1941-06-09 — Page 25

THE CHINA MAIL, JUNE 9, 1941.

Swiss Rely On Alpine Passes To Keep Invaders Away

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WHEN DR. JOSEPH GOEBBELS, Germany's Propaganda Minister, announced in a recent inter- view that Germany had no intention of attacking Switzerland, many Swiss believed him.

They believed him not because they had forgot- ter the lessons of Czechoslovakia, Belgium, the Netherlands, Denmark, and Norway, but because Switzerland presents military obstacles which many Swiss military experts believe would render an inva- sion attempt impractical even for Germany's Panzer Divisions.

mountain. a

Dive bombers would bo Ineffectual in e gorges and narrow valleys of the Alps.

Switzerland

has not enough

military power to hold out long in the plains along the Rhine. It is, however, strong enough to hold the passes. At the outbreak of war the troops would gradually retreat from the border fortifica- tions leaving the large cities in the plain to the enemy and retir- ing to the mountains.

But even with these assurances. tiny Switzerland is prepared for any emergency, The Swiss citizen army is mobilised all the time with shifts constantly returning from civil life to relieve others tanks and for work on the farms and in the aeroplanes, which were successful, factories.

The fact that the tiny democ- Swiss had the habit of suddenly racy is now entirely surrounded, appearing when they were least by the united military power of expected. the Axis, has not weakened the Swiss determination to defend their country.

In present times,

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in the thickly populated plains The army, like the people, is It has weakened Switzerland's along the sea. would lose their trained in the heritage of success- ability to defend the plain be-decisive importance as soon as ful defence against would-be in- tween the Alps and the Rhine, they came into action in the vaders who throughout history but does not essentially change Alps.

have found Switzerland an im- pregnable rock. Finland and An acroplane would be of Greece have both shown that little use against small almost modern "Blitzkriegs" can still be invisible bunkers and machine. bogged under favourable condi- gun nests built into the side of tions by a brave people.

its military position as a whole.

Switzerland's strength lies in the Alps and in its historical mission a. guardian of the

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Tunnels Are Traffic Arteries

The importance of this mission can be judged by anyone who stands at the entrance to the Gotthard or the Simplon tunnels and watches the long lines of freight cars being drawn through these most modern of tunnels | with the most modern of electric locomotives.

Three of the world's longest, tunnels the Lotschberg, the Simplon and the Gotthard-are Switzerland's guarantee against aggressors. Freight for most of Europe north of Switzerland passes through these main arteries from Italy and Mediterranean

ports.

And at the present time these passage-ways are vital links be- tween German-controlled Europe. and the Mediterranean.

German, Netherlands, Belgian, French, Czech, and Polish cars- passing daily and even hourly all under German control are along these routes. They carry coal and iron to Italy, and bring back bauxite, fruits, and vege- tables.

Without these railway lines, Germany would be virtually cut off from the south. The Brenner Pass railway line is a single track and freight would BOON choke up Its limited capacity. Other routes which pass through France or the Balkans are possible, but are roundabout that much valuable time would be lost in shipping over these routes alone.

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Important To Axis

Thus Germany and Italy are) only too well aware of the value of maintaining Intact these valu- able rail links. And they are. in the opinion of many Swiss, more inclined to leave to Swit- zerland the task of guarding the tunnels, than to attempt an in- vasion with the likely result that the tunnels-already well mined by the Swiss-would be blown to ruins, which would take years to repair.

But these measures would only be put into operation as a last resort. .. The Swiss are confident that the narrow, tortuous valley from Altdorf to Goeschenen would hinder sufficiently any invading force which might seek to use -the road through the valley as an approach to the Gotthard tunnel.

It would be much easier, "to render useless this road, which at some places is merely, a narrow. shelf carved into the side of the rocky wall high above the valley. floor. The approach to the Sim- plon tunnel passes through equally. difficult terrain.

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