| Swiss Civil War | |||||||||
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 German troops attacking a Swiss town near the border of Liechtenstein. | |||||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||||
 Germany  Austria  Liechtenstein
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 Swiss Confederation
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| Commanders | |||||||||
| Edzard Becker Oskar Schmalzried Hasse Schaefer Adolf Bunzel
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Alexander Emmenegger
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| Strength | |||||||||
| 589,670 troops 2450 tanks 20 aircraft |
89,560 troops 145 tanks 5 aircraft | ||||||||
The Swiss Civil War (German: Der Schweizer Bürgerkrieg) was a conflict between the Alliance of Central European States (mainly Germany, Austria, and Liechtenstein) and the Swiss Confederation. The conflict began on January 22, 1956, 12 days after the nation of Liechtenstein seceded from the Swiss Confederation. The Swiss issued to Liechtenstein a 24 hour ultimatum, and promptly declared war after their demands were refused. The Alliance of Central European States, which had accepted Liechtenstein into the Alliance only two days prior, declared on the Swiss Confederation and mobilized troops in Germany and Austria. The other members of the Alliance were uninvolved in the conflict, due to being too far from the Swiss Confederation; they were unable to mobilize enough troops in time to make a difference. On January 30, German and Austrian troops stationed near the Liechtenstein border entered the country and engaged the Swiss troops. The Alliance, mobilizing about 590,000 troops, succeeded in defeating the Swiss forces within approximately a month of combat. After Swiss surrender on March 1, 1956, land was seceded to Liechtenstein, and reparation money was to be paid to Germany and Austria.
After the war was over, the Alliance of Central European States met in Berlin to discuss the future of the member nations, finally deciding to unify the member states into a single superstate, which was to be known as the Kingdom of Tenarra. It has since been written in Tenarran history books that the cause of the unification was the Swiss Civil War, and the resulting desire for greater collective security.
Timeline[]
November 23, 1955 - Germany, Poland, the Czech Republic, Austria, and the Swiss Confederation sign an Alliance treaty known as the Alliance of Central European States, or the Allianz der Mitteleuropäischen Staaten.
German troops march through Liechtenstein in the Swiss Civil War.
January 6, 1956 - The Swiss Confederation leaves the Alliance due to escalating armed attacks by Swiss anti-interventionist terrorist groups since the treaty was signed.
January 10, 1956 - Part of the Swiss Confederation, unhappy with the decision of the Swiss Government, breaks away to form Liechtenstein, taking a large group of migrating Swiss citizens with it.
January 20, 1956 - Liechtenstein is accepted into the Alliance of Central European States.
January 22, 1956 - After issuing a statement refusing to recognize Liechtenstein as a nation, the Swiss Confederation issues an ultimatum and then declares war on Liechtenstein.
January 30, 1956 - German and Austrian troops arrive in Liechtenstein, and drive back the Swiss Army.
February 6, 1956 - The German and Austrian armies take back control of Liechtenstein, and begin an offensive into the Swiss Confederation.
February 20, 1956 - The Swiss Civil War comes to a standstill as German and Austrian troops are stopped by Swiss resistance.
February 30, 1956 - The Swiss Confederation surrenders to the combined Alliance forces because of extreme losses. The war is dubbed the One Month War due to its relative shortness.
March 1, 1956 - A peace treaty is signed between the belligerents. Liechtenstein receives a portion of the eastern Swiss land, and the Swiss Confederation is forced to pay war indemnities to Germany and Austria.
April 1, 1956 - The leaders of the Alliance of Central European States meet in Berlin, the capital of Germany, and, recognizing a desire for greater combined security and economic prosperity, they sign the Treaty of Tenarra.
April 3, 1956 - The states of Germany, Poland, the Czech Republic, Austria, and Liechtenstein, unify. The Kingdom of Tenarra is born.
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