75 years ago, on 25 May 1946, Switzerland and the western allies USA, Great Britain, and France concluded the Washington Agreement. Switzerland agreed to pay 250 Million Swiss franc as a contribution to the reconstruction of Europe. This agreement constitutes a watershed for postwar Switzerland. The neutral state overcame its temporary isolation and set the course for its integration into the Western post-war order.
Current research by Hänni shows: Owing to SIGINT and HUMINT, the U.S. was well informed about the Swiss negotiation goals and tactics during the three-month of negotiations in Washington. The Army Security Agency, a precursor of the NSA, intercepted the communication between the Swiss delegation in Washington and the foreign ministry in Bern and was able to decrypt the messages. Meanwhile, in Switzerland, the president of the Social Democratic Party (SP), Hans Oprecht, supplied the U.S. Strategic Services Unit (SSU) with valuable information.
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