Hello Ursula; I'm afraid I have take issue with your assertion. Switzerland has only been recognized as a neutral state since 1815; & confederated in its present form since 1874. Before that there was a succession of "Swiss" states which included some but not all of the present cantons. These states were embroiled in a series of civil & religious wars (the last real civil war occurring in 1847) as well as some foreign adventures.The Swiss also provided most/many of the mercenary forces used during the 30 Year's War. In addition, the modern Swiss, although politically & militarily neutral, maintain a national reserve which consists of virtually every male Swiss citizen. In 1940, when the Nazi's invaded Belgium, Switzerland mobilized its entire Army, including some 15,000 women. I think its fair to say that they adhere to the Teddy Roosevelt principle, i.e., "Speak softly but carry a big stick." (BTW: At one point the Nazi's had prepared a plan, called 'Operation Tannenbaum', to invade Switzerland.) Wikipedia describes the Swiss Army as follows: "The military of Switzerland, officially known as the Swiss Armed Forces, is a unique institution somewhere between a militia and a regular army. It is equipped with mostly modern, sophisticated, and well-maintained weapons systems and equipment." They go on to include the following table: Military of Switzerland--Military manpower Military age : 18-32 years of age obligatorily 36 for subaltern officers, 52 for staff officers and higher Availability: males age 15-49: 1,855,808 (2000 est.) Fit for military service: males age 15-49: 1,579,921 (2000 est.) Reaching military age annually: males: 42,169 (2000 est.) Military expenditures: $3.1 billion (FY98) Percent of GDP: 1.2% (FY98) So anyway, I'd say that they were well equipped to participate in armed conflicts. To put icing on the cake, I'm including some relevant extracts from a timeline I drew up during one of my genealogical research projects. Cheers, Masugu 1291: Cantons of Uri, Schwyz, & Unterwalden conspire against Habsburgs. This union is nucleus of Old Swiss Confederacy. 1315: Swiss Confederation defeats the soldiers of Duke Leopold I of Austria in an ambush near the Morgarten pass. 1353: Three original cantons joined by cantons of Glarus & Zug & city states of Lucerne, Zu"rich, & Berne, forming "Old Federation" of 8 states . 1386: Battle of Sempach: Swiss safeguard independence from Habsburg rule. 1440s: Zu"rich expelled from confederation due to conflict over territory of Toggenburg (the Old Zu"rich War). 1470s: Series of victories by Swiss Federation over Charles the Bold of Burgundy & rise of Swiss mercenaries. 1499: Swabian War: Swiss Confederacy defeats forces of Habsburg emperor Maximilian I ensuring de facto independence from empire. 1515: Expansion of federation & the reputation of invincibility acquired during earlier wars suffers setback w/ Swiss defeat in the Battle of Marignano. 1524: The Peasants War: In Germany, Switzerland & Austria--defeat of the peasants in 1525 led to dispersion of the Anabaptists. 1529-31: Zwingli's Reformation in some Swiss cantons leads to inter-cantonal wars (Kappeler Kriege). 1530's: Swiss Anabaptists seize several towns to "construct a just society"--they're crushed by authorities. 1531: a. Wars of Kappel: After victory Catholic cantons in Switzerland institute counter-reformatory policies. b. Ulrich Zwingli killed at Kappel am Albis, in a battle against the Catholic cantons of Switzerland. 1535: Anabaptists in Mu"nster suppressed--this engenders a migration of Germanic Anabaptists to England. 1618: Start of 30 Years' War---Switzerland a relative "oasis of peace and prosperity"--mostly because belligerents depend on Swiss mercenaries. 1648: Treaty of Westphalia: Swiss Confederacy, neutral during 30 Years War, granted independence from Holy Roman Empire. 1653: Swiss peasants rebel because of currency devaluation--tax reforms result. 1656: 1st Battle of Villmergen: conflict between Catholic & Protestant cantons continue. 1798: Switzerland overrun by France & becomes Helvetic Republic. 1712: 2nd Battle of Villmergen: conflict between Catholic & Protestant cantons persist. 1803: Napoleon organises meeting of leading Swiss politicians--result is Act of Mediation which largely restores Swiss autonomy. 1815: a. Congress of Vienna fully re-establishes Swiss independence & European powers agree to permanently recognise Swiss neutrality. b. Territory of Switzerland increases for the last time, by the new cantons of Valais, Neuchatel and Geneva. 1847: Civil war breaks out between Catholic & Protestant cantons 1848: As consequence of the civil war, Swiss adopt federal constitution in 1848 & establishing federal responsibility for defence, trade, and legal matters, 1874: Swiss constitution is extensively amended to reflect the current state of Swiss affairs. 1939: Nazis invade Poland, Swiss mobilize some 430,000 troops. 1940: Nazis invade Belgium, general mobilization of full Swiss Army decided, includes some 15,000 women.