The partisan movement is an integral part of a protracted military conflict. Units in which people were united by the idea of a liberation struggle fought along 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 a 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 most regular army. 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 Akhtyr hussar regiment , became famous for their military exploits .
This detachment was detached from the main forces longer than others (for six weeks). The tactics of the partisan detachment of Davydov was that they avoided open attacks, flew by surprise, changed the direction of attacks, felt for the enemy’s weaknesses. The local population helped Denis Davydov : peasants were guides, scouts, participated in the extermination of the French.
In World War II, the partisan movement was of particular importance. The basis for the formation of detachments and units was the local population, who were familiar with the area. In addition, it was hostile to the invaders.
The main purpose of the movement
The main objective of the guerrilla war was the isolation of enemy troops from its communications. The main blow of the people's avengers was aimed at the supply lines of the enemy army. Their units disrupted communications, prevented the approach of reinforcements, and the supply of ammunition. When the French began to retreat, their actions were aimed at the destruction of ferry crossings and bridges across numerous rivers. Thanks to the active actions of the army partisans, Napoleon lost almost half of the artillery during the retreat.
The experience of guerrilla warfare in 1812 was used in the Great Patriotic War (1941-1945). During this period, this movement was large-scale and well organized.
The period of the Great Patriotic War
The need for the organization of 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 occupied regions. The main idea of the guerrilla war in the Great Patriotic War is the disorganization of the activities of the Nazi troops, causing them human and material losses. For this, fighter and sabotage groups were created, the network of clandestine organizations expanded to guide all actions in the occupied territory.
The partisan movement of the Great Patriotic War was two-way. On the one hand, detachments were created spontaneously, from people who remained in the territories occupied by the enemy, and sought to defend themselves against mass fascist terror. On the other hand, this process was going on in an organized manner, under the leadership from above. Sabotage groups were abandoned behind enemy lines or pre-organized in 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 issues of their further replenishment were also worked out. In addition, conspiracy issues were worked out, the locations of detachment bases were determined in the forest after the front moved further east, and money and valuables were organized.
Movement management
In order to lead the guerrilla warfare and sabotage, workers from the local population 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 Soviet and party bodies, who remained in the territory occupied by the enemy.
The guerrilla war played a decisive role in the victory of the Soviet Union over Nazi Germany.