Guerrilla warfare is fought by civilians who are not members of a traditional military unit, such as a country's standing army or police force. In many cases, guerrilla fighters are fighting to overthrow or weaken a ruling government or regime.
This type of warfare is characterized by sabotage, ambushes, and surprise attacks on unsuspecting military targets. Often fighting in their own homeland, guerrilla fighters (also known as rebels or insurgents) use their familiarity with the local landscape and terrain to their advantage.
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The use of guerrilla warfare was first suggested in the 6th century BC by the Chinese general and strategist Sun Tzu, in his classic book, The Art of War. In 217 BC, the Roman dictator Quintus Fabius Maximus, often called the "father of guerrilla warfare", used his “Fabian strategy” to defeat the powerful invading army of the Carthaginian general Hannibal Barge.
In the early 19th century, citizens of Spain and Portugal used guerrilla warfare to defeat Napoleon's French army in the Peninsular War. More recently, guerrillas led by Che Guevara helped Fidel Castro overthrow Cuban dictator Fulgencio Batista during the 1952 Cuban Revolution.
Largely due to its use by leaders such as Mao Zedong in China and Ho Chi Minh in North Vietnam, guerrilla warfare is generally thought of in the West as just a tactic of communism. However, history has shown this to be a mistake, as a multitude of political and social factors motivated citizen-soldiers.
Guerrilla warfare is generally considered to be politically motivated warfare. A desperate struggle by ordinary people to right the wrongs committed by an oppressive regime that rules by military force and intimidation.
History, however, has shown that the public's perception of guerrillas as heroes or villains depends on their tactics and motivations. While many guerrillas have fought to secure basic human rights, some have begun to unwarranted violence, even using terrorist tactics against other civilians who refuse to participate in your cause.
For example, in Northern Ireland in the late 1960s, a civilian group calling itself the Irish Republican Army (IRA) carried out a series of attacks against British security forces and public establishments in the country, as well as Irish citizens who they believed to be loyal to the crown british.
Characterized by tactics such as indiscriminate bombing, often taking the lives of civilians involved, the IRA attacks were described as acts of terrorism by the media and government British.
Guerrilla organizations range from small, localized groups (cells) to regionally dispersed regiments of thousands of well-trained fighters. Group leaders often clearly express political goals.
Along with strictly military units, many guerrilla groups also have designated political wings. to develop and distribute propaganda to recruit new fighters and gain the support of the civilian population local.
In his sixth-century book The Art of War, Chinese general Sun Tzu summarized the tactics of guerrilla warfare:
“Know when to fight and when not to fight. Avoid what is strong and attack what is weak. Know how to deceive the enemy. Appear weak when you are strong and strong when you are weak.”
Reflecting the teachings of General Tzu, guerrillas use small, fast units to launch repeated hit-and-run attacks. The objective of these attacks is to destabilize and demoralize the larger enemy force while minimizing your own casualties.
Furthermore, some guerrilla groups claim that the frequency and nature of their attacks provoke the enemy into counter-attacks so excessively brutal as to inspire support for the cause rebel. Facing overwhelming disadvantages in manpower and military equipment, the ultimate goal of guerrilla tactics is typically the eventual withdrawal of the enemy army, rather than its total surrender.
Guerrilla fighters often try to limit the movement of enemy troops, weapons and supplies by attacking enemy supply line facilities like bridges, railroads and airfields.
In an effort to blend in with the local population, guerrillas rarely wear uniforms or identifying items. This stealth tactic helps them utilize the element of surprise in their attacks.
Dependent on the local population for support, guerrilla forces employ both military and political weapons. The political arm of a guerrilla group specializes in creating and disseminating propaganda. designed not only to recruit new fighters, but also to win the hearts and minds of the people.
While both employ many of the same tactics and weapons, there are important differences between guerrillas and terrorists.
Terrorists rarely attack military targets with ample defense. Instead, terrorists often attack so-called “soft targets” such as civilian aircraft, schools, churches and other public gathering places. The September 11, 2001 attacks in the United States and the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing are examples of terrorist attacks.
While guerrilla rebels are typically motivated by political factors, terrorists often act out of simple hatred. In the United States, for example, terrorism is often an element of hate crimes. Crimes motivated by the terrorist's prejudice against the victim's race, color, religion, sexual orientation or ethnicity.
Unlike terrorists, guerrillas rarely attack civilians. In contrast to terrorists, guerrillas move and fight as paramilitary units with the aim of seizing enemy territory and equipment.
Terrorism is a crime in many countries. The term “terrorism” is sometimes incorrectly used by governments to refer to guerrilla rebels who fight against their regimes.
