What is the real reason beind Swiss neutrality from WW1-present day?
456418
The Swiss have actually been neutral since 1600 at least. They alone in Europe did not pick a side in the 30-years War. This is porbably because the country has roots in several European countries, with 4 official languages: German, French, Italian, and Romansch. This neutrality was recognized by the European powers at the end of the 30-years War as well as at the end of Napolean's empire.
502329
The causes is over simplified as tangle of allainces and the breakway republic of Serbia was the powder keg. As soon as Arcduke Ferdinand was assasinated Austria-Hungary went on to mobolize against Serbia. This could have just resulted in a war between Austria-Hungary and Serbia, but Russia had to protect its Slavic neighbors. Since there were Slavs in Russia it was good policy to protect another Slavic country. Germany didn't have to honor it's treaty obligations to Austria-Hungary, but it did. The Germans were not expecting war. Since, Germany was mobolizing and it's ally Russia was under threat France had no choice,but to call up its armed forces too. Two other great powers still sat out because they did not think a world war was possible. The Ottoman Empire and the British Empire were on the sidelines in August 1914. Britian was a sea based empire and if Europe went to war Britian would too, because it had to prtotect is worldwide colonies. It was important for the British to keep the supply lines to the home islands and to the colony of India. The Ottoman's had no choice either because Russian forces border them and could close access to their sea routes. The British were in North Africa and that was also was seen as a threat. Theses countries had high nationalism, which propelled them to war and the citizens of all theses nations beleived their country was invincible. Another problem was ethniciy because the Austrian-Hungarians viewed the Slavs as second class citizens. By Austria giving Serbia and ulitmatum started WWI off and there was no turning back.
1050450
Because more so in Germanys case they don't want to be reminded of the past (which of course goes into the old saying "those who don't know the past are doomed to repeat it". They won't let games or comics with nazi villains in it they sure arent going to discuss actual things.
80511
The underlying causes of World War I were the intense nationalism that permeated Europe throughout the 19th and into the 20th century, the political and economic rivalry among nations, and the military buildup that occurred after 1871, when Germany emerged as a great world power.\nThe assasination of Archduke Francis Ferdinand was just a match to the powder keg.
654469
Just read this:  http://www.firstworldwar.com/origins/causes.htm\n\nThe war started out as a dispute between Austria-Hungary and Serbia over the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, but escalated as other countries entered the melee.\n\nHistory can fault Germany because they lost.
106566
I’m getting too old, I can’t believe anyone would need to ask such a question.\nWorld War I, 1914–18, also known as the Great War, conflict, chiefly in Europe, among most of the great Western powers. It was the largest war the world had yet seen.Causes \nWorld War I was immediately precipitated by the assassination of Archduke Francis Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary by a Serbian nationalist in 1914. There were, however, many factors that had led toward war. Prominent causes were the imperialistic, territorial, and economic rivalries that had been intensifying from the late 19th cent., particularly among Germany, France, Great Britain, Russia, and Austria-Hungary.\nOf equal importance was the rampant spirit of nationalism, especially unsettling in the empire of Austria-Hungary and perhaps also in France. Nationalism had brought the unification of Germany by blood and iron, and France, deprived of Alsace and Lorraine by the Franco-Prussian War of 1870–71, had been left with its own nationalistic cult seeking revenge against Germany. While French nationalists were hostile to Germany, which sought to maintain its gains by militarism and alliances, nationalism was creating violent tensions in the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy; there the large Slavic national groups had grown increasingly restive, and Serbia as well as Russia fanned Slavic hopes for freedom and Pan-Slavism.\nImperialist rivalry had grown more intense with the new imperialism of the late 19th and early 20th cent. The great powers had come into conflict over spheres of influence in China and over territories in Africa, and the Eastern Question, created by the decline of the Ottoman Empire, had produced several disturbing controversies. Particularly unsettling was the policy of Germany. It embarked late but aggressively on colonial expansion under Emperor William II, came into conflict with France over Morocco, and seemed to threaten Great Britain by its rapid naval expansion.\nThese issues, imperialist and nationalist, resulted in a hardening of alliance systems in the Triple Alliance and Triple Entente and in a general armaments race. Nonetheless, a false optimism regarding peace prevailed almost until the onset of the war, an optimism stimulated by the long period during which major wars had been avoided, by the close dynastic ties and cultural intercourse in Europe, and by the advance of industrialization and economic prosperity. Many Europeans counted on the deterrent of war's destructiveness to preserve the peace.\nWar's Outbreak \nThe Austrian annexation (1908) of Bosnia and Hercegovina created an international crisis, but war was avoided. The Balkan Wars (1912–13) remained localized but increased Austria's concern for its territorial integrity, while the solidification of the Triple Alliance made Germany more yielding to the demands of Austria, now its one close ally. The assassination (June 28, 1914) of Archduke Francis Ferdinand at Sarajevo set in motion the diplomatic maneuvers that ended in war.\nThe Austrian military party, headed by Count Berchtold, won over the government to a punitive policy toward Serbia. On July 23, Serbia was given a nearly unacceptable ultimatum. With Russian support assured by Sergei Sazonov, Serbia accepted some of the terms but hedged on others and rejected those infringing upon its sovereignty. Austria-Hungary, supported by Germany, rejected the British proposal of Sir Edward Grey (later Lord Grey of Fallodon) and declared war (July 28) on Serbia.\nRussian mobilization precipitated a German ultimatum (July 31) that, when unanswered, was followed by a German declaration of war on Russia (Aug. 1). Convinced that France was about to attack its western frontier, Germany declared war (Aug. 3) on France and sent troops against France through Belgium and Luxembourg. Germany had hoped for British neutrality, but German violation of Belgian neutrality gave the British government the pretext and popular support necessary fo
979081
Its true...on the eve of Dec 24 , 1914 a truce was haggled out between British and German soldiers, and in many places along the western front, it lasted until the end of the day on the 26th. Many witness accounts were written, but perhaps the most telling of all of it was how it happened.\nIts lost to history just what was said to whom beyond the battlefield, but this was primarily lower ranked soldiers and the highest ranking officer was a German. Christmas morning 3 shots were fired into the air by a British sergeant and a white flag went up with "Merry Christmas" written on it, well, the enemy replied with a flag( all of about 50 yards apart), saying "thank you". Then a few Germans stepped out unarmed, as did a few British. What took place for the next 24 or so hours is really quite bazaar, but kinda romantic( if you will..).\nThere was impromptu soccer matches, gift exchanges, and even jokes...one of them was about a Brit' who asked a German if he wanted a cigarette...the German replied "Virginian?", to which the British soldier replied "aye", the German soldier said "No thx, I prefer Turkish!"...apparently this caused a huge laugh from all there.\nAlso, the Germans sang Carole's, and when asking the British to sing, one Brit said..."We'd rather die than sing German!"..., and the German yelled back..."Well, we'll surely be dead over here if you do!"  Again laughter erupted across that field...\nIts really awesome to hear of these events and the remarkable impact such a small thing could have on men who'd wanna kill one-another, but for the greater good of the moment, it proved to be the most significant thing to happen to some of the men who were there.
422244
Until the French Revolution, one of Switzerland's biggest exports were mercenaries - they were extremely skilled and valued for their loyalty. France and the Netherlands especially used the Swiss as mercenaries.\n\nIn the French Revolution, a detachment of 900 Swiss Guards were massacred - only about a hundred managed to escape. Napolean then used Swiss mercenaries his army. In 1830, during France's July Revolution, when the French mobs stormed the palace again, the Swiss withdrew, fearing another massacre. Because of this, their constitution was amended in 1874 to prevent recruitment of Swiss by foreign powers - except the Vatican.\n\nThe main reason the Swiss still guard the Vatican is because the Vatican wants them there, due to their heroic actions in the past (The 1527 Sack of Rome by Charles V), and because the Swiss obviously find it a point of pride.
530926
Good question, I'm German and really enjoyed my day off.  I think it has to do with the government trying to cover and forget the ugly history of this infamous event back in 1886
421906
The rise of nationalism.\n\nEurope avoided major wars in the 100 years before World War 1 began. In the 1800's, a force swept across the continent that helped bring about the Great War. The force was nationalism - the belief that loyalty to a person's nation and its political and economic goals comes before any other public loyalty. During the 1800's nationalism took hold among people who shared a common language, history, or culture. Such people began to view themselves as members a national group or nation. Nationalism led to the creation of two new powers - Italy and Germany - through the uniting of many small states. War had a major role in achieving nation unification in Italy and Germany. On the other hand, nationalism weakened the eastern European empires of Austria-Hungary, Russia, and Ottoman Turkey. Those empires ruled many national groups that clamored for independence. The Balkan Peninsula or the "Powder Keg of Europe" caused tensions and therefore threatened to ignite a major war. Rivalry for control of the Balkans added to the tensions that erupted into World War 1.\n\n\nA build-up of military might occurred among European countries before World War 1 broke out. Nationalism encouraged public support for military build-ups and for a country's use of force to achieve its goals. By the late 1800's, Germany had the best-trained army in the world. In 1898 Germany began developing a naval force that was big enough to challenge the British navy. In 1906, the British navy launched the Dreadnought, the first modern battleship. The Dreadnought had greater firepower that any other ship of its time. Germany rushed to construct on just like it. Advances in technology helped aid in making military forces stronger. Machine guns and other new arms fired more accurately and more rapidly than earlier weapons. By the end of the 1800's, technology enabled countries to fight longer and bear greater losses that ever before.\n\n\nA system of military alliances gave European powers a sense of security before World War 1. They formed these alliances with each other for protection and guarantee that other members of the alliance would come to the country's aid if attacked. Although alliances provided protection, the system also created certain dangers. If war came, the alliance system meant that a number of nations would fight, not only the two involved in a dispute. Alliances could force a country to go to war against a nation it had no quarrel with. In addition, the terms of many alliances were kept secret. The secrecy also increased the chances that a county might guess wrong about the consequences of its actions. The Triple Alliance was made up of 3 countries, Germany, Italy, and Austria-Hungary. They all agreed to go to war if attacked by Russia. Bismarck also brought Austria-Hungary and Germany into alliance with Russia. The agreement was known as the Three Emperor's League and was formed in 1881. They all agreed to remain neutral if any of them went to war with another country. In 1890 when Bismarck left office it gave a chance for Russia and France to form an alliance. In 1894, France and Russia agreed to call up troops if any nation in the Triple Alliance mobilized. Russia and France also agreed to help each other if either were attacked be Germany. \n\nBeginning of the War\n\nOn June 28, 1914 a Serbian terrorist named Gavrilo Princip assassinated Archduke Francis Ferdinand.  The Archduke's assassination triggered the outbreak of World War 1. On July 28 Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia. Because of Austria-Hungary's alliance with Germany, Serbia sought help from Russia. In 1914 Russia vowed to stand behind Serbia, but first Russia gained support from France. Germany declared war on Russia on Aug. 1, 1914, in response to Russia’s mobilization. Two days later Germany declared war on France. The German Army swept into Belgium on its way to France. The invasion of Belgium cause
321909
Well, you have to realize that after WWI, Germany was plunged into a deep depression. Both economy and morale were virtually nonexistent, and they were deeply humiliated by their loss. But then along came Hitler, who was, by all accounts, an excellent politician. He was a magnanimous speaker who told the German people exactly what they wanted to hear. He raised both morale using a sense of nationalism, and the economy, using the "common man" (I think he focused mostly on farmers). Even the anti-semitism made sense at the time; they felt like they needed SOMEONE to blame for all their hardship, and Hitler gave them one. It was in this fashion that he managed to seize power; Germany was putty at his feet. There were obviously a select few who did find something wrong with the regime, but these were exceptions, rather than the rule. \n\nPoint is, Hitler knew what the hell he was doing. He was brilliant, plain and simple. Of course, he was also very wrong in the head. He had skewed ideals regarding other races, he wildly misinterpreted Nietzsche (although to be fair, just about everyone does), and his intentions were nothing short of evil. But he was brilliant. Taking all these factors into account, it kind of makes you wonder how anyone in Germany COULD think their government was wrong.
175271
The United States had a policy called isolationism where they felt it was best for the country to not be binded to any treaty with Europe 9 this was from Washingtons early warning to stay out of conflict in his farewell address). The whole country wanted to stay neutral at all costs and it was only when Germany started taking out our ships with u-boats and also when they sent the Zimmerman Telegram to Mexico tell the mexicans that if they helped Germany would help them take back texas..\nfactors such as those made it too hard for us the stay out of war.
676487
World War 1 is a big one.  Australia became  a federation (1901), Russian revolution.
250414
Not too good truth be told.\n\nAfter World War One the rest of the world really screwed germany. They made all kinds of outragous claims on German lands and money. The economy was in the crapper and the politics of the day were doing nothing to change the situation. \n\nThere were millions with out work and inflation was sometimes 700% a day. Money had no real meaning and the masses were living under the boot of the Allies.\n\nThen in 1932 all hell broke loose.\n\nWhen the Nazi party came into power the first things they did was tell the allies to kiss off. They rebuilt their army and restored a national pride. These things helped feed the people and get the country back up on it's feet. \n\nI have been told that you would not worry about the politcs of the man who feeds you when you are starving. And the Nazi rule in Germany showed this.\n\nWhen you are full, happy and have your pride you can do much. And they did. But as history shows things got WAY out of hand and the now proud people were lead to a very scary place by some very scary people.\n\nTaking Cezch was easy and the invasion of poland wasn't that hard. But what was to come was a real wake up call for the world.\n\nSo the 1930's was a great time of change in Germany. In those 10 years germany would go from a beaten nation steped on and looted by the world to a superpower that almost took over europe.
981361
ww2?? Your question is a little vague.
47443
World War I, also known as the First World War and (before 1939) the Great War, the War of the Nations, War to End All Wars was a world conflict lasting from August 1914 to the final Armistice (cessation of hostilities) on November 11, 1918. The label World War I or First World War did not come into general use until after the outbreak of World War II in 1939, and until then it was commonly known as the Great War or the World War. The war was fought by the Allied Powers on one side, and the Central Powers on the other, resulting in eventual victory for the Allies. No previous conflict had mobilized so many soldiers or involved so many in the field of battle. By its end, the war had become the bloodiest war in recorded history, though this record was soon to be superseded by World War II.\n\nAmongst Western countries, World War I became infamous for trench warfare along the Western Front, involving a system of opposing trenches (separated by a "No Man's Land") running from the North Sea to the border of Switzerland. More than 9 million soldiers died on the various battlefields, and nearly that many more in the participating countries' home fronts on account of food shortages and genocide committed under the cover of various civil wars and internal conflicts. In World War I, only some 5% of the casualties (directly caused by the war) were civilian - in World War II, this figure approached 50%.\n\nUltimately, World War I created a decisive break with the old world order that had emerged after the Napoleonic Wars, as modified by the mid-19th century national revolutions, the processes of European national unification and European colonialism. Three European land empires were shattered and subsequently dismembered to varying degrees: the German, the Austro-Hungarian and the Russian. In the Balkans and the Middle East, the Ottoman Empire experienced the same fate. Three European imperial dynasties, represented by the Hohenzollern, the Hapsburg and the Romanov families in Germany, Austria-Hungary and Russia respectively, also fell during the war.\n\nWorld War I witnessed the first advent of Communism as a means of government in Russia. The following decades would see the transformation of the old Russian Empire into the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, a global superpower. In the east, the demise of the Ottoman Empire paved the way for a modern democratic successor state, Turkey, in the core region of Anatolia, in addition to a number of successor states and territories throughout the Middle East. In Central Europe, the new states of Czechoslovakia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia and Yugoslavia were born and Austria, Hungary and Poland were re-created. Shortly after the war, in 1923, Fascists came to power in Italy; in 1933, 15 years after the war, Nazism took over Germany. Problems unresolved or created by the war would be highly important factors in the outbreak, within 20 years, of World War II.\n\n\n\nCauses:\n\nOn June 28, 1914, Franz Ferdinand, Archduke of Austria and heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, was assassinated in Sarajevo by Gavrilo Princip, a Bosnian Serb student. The Archduke was there to assert imperial authority over a disputed province. Princip was supported by pan-Serbian nationalists, with links to the Serbian military. Though this assassination is usually considered the immediate trigger for the war, its origins can be traced back to the complex web of alliances and counterbalances that developed between the various European powers after 1871.\n\n\nReasons and responsibilities\nThe reasons for the outbreak of World War I are a complicated issue; there are many factors which intertwine. Some examples are:\n\nFervent and uncompromising nationalism \nUnresolved previous disputes \nThe intricate system of alliances \nConvoluted and fragmented governance \nDelays and misunderstandings in diplomatic communications \nThe arms races of the previous decades. \nRigidity in military planning
667804
Historians believe that there were several reasons for the outbreak of war during the summer of 1914.\n\n(a) The size of the British Empire; \n\n(b) The desire by Germany to have a larger empire than Britain; \n\n(c) The fear that Austro-Hungary had of Russia; \n\n(d) The fear that Russia had of Austro-Hungary;\n\n(e) The desire of France to regain the losses suffered during the war with Germany in 1870; \n\n(f) The formation of the Triple Alliance; \n\n(g) The formation of the Triple Entente; \n\n(h) The increasing size of the German Army; \n\n(i) The increasing size of the German Navy; \n\n(j) The increasing size of the Royal Navy;\n\n(k) The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand;\n\n(l) The way that Austro-Hungary and Germany treated Serbia after the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand;\n\n(m) The way that Russia reacted to the way that Austro-Hungary and Germany treated Serbia after the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand;\n___________________________________________________________\n\nI have inserted links to useful pages at www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk - which is an awesome history website aimed at school kids.  It will be able to help explain the above list some more!  Just remember to scroll right down.