![]() Military actions like this were part of a larger Swiss defense strategy, which included withdrawing to the mountains and fighting a guerrilla war if invaded. The Säckinger Bridge was built over the Rhine in 1272 and has long been considered a national monument, but that didn’t stop the government from rigging it with TNT during the Cold War. Reports in 2014 that explosives had finally been removed from a bridge on the Swiss-German border came as a surprise to some - mostly those who hadn’t realized it had been wired to blow in the first place. Many Swiss defensive strategies, though, are far less visible than spiked ridges and openly carried weapons, including infrastructure carefully designed and built to self-destruct on demand. Switzerland’s military-trained citizens are armed to the proverbial teeth. These lines represent some of the most visible elements of defensive infrastructure in a nation known for its perpetual neutrality - a position reinforced by the fact that the country is well-prepared for attacks. More ominous monikers like “dragon teeth” may better fit their original function: to repel invading tanks and other vehicles in wartime. They have been cheerily dubbed “Toblerone Lines” after the famous Swiss chocolate maker, but they have other names, too. Jagged concrete protrusions span for miles along the Swiss Alps. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |