Resistance movement

From Freepedia

A resistance movement is a group dedicated to fighting an invader in an occupied country. The term can also refer to any organized effort by supporters of a common goal against a constituted authority. The term resistance has political overtones, as people have used it (and historically, other terms like it) to drum up support in opposition to "foreign intervention".

Organizations and individuals critical of foreign intervention and supporting forms of organized movement (particularly where citizens are affected) tend to favor the term. When such a resistance movement uses violence, those favorably disposed to it may also speak of freedom fighters. Both phrases -- resistance movement and freedom fighters -- can become ambiguous terms for what other observers might describe as terrorists.

Contents 1 Background 2 Resistance movements 2.1 Post-World War II 2.2 World War II 2.3 Pre-World War II 2.4 Pre-20th Century 3 Notable individuals in resistance movements 3.1 World War II (anti-Nazi, anti-Fascist) 3.2 Other Resistance Movements 4 See also

Background

Resistance movements can include any irregular armed force that rises up against an enforced or established authority, government, or administration. This frequently includes groups that consider themselves to be resisting tyranny. Some resistance movements are underground organizations engaged in a struggle for national liberation in a country under military occupation or totalitarian domination.

Tactics of resistance movements range from passive resistance, harassment and industrial sabotage to what in today's terms we might label guerrilla warfare. Any government facing the violent acts of a group that considers itself a resistance movement usually condemns such a group as terrorist, even when such attacks target the military.

In World War II, many countries had resistance movements dedicated to fighting the Axis invaders. Germany itself also had an anti-Nazi German resistance movement in this period. Although mainland Britain did not suffer invasion in World War II, the British made preparations for a British resistance movement in the event of a German invasion.

Resistance movements

The following groups may differ widely in numbers and in activity:

Post-World War II

World War II

• Albanian resistance movement
• Belgian resistance movement in World War II
• Czech Resistance movement
• Danish resistance movement in World War II
• Dutch resistance movement in World War II
• German resistance movements in World War II:
  • The White Rose
  • The Red Orchestra, which included the only American executed by the Nazis for belonging to an anti-Nazi organization.
• French resistance movement in World War II, including the Maquis
• Greek resistance movement -- opposed German and Italian occupying forces in World War II
• Italian resistance movement in World War II
• Lithuanian, Latvian, and Estonian ("Forest brothers") resistance movements during the Soviet invasion and occupation of the Baltic countries (continued after the end of WWII).
• Norwegian resistance movement in World War II
• Philippine resistance movement -- the anti-Japanese phase of the Huk movement
• Polish resistance movements:
  • Armia Krajowa (the Home Army), Polish underground army in World War II (400 000 sworn members)
  • Gwardia Ludowa (the Peoples' Guard) and Armia Ludowa (the Peoples' Army)
  • Żydowska Organizacja Bojowa (ZOB, the Jewish Fighting Organisation), Jewish resistance movement that led the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising in 1943
  • Zydowski Zwiazek Walki (ZZW, the Jewish Fighting Union), Jewish resistance movement that led the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising in 1943
• Romanian anti-communist resistance movement - during the Soviet occupation of Romania (continued after the end of WWII).
• Slovak resistance movement
• Soviet resistance movement of underground and partisan operatives, which had Moscow-organized and spontaneously formed cells opposing Fascism
• Ukrainian Insurgent Army - fought the Poles, the Germans and the Soviets.
• Yugoslav resistance movements:
  • People's Liberation Army – the partisans
  • Yugoslav Royal Army in the Fatherland aka Chetniks

Planned resistance movements:

• The Auxiliary Units, organized by Colonel Colin Gubbins as a potential British resistance movement against a possible successful invasion of the British Isles by Nazi forces.

Pre-World War II

• The Rising of East Karelians (1921-1922)

Pre-20th Century

• Carbonari - 19th century Italian movement resisting Austrian or Bourbon rule.

• Sons of Liberty - Revolutionary patriot group that embraced Republicanism in the United States during the 1760's and 1770's and routinely engaged in acts of violent resistance against British government officials and prominent loyalist sympathizers. The Boston branch of the Sons of Liberty met under the Liberty Tree, from which they would post messages or hang and burn effigies of their enemies.

• The Underground Railroad - The pre American Civil War slave escape network consisting of volunteers who were dedicated to secretly helping escaping slave reach free states or Canada.

Notable individuals in resistance movements

• Mildred Harnack

World War II (anti-Nazi, anti-Fascist)

• Mordechaj Anielewicz
• Josip Broz - Tito
• Jean Moulin
• Christian Pineau
• Hannie Schaft
• Nancy Wake

Other Resistance Movements

• Rummu Jüri
• Laura Secord
• Aivar Voitka
• Ülo Voitka

See also

• Quotes about resistance
• Special Operations Executive
• Polish Secret State
• Edmund Charaszkiewicz
• Collaboration (the opposite of resistance)
• Covert cell
• List of guerrillas
• Valkenburg resistance - an example of (Dutch) resistance in practise.
• Fictional resistance movements and groups