Neutral Paradoxes. Switzerland and the Allies at the Beginning of the Second World War

• Published in: Diplomacy and statecraft Vol. 35; no. 4; pp. 605 - 630
• Main Author: Farquet, Christophe
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Abingdon Routledge 01.10.2024; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: Democracy; Diplomacy; Foreign policy; International relations; Neutrality; Preservation; World War II; Switzerland
• DOI: 10.1080/09592296.2024.2421714
• ISSN: 0959-2296

The article offers a new perspective on the history of Swiss foreign policy between 1938 and 1940 by focusing on Switzerland's relations with the Allies. It argues that the Allies were well-disposed towards Swiss foreign policy between 1938 and 1940. France and Britain respected Switzerland's wish to appear completely neutral in international relations until the eve of the war, and when the Swiss Confederation adapted to the new international situation from the summer of 1940, the British rulers tended to welcome the preservation of Swiss democracy in the midst of an authoritarian Europe. It should not be forgotten, however, that in between these two moments, relations went through a period of tension during the Phoney War, as the Allies tried to use economic ties with Switzerland to bring the Confederation closer to them. By providing a nuanced analysis of the often-paradoxical interaction between economic and diplomatic relations, the article contributes to a new understanding of Swiss neutrality at the beginning of the Second World War and the way it was appreciated by the foreign powers.