechtenstein/394336/1 "2007-03-02T19:14:01Z")
Well, that’s a catchy headline I just had to click on when I saw it this morning. [Here’s the NYT article.](http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/world/AP-Mistaken-Invasion.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin) > [@](#): > > What began as a routine training exercise almost ended in an embarrassing diplomatic incident after a company of Swiss soldiers got lost at night and marched into neighboring Liechtenstein. I don’t know why but this has got me giggling. ---
**Author:** ![chowder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/977dab/32.png) [@chowder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chowder)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2007, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/swiss-accidentally-invade-liechtenstein/394336/2 "2007-03-02T19:18:24Z")
The mouse that squeaked ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2007, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/swiss-accidentally-invade-liechtenstein/394336/3 "2007-03-02T19:29:09Z")
“Accidentally” my ass! This is just the prelude to another blitzkrieg…mark my words. The Swiss Hordes will come pouring over the mountain passes any day now. ---
**Author:** ![Autolycus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/22d042/32.png) [@Autolycus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Autolycus)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2007, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/swiss-accidentally-invade-liechtenstein/394336/4 "2007-03-02T19:30:16Z")
The Swiss have an army? Who knew. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2007, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/swiss-accidentally-invade-liechtenstein/394336/5 "2007-03-02T19:30:43Z")
Oh, they always say it’s an accident. That’s the same excuse the Germans used when they invaded Poland. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2007, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/swiss-accidentally-invade-liechtenstein/394336/6 "2007-03-02T19:31:50Z")
[QUOTE=Autolycus] The Swiss have an army? Who knew. [/QUOTE] You know…it’s called a “Swiss Army Knife” for a reason. ---
**Author:** ![Autolycus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/22d042/32.png) [@Autolycus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Autolycus)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2007, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/swiss-accidentally-invade-liechtenstein/394336/7 "2007-03-02T19:39:52Z")
[QUOTE=silenus] You know…it’s called a “Swiss Army Knife” for a reason. [/QUOTE] _Touche_ ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2007, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/swiss-accidentally-invade-liechtenstein/394336/8 "2007-03-02T19:44:09Z")
[QUOTE=Autolycus] The Swiss have an army? Who knew. [/QUOTE] Umm, the Swiss _are_ an army. ---
**Author:** ![Revenant\_Threshold](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f1d935/32.png) [@Revenant\_Threshold](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revenant_Threshold)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2007, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/swiss-accidentally-invade-liechtenstein/394336/9 "2007-03-02T19:45:35Z")
Just because they’re neutral, doesn’t mean they have no army. I think they have a national service type dealy - everyone in a certain age bracket goes to training and can potentially be called up to serve. ---
**Author:** ![Sal\_Ammoniac](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8dc957/32.png) [@Sal\_Ammoniac](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sal_Ammoniac)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2007, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/swiss-accidentally-invade-liechtenstein/394336/10 "2007-03-02T20:27:02Z")
I like the fact that they were carrying assault rifles – but no ammunition. In a fight between the Swiss and the [Japanese](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=409674), who would win? ---
**Author:** ![Syntropy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/65b543/32.png) [@Syntropy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Syntropy)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2007, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/swiss-accidentally-invade-liechtenstein/394336/11 "2007-03-02T20:52:09Z")
Hey, don’t knock it. Personally, I think that’s the best way to conduct an invasion. You wander in, look around, enjoy the day, wander back out. And I bet it didn’t cost any $3B, either. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2007, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/swiss-accidentally-invade-liechtenstein/394336/12 "2007-03-02T20:52:42Z")
Good thing we left-ponders are protected by an ocean! I’ll call Halifax to be on the lookout for the Swiss Navy, just in case. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2007, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/swiss-accidentally-invade-liechtenstein/394336/13 "2007-03-03T00:55:55Z")
[QUOTE=Revenant Threshold] Just because they’re neutral, doesn’t mean they have no army. I think they have a national service type dealy - everyone in a certain age bracket goes to training and can potentially be called up to serve. [/QUOTE] Those _filthy_ Neutrals! You can’t trust em. With an enemy, you know where you stand. But the sneakiness of Neutrals makes them too unscrutable to turn your back on… ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2007, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/swiss-accidentally-invade-liechtenstein/394336/14 "2007-03-03T01:21:31Z")
[QUOTE=Revenant Threshold] Just because they’re neutral, doesn’t mean they have no army. [/QUOTE] In fact, having a good army is pretty much a requirement for being neutral. ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2007, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/swiss-accidentally-invade-liechtenstein/394336/15 "2007-03-03T02:02:46Z")
[QUOTE=Autolycus] The Swiss have an army? Who knew. [/QUOTE] Until the 1815 Congress of Vienna, mercenaries were Switzerland’s largest external source of revenue and commanded a premium for their services. Eventually the Hessians and others emulated their style and methods of tactics. The modern Swiss armed forces (Army and Air Force–being landlocked, Switzerland has no need for a Navy) are buffered by the reservists who are comprised by the bulk of the adult, able-bodied male population (and some females). The Swiss have participated in a handful of peacekeeping operations abroad and provide security for the Vatican but primarily exist to protect Switzerland from attack. Permanent fortifications, tank traps, sapper plants, et cetera exist to make invading Switzerland a costly victory for even the most heavily armed force. Don’t mess with the Swiss. It’s not all chocolate and cuckoo clocks. Stranger ---
**Author:** ![Quiddity\_Glomfuster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/c4cdca/32.png) [@Quiddity\_Glomfuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quiddity_Glomfuster)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2007, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/swiss-accidentally-invade-liechtenstein/394336/16 "2007-03-03T02:12:14Z")
I was surprised to hear our tour guide point out some mountainsides and tell us that some of them hide the entrances to where tanks and weapons are kept at the ready in case of invasion. ---
**Author:** ![Suburban\_Plankton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suburban_plankton/32/219_2.png) [@Suburban\_Plankton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suburban_Plankton)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2007, 5:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/swiss-accidentally-invade-liechtenstein/394336/17 "2007-03-03T05:14:31Z")
I think that “Swiss Accidentally Invade Liechtenstein” has to be the early front runner for Headline of the Year. ---
**Author:** ![Cunctator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Cunctator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cunctator)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2007, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/swiss-accidentally-invade-liechtenstein/394336/18 "2007-03-03T05:30:40Z")
It’s obviously a response to Liechtenstein’s [aggressive expansionist policy.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=401940&highlight=liechtenstein) ---
**Author:** ![Rayne\_Man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/df705f/32.png) [@Rayne\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rayne_Man)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2007, 7:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/swiss-accidentally-invade-liechtenstein/394336/19 "2007-03-03T07:30:35Z")
[QUOTE=Quiddity Glomfuster] I was surprised to hear our tour guide point out some mountainsides and tell us that some of them hide the entrances to where tanks and weapons are kept at the ready in case of invasion. [/QUOTE] I have also heard that many of the road tunnels in Switzerland have explosives installed in them, ready to blow in the event of an invasion. ---
**Author:** ![Sunrazor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sunrazor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunrazor)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2007, 7:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/swiss-accidentally-invade-liechtenstein/394336/20 "2007-03-03T07:36:52Z")
[QUOTE=Sunspace] Good thing we left-ponders are protected by an ocean! I’ll call Halifax to be on the lookout for the Swiss Navy, just in case. [/QUOTE] The Swiss have a Navy? Who knew? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/swiss-accidentally-invade-liechtenstein/394336.md?page=2)