Given the way that modern warfare is going, land invasions of individual countries could well be a thing of the past.
But if a rogue state did fancy their chances of mobilising their armed forces in a hostile invasion which countries in the world would be the most difficult to conquer?
Obviously no one in their right mind would consider marching into the U.S. or China for that matter, but when the question was put to popular Q&A site Quora, and it seems like one place stands out from the crowd when it comes to defences, reports the Independent.
Switzerland is a surprising contender – it’s completely surrounded by other, larger countries – but back in the 19th century the Swiss came up with some pretty impressive defensive measures.
Their plan is called National Redoubt and uses the natural fortress of the Alps as a roadblock to any invasion.
The Swiss have also built a number of forts throughout the mountainous region as well as a sophisticated system of tunnels and bunkers.
These are reportedly able to house a complete division of the army, acting as suitable points from where the military can mount guerrilla style attacks.
According to one Quora user, the Swiss army has even wired many of the roads and bridges in the area to blow up in case of attack so the invaders will get bogged down, wasting precious time and energy trying to move through the country.
In recent years the usefulness and running costs of the system have been called into question. Some parts have been decommissioned and are now used as ‘digital data repositories’.
There are undoubtedly a couple of other contenders for the title.
Russia is another prominent name on the list, as its vast territory and unforgiving climate make a successful invasion practically impossible – both Napoleon and Hitler failed to kill the ‘Great Bear’.
Also tough to conquer would be New Zealand. Located almost 1,000 miles from the nearest major landmass, simply the logistics of getting troops and supplies there would be enough to scupper most potential invaders.
So there you go – if you’re planning on taking over the world with a land army any time soon, it’s probably best not to start with these places.
