"Guerrilla war is a kind of war waged by the few but dependent on the support of many"

Guerrilla warfare emerges as a distinct form of conflict where a small, often loosely organized group mounts a campaign against a larger, conventional force. Unlike traditional armies, these combatants might lack formal uniforms, heavy equipment, or structured hierarchies. Their strength does not primarily come from superior firepower or numbers but from their ability to mobilize and blend in with the wider population, relying heavily on local knowledge, the element of surprise, and adaptability. Their success is intricately intertwined with the attitudes and cooperation of the civilian population around them.

The few who actively engage in guerrilla activities depend upon passive and active support from the many. Civilians provide food, shelter, intelligence, and sometimes recruits. Even when not directly assisting, a neutral or sympathetic community can withhold information from state authorities, making it difficult for the established military to root out insurgents or draw clear battle lines. Guerrillas thrive in an environment where they can disappear into villages or remote forests, highlighting the impossibility of waging such a campaign in isolation from the public.

This dynamic creates a symbiotic relationship. Guerrilla fighters require the goodwill and involvement, willing or coerced, of ordinary people to sustain their operations, whereas these communities may see the guerrillas as protectors, ideological comrades, or simply as the lesser of two threats. Without this connection to the broader populace, the guerrillas lose their chief advantage: invisibility, intelligence, and logistical support. When this bond weakens, guerrilla movements have historically faltered.

Thus, the effectiveness of guerrilla war rests less on battlefield victories and more on winning “hearts and minds.” The struggle is as much political and social as it is military, aiming to foster allegiance among the many so that the persistent actions of the few become a meaningful challenge to established authority.