The guerrilla movement is an integral part of a protracted military conflict. The detachments, in which people were united by the idea of the liberation struggle, fought on an equal footing with the regular army, and in the case of a well-organized leadership, their actions were highly effective and largely decided the outcome of the battles.
Partisans of 1812
When Napoleon attacked Russia, the idea of strategic guerrilla warfare arose. Then, for the first time in world history, Russian troops used a universal method of conducting military operations on enemy territory. This method was based on the organization and coordination of the actions of the rebels by the regular army itself. To this end, trained professionals - "army partisans" - were thrown over the front line. At this time, the detachments of Figner, Ilovaisky, as well as the detachment of Denis Davydov, who was a lieutenant colonel of the Akhtyrsky Hussar Regiment, became famous for their military exploits.
This detachment was separated from the main forces for the longest time (for six weeks). The tactics of Davydov's partisan detachment was that they avoidedopen attacks, flew by surprise, changed the direction of attacks, groped for the weak points of the enemy. Denis Davydov was helped by the local population: the peasants were guides, spies, participated in the extermination of the French.
In the Patriotic War, the partisan movement was of particular importance. The basis for the formation of detachments and units was the local population, who were well acquainted with the area. In addition, it was hostile to the occupiers.
The main goal of the movement
The main task of the guerrilla war was the isolation of enemy troops from his communications. The main blow of the people's avengers was directed at the supply lines of the enemy army. Their detachments violated communications, prevented the approach of reinforcements, the supply of ammunition. When the French began to retreat, their actions were aimed at destroying ferry crossings and bridges across numerous rivers. Thanks to the active actions of the army partisans, almost half of the artillery was lost by Napoleon during the retreat.
The experience of conducting a partisan war in 1812 was used in the Great Patriotic War (1941-1945). During this period, this movement was large and well organized.
The period of the Great Patriotic War
The need to organize a partisan movement arose due to the fact that most of the territory of the Soviet state was captured by German troops, who sought to make slaves and eliminate the population of the occupieddistricts. The main idea of the partisan war in the Great Patriotic War is the disorganization of the activities of the Nazi troops, inflicting human and material losses on them. For this, extermination and sabotage groups were created, the network of underground organizations was expanding to direct all actions in the occupied territory.
The partisan movement of the Great Patriotic War was bilateral. On the one hand, detachments were created spontaneously, from people who remained in the territories occupied by the enemy, and sought to protect themselves from mass fascist terror. On the other hand, this process was organized, under the leadership from above. Diversionary groups were thrown behind enemy lines or organized in advance on the territory, which was supposed to be left in the near future. To provide such detachments with ammunition and food, caches with supplies were previously made, and they also worked out issues of their further replenishment. In addition, issues of secrecy were worked out, the places for basing detachments were determined in the forest after the front retreated further to the east, and the provision of money and valuables was organized.
Movement guidance
In order to lead the guerrilla war and sabotage struggle, workers from among the local residents who were well acquainted with these areas were thrown into the territory captured by the enemy. Very often, among the organizers and leaders, including the underground, were the leaders of the Soviet and party organs, whoremained in the territory occupied by the enemy.
The guerrilla war played a decisive role in the victory of the Soviet Union over Nazi Germany.
