Resistance movement
A resistance movement is an organized effort to oppose occupation, authoritarian rule, or foreign control through political, social, or armed action.
Underground resistance: Secret organization that opposes a government or occupying power through covert communication, aid, sabotage, or intelligence. Clandestine networks let resistance continue when open organizing invites arrest.
French Resistance: The diverse networks and groups that opposed German occupation and the Vichy regime in France during World War II. Its clandestine press, intelligence work, and sabotage illustrate resistance under occupation.
Military occupation: The effective control of a territory by a foreign armed force without transfer of sovereignty. Foreign military control is a common setting in which resistance movements form.
Decolonization: The process by which colonies gain independence or end formal colonial rule. Anti-colonial resistance helped make imperial rule costly and politically untenable.
Civil resistance: Collective nonviolent action, such as strikes, boycotts, and demonstrations, used to challenge political authority. Nonviolent campaigns can withdraw cooperation without relying on armed force.
Polish Underground State: A clandestine Polish civic and military structure that operated under German and Soviet occupation during World War II. It maintained institutions and armed forces rather than limiting resistance to sabotage.
Authoritarianism: A system of government that concentrates power and restricts political pluralism and civil liberties. Repression and blocked political participation can drive opposition underground.
Regime change: The replacement or transformation of a state's governing system or leadership. Successful resistance can help force a government from power or change its rules.
Guerrilla warfare: Irregular warfare in which small forces use mobility, surprise, and local support against a stronger opponent. Some movements use hit-and-run tactics when they cannot match an occupier's conventional forces.
Danish resistance movement: Groups in Denmark that resisted German occupation during World War II through intelligence, sabotage, and rescue efforts. Its rescue of Danish Jews shows how resistance could protect people from persecution.