Swiss accidentally invade Liechtenstein

AP via Yahoo ^ | 2 March 2006 | AP

[R. Scott]

What kind of army carries weapons but no ammunition?

The 20% of Swiss who speak French?

[Lurker]

Your description of the Swiss response if they were ever invaded is incorrect.

In Switzerland nearly every home has a fully automatic assault rifle in it and a good quantity of ammunition. On weekends their version of the National Guard practices blowing up their own bridges.

The official policy of the Swiss Government if they are ever invaded is to call on the entire populace to rise up against the invaders and practice total resistance

There's a story of a Nazi general talking to a Swiss general during WWII and asking him "What will you do if I send a million men marching into Switzerland?"

The Swiss generals response was "We will all shoot twice and then go home."

L

[KarlInOhio]

Let's see what we have:

France surrenders - check.
Liechtenstein quagmire - check.

What topic are we missing?

the 170 infantry soldiers wandered just over a mile across an unmarked border

I've got it: build a fence, deport the illegal Swiss invasion! :-).

[antiRepublicrat]

Is this like the Robin Williams comedy skit, (German accent) "Hey, we had a few beers and next thing you know we're in Czechoslovakia."

[Fierce Allegiance]

Last night, I gave my girlfriend the Aunt Jemima treatment.

[WesternPacific]

The Barney Fife Army!

At least Officer Fife was allowed to keep one bullet in his shirt pocket.

[Heatseeker]

They're just warming up to attack us later:

[dmz]

Have you ever asked yourself why Switzerland was not attacked during 2 world wars fought (in part) on the European continent?

Perhaps those Swiss you so quickly dismiss know something you don't.

[archy]

This excersise will go down in history with another of the most-remembered greats!

Whoops! British Marines lose bearings, 'invade' Spain

[coloradan]

LOL! You can just guess today's headlines over there. "Daring Swiss invasion repelled by glorious heros..."

[Brujo]

With 170 men, they must have had several EM-50'S

Oh, great! You just blew their cover. Now everyone will know what to look for ...

[R. Scott]

It isn’t hard to do. One time we accidentally invaded North Viet Nam, but fortunately we were turned back by a US Navy destroyer. We had misjudged the off shore current and our navigation was off by about 10%.

[archy]

What kind of army carries weapons but no ammunition? The Barney Fife Army!

The Swiss keep their ammo at home.... a a sealed minimum pack of 50 rounds is required by law.

[reagan_fanatic]

The Swiss should immediately withdraw their troops to Japan.

[Fierce Allegiance]

our navigation was off by about 10%.

Silly army sailors!

[Brujo]

... perhaps they might want to consider putting compasses in their army knives. ...

I've seen a Swiss Army knife with a USB thumb drive, but I haven't seen one with a GPS yet. Maybe this will be the impetus to get that option.

[Teacher317]

Leichtenstinian? That's a mouthful.

[Hot Tabasco]

nobody in Liechtenstein had even noticed the soldiers,

How embarrassing, you send your entire military off to rape, pillage and plunder another country and they just ignore you.........

[GAB-1955]

Your Swiss woman was badly informed. I did a paper which dealt with Swiss military doctrine. This is what was told to me by the Swiss attache, an Oberstdivisionar:

1. Switzerland is neutral, but it is part of the West and thus is concerned with the fate of Europe.
2. Switzerland intends to defend every square meter of its territory if attacked.
3. The Alpine redoubts are there, but not the key defense in nuclear periods.

Every male in Switzerland, with some rare medical and conscientious objectors, will serve in the military. Swiss households are required to have the males' military rifles in good order and ready to use.

The Swiss do see military service as a common event and a source of good-natured humor. I remember one cartoon from a unofficial Swiss Army web page:

1870: A Swiss private digs in while a corporal hangs over him. In the background is a horse.
1914: A Swiss private digs in while a corporal hangs over him. In the background is a machine gun.
1939: A Swiss private digs in while a corporal hangs over him. In the background is an antitank cannon.
1980: A Swiss private digs in while a corporal hangs over him. In the background is a armored fighting vehicle.
2020: A flying saucer is in the background... and the Swiss private is still digging in.

[PBRSTREETGANG]

What kind of army carries weapons but no ammunition?

Well, I'm sure they were armed with THESE: