I lived near Zurich in the early 90s (Canadian) and would often see people headed off to military service on the normal, commuter trains with an assault rifle as part of their kit. I assumed everyone just took them home with them when their regular service was done and took them back when they revisited it next year. Most of my colleagues that did military service would go for a couple of weeks a year and loved it (you serve with people from the area you grew up in, I think, and they looked forward to seeing their buddies again, drinking some beer, etc.).

War with whom? IIRC Switzerland are traditionally neutral. Serious question.

> … was especially furious when he saw that German equipment was used to shoot down German pilots. He said they would respond "in another manner".[17] On 20 June 1940 …

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Switzerland_during_the_World_W...

It could be some neighboring state gets ideas... last time it happened was not even that far back.

It's a lot easier for the "other guys" to justify not occupying a country that's equipped to put up a good insurrection.

Counterpoint: Afghanistan.

It's become a rite of passage for empires to try and fail there. Next up, China?

anybody who tries to invade. the swiss aren't neutral to invasions of the homeland.

zee germans

Downvotes? Really? I was asking seriously, I do not know the swiss culture and I wanted to know the answer. Silly me for wanting to learn something.