Editing Swiss Armed Forces (section)

==History==
{{Main|Military history of Switzerland}}
[[File:Schlacht bei Sempach Aquarell 1513 crop.jpg|thumb|The [[Battle of Sempach]], 1386]]
[[File:Abfertigen einer Meldung durch Brieftauben - CH-BAR - 3240471 - restoration.jpg|Swiss soldiers with [[war pigeon]]s during [[World War I]]|thumb]]
The land component of the Swiss Armed Forces originated from the cantonal troops of the [[Old Swiss Confederacy]], called upon in cases of external threats by the [[Tagsatzung]] or by the canton in distress. In the [[Restoration (Switzerland)|federal treaty]] of 1815, the Tagsatzung prescribed [[Militia System|cantonal troops]] to put a contingent of 2% of the population of each canton at the federation's disposition, amounting to a force of some 33,000 men. The cantonal armies were converted into the federal army (''Bundesheer'') with the [[Swiss constitution 1848|constitution]] of 1848. From this time, it was illegal for the individual cantons to declare war or to sign [[Capitulation (treaty)|capitulation]]s or peace agreements. Paragraph 13 explicitly prohibited the federation from sustaining a [[standing army]], and the cantons were allowed a maximum standing force of 300 each (not including the ''Landjäger'' corps, a kind of police force). Paragraph 18 declared the "obligation" of every Swiss citizen to serve in the federal army if conscripted (''Wehrpflicht''), setting its size at 3% of the population plus a [[Swiss Reserve|reserve]] of one and one half that number, amounting to a total force of some 80,000.

[[File:Clemens-1896-swiss army.png|thumb|left|A Swiss Army exercise in 1896, as depicted by Joseph Clemens Kaufmann]]
The first complete [[mobilization]], under the command of [[Hans Herzog]], was triggered by the [[Franco-Prussian War]] in 1871. In 1875, the army was called in to crush a strike of workers at the [[Gotthard Rail Tunnel|Gotthard tunnel]]. Four workers were killed and 13 were severely wounded.

Paragraph 19 of the revised constitution of 1874 extended the definition of the federal army to every able-bodied male citizen, which would have swollen the size of the army, had it not been replaced by later revisions, from under 150,000 to more than 700,000, with population growth during the 20th century rising further to some 1.5 million,{{Citation needed|date=May 2022}} the second largest armed force ''per capita''{{How|date=May 2022}} after the [[Israel Defense Forces]].{{Citation needed|date=May 2022}}

[[File:Schweizer Militärmarke.jpg|thumb|upright|Military badge belonging to Julien Wyler, 1929, in the collection of the [[Jewish Museum of Switzerland]]]]
Prior to the revised constitution, [[History of the Jews in Switzerland|Jews in Switzerland]] were excluded from the army, with various exceptions and special conditions through the years. In 1808, the laws of mandatory military service were particularly strict for [[Jews]], who, unlike [[Christians]], could not opt to be replaced by a volunteer. During this time, Jews were not considered to be Swiss citizens. Following the introduction of Jewish corporations in 1813, they were given separate documentation for military enlistment. A special rule in 1816 demanded that the Jews should pay an equipment contribution of 1000 francs per year (400 francs in 1808). From 1852 onwards, Jews served in the army like other Swiss citizens, and the constitution of 1874 removed all remaining discriminatory measures.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Weldler-Steinberg |first=Augusta |title=Geschichte der Juden in der Schweiz: Vom 16. Jahrhundert bis nach der Emanzipation |publisher=Schweizerischer Israelitischer Gemeindebund |year=1966 |pages=166–168 |language=de}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last1=Battegay |first1=Caspar |last2=Lubrichy |first2=Naomi |title=Jewish Switzerland: 50 Objects Tell Their Stories |publisher=Christoph Merian |year=2018 |isbn=978-3-85616-847-6 |location=Basel |page=146 |language=en, de}}</ref>

A major [[Military exercise|manoeuvre]] commanded in 1912 by [[Ulrich Wille]], a reputed [[Germanophile]], convinced visiting European heads of state, in particular [[Kaiser Wilhelm II]], of the efficacy and determination of Swiss defences.<ref>{{HDS|8926<!--Section 3-1-->|World War I–Preparation}}</ref> Wille was subsequently put in command of the second complete mobilization in 1914, and Switzerland escaped invasion in the course of [[World War I]]. Wille also ordered the suppression of the 1918 general strike (''[[Landesstreik]]'') with military force. Three workers were killed, and a rather larger number of soldiers died of the [[Spanish flu]] during mobilization. In 1932, the army was called to suppress an anti-fascist demonstration in Geneva. The troops shot dead 13 demonstrators, wounding another 65. This incident long damaged the army's reputation, leading to persistent calls for its abolition among left-wing politicians. In both the 1918 and the 1932 incidents, the troops deployed were consciously selected from rural regions such as the [[Berner Oberland]], fanning the enmity between the traditionally conservative rural population and the urban working class. The third complete mobilization of the army took place during [[World War II]] under the command of [[Henri Guisan]] (see also [[Switzerland during the World Wars]]). The [[Patrouille des Glaciers]] race, created to test the abilities of soldiers, was created during the war.

[[File:Kavallerieschwadron 1972.jpg|thumb|left|Veterans' dragoons squadron in 2006, presenting the uniform of 1972]]

In the 1960s and 1970s, the armed forces were organised according to the "Armee 61" structure. Horse mounted [[cavalry]] (specifically [[dragoon]]s) were retained for combat roles until 1973, and were the [[Dragoon#Switzerland|last non-ceremonial horse cavalry]] in Europe, as were [[bicycle infantry]] battalions until 2001.<ref>
{{cite news
|first=Claire
|last=Doole
|work=BBC News
|title=End of road for Swiss army cyclists
|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/1325485.stm
|access-date=5 February 2008
|date=11 May 2001
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170831155131/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/1325485.stm
|archive-date=31 August 2017
|url-status=live}}
</ref>

Since 1989, there have been several attempts to curb military activity or even abolish the armed forces altogether. A notable referendum on the subject was held on 26 November 1989 and, although defeated, did see a significant percentage of the voters in favour of such an initiative.<ref>{{cite web |title=L'évolution de la politique de sécurité de la Suisse |url=http://www.nato.int/docu/revue/1993/9306-05.htm |language=fr |publisher=NATO |access-date=12 July 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090513114556/http://www.nato.int//docu/revue/1993/9306-05.htm |archive-date=13 May 2009 |url-status=live}}</ref> However, a similar referendum, called for before, but held shortly after the [[11 September attacks]] in 2001 in the US, was defeated by over 77% of voters.<ref name="2-12">{{cite web |title=Volksabstimmung vom 2. Dezember 2001 |url=http://www.admin.ch/ch/d/pore/va/20011202/det482.html |language=de |publisher=Federal Chancellery |access-date=12 July 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100815050830/http://www.admin.ch/ch/d/pore/va/20011202/det482.html |archive-date=15 August 2010 |url-status=live}}</ref>

In 1989, the status of the army as a national icon was shaken by a [[popular initiative]] aiming at its complete dissolution (see: ''[[Group for a Switzerland without an Army]]'') receiving 35.6% support. This triggered a series of reforms and, in 1995, the number of troops was reduced to 400,000 ("Armee 95"). Article 58.1 of the 1999 constitution repeats that the army is "in principle" organized as a militia, implicitly allowing a small number of professional soldiers. A second initiative aimed at the army's dissolution in late 2001 received a mere 21.9% support.<ref name="2-12"/> Nevertheless, the army was shrunk again in 2004, to 220,000 men ("Armee XXI"), including the [[Swiss Reserve|reserves]].

In 2016, the [[Federal Assembly (Switzerland)|Swiss Federal Assembly]] voted to further reduce the army from 140,000 men to 100,000 men, reducing the time of basic training from 21 weeks to 18, but also to increase the military budget by 2.4 billion [[Swiss franc]]s.<ref>{{cite web | title=Army Reforms Given Green Light by Parliament | url=http://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/politics/swiss-military_army-reforms-given-green-light-by-parliament/42006598 | date=7 March 2016 | website=[[Swissinfo]] | access-date=31 March 2016 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160411164431/http://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/politics/swiss-military_army-reforms-given-green-light-by-parliament/42006598 | archive-date=11 April 2016 | url-status=live}}</ref> In 2022, the Assembly voted to increase spending by 1.4 billion Swiss francs by 2030, or at least 1% of the country's GDP.<ref>{{cite web | title=Parliament approves boost in Swiss army spending | website=SWI swissinfo.ch | date=2 June 2022 | url=https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/politics/parliament-approves-boost-in-swiss-army-spending/47643056 | access-date=6 September 2023}}</ref> The government planned to spend up to 50 billion Swiss francs on defense through the early 2030s.<ref>{{cite web | last=Benrath | first=Bastian | title=Swiss Army Wants to Ramp Up Spending on Growing Europe Threats | website=Bloomberg.com | date=17 August 2023 | url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-08-17/swiss-army-wants-to-ramp-up-spending-on-growing-europe-threats | access-date=18 January 2024}}</ref> In 2024, the Armed Forces was projected to face significant funding shortfalls.<ref>{{cite web | title=Media report: Swiss army to face big financial issues in coming years | website=SWI swissinfo.ch | date=1 February 2024 | url=https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/politics/media-report--swiss-army-to-face-big-financial-issues-in-coming-years/49176810 | access-date=5 February 2024}}</ref>