Final published version
Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
The Advocate and Its Wealthy Client : Britain and Switzerland in the Early Cold War. / Wyss, Marco.
In: The International History Review, Vol. 35, No. 1, 2013, p. 184-204.Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
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TY - JOUR
T1 - The Advocate and Its Wealthy Client
T2 - Britain and Switzerland in the Early Cold War
AU - Wyss, Marco
PY - 2013
Y1 - 2013
N2 - In the immediate post-war period and during the early cold war, Britain regularly defended Switzerland's interests against the two emerging superpowers: the Soviet Union and especially the United States. This advocacy was not, however, altruistically motivated. In light of their experiences during the Second World War, British policy-makers could still see the benefits of a neutral Switzerland. But more importantly, the relatively wealthy Swiss were willing to pay for British support and a neutral Switzerland implied other financial, political, and strategic advantages. When there were no such advantages, London abstained from defending Berne. In the case of the negotiations leading to Switzerland's informal participation in the Western strategic embargo against the Eastern Bloc, Whitehall did not stand up to defend Swiss neutrality against US might. Yet this article demonstrates that even if the British had been willing to help the Swiss in their dealings with the Americans, they would have lacked the power to prevent Washington from imposing its will. Britain's power continued to decline after the war, and advocacy for Switzerland could only be successful if the Swiss position was acceptable to the United States.
AB - In the immediate post-war period and during the early cold war, Britain regularly defended Switzerland's interests against the two emerging superpowers: the Soviet Union and especially the United States. This advocacy was not, however, altruistically motivated. In light of their experiences during the Second World War, British policy-makers could still see the benefits of a neutral Switzerland. But more importantly, the relatively wealthy Swiss were willing to pay for British support and a neutral Switzerland implied other financial, political, and strategic advantages. When there were no such advantages, London abstained from defending Berne. In the case of the negotiations leading to Switzerland's informal participation in the Western strategic embargo against the Eastern Bloc, Whitehall did not stand up to defend Swiss neutrality against US might. Yet this article demonstrates that even if the British had been willing to help the Swiss in their dealings with the Americans, they would have lacked the power to prevent Washington from imposing its will. Britain's power continued to decline after the war, and advocacy for Switzerland could only be successful if the Swiss position was acceptable to the United States.
KW - cold war
KW - Switzerland
KW - United Kingdom
KW - neutrality
KW - CoCom
U2 - 10.1080/07075332.2012.737349
DO - 10.1080/07075332.2012.737349
M3 - Journal article
VL - 35
SP - 184
EP - 204
JO - The International History Review
JF - The International History Review
SN - 0707-5332
IS - 1
ER -