Switzerland's Reduit: The Alpine Fortress That Saved a Nation

During World War II, as Nazi Germany surrounded Switzerland, the Swiss military executed a radical defense plan: abandon the industrial lowlands and retreat into an alpine fortress called the Réduit national. This episode explores the strategy devised by General Henri Guisan, the extensive fortifications built into the mountains, and the controversial decision to essentially sacrifice the country's most populated areas. We discuss the political and moral dilemmas, the role of the Gotthard and Saint-Maurice fortresses, and how the Réduit shaped Swiss identity and neutrality post-war. Featuring insights from the Bergier Commission, the role of the Swiss diaspora, and the lasting legacy of a nation prepared to fight from the peaks. #Reduit #HenriGuisan #SwissNeutrality #WWII #Gotthard #SaintMaurice #AlpineFortress #SwissMilitary #BergierCommission #Neutrality #Fortifications #SwissHistory #Europe #Alps #NationalRedoubt #History #FexingoHistory #Podcast Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo