guerrilla movements

Irregular armed resistance

Guerrilla movements are organized campaigns of irregular warfare, typically waged by small, mobile groups against larger conventional forces or governments.

The term comes from Spanish for "little war." Guerrilla movements often emerge from political insurgencies, independence struggles, or revolutionary causes, relying on ambushes, sabotage, and local support rather than direct confrontation: The guerrilla movement operated from mountain bases for decades.

Opposites
military organization type

guerrilla movementsstanding armies

Permanently maintained military forces

line infantry · naval fleets · air forces · conventional warfare · mechanized warfare

political change methodology

guerrilla movementsnonviolent resistance

Protest through peaceful means

electoral politics · diplomatic negotiations · passive resistance · civil disobedience · diplomatic negotiation

relationship to state power

guerrilla movementsgovernment forces

Military under state control

police forces · occupation forces · colonial powers · police states

Family

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