Commentary
In Switzerland, there are statues in honor of generals, not because they won battles or wars, but because they kept the country out of war. How did they do that? By making Switzerland impregnable and thus deterring any military aggression.
Working with the defensive advantage of the Swiss Alps, the generals militarized the entire country. Mountains were hollowed out to provide secure bases for the air force, artillery, and the supplies and equipment for combat. Bridges and mountain passes were mined so that they could be destroyed in the face of invaders. All men were inducted into the military reserve, and kept their rifles with them at home. Air force pilots practiced flying missions through the narrow valleys of the Alps. Switzerland became a very unattractive target for military incursion….