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The term resistance has politically overtones, as producers of propaganda have used it (and historically, other terms like it) to drum up support in opposition to "foreign intervention". Organizations and individuals critical of foreign intervention and supporting forms of organized movement (particularly where citizens are affected) tend to favor the term. When such a resistance movment uses violence, those favorably disposed to it may also speak of freedom fighters. Both phrases -- resistance movement and freedom fighters -- can become ambiguous terms for for what other observers might describe as terrorists.

Tactics of resistance movements range from passive resistance, harassment and industrial sabotage to what in today's terms we might label guerilla warfare and terrorism. Any government facing the violent acts of a group that considers itself a resistance movement usually condemn such a group as terrorist, even when such attacks target the military.

In World War II, many countries had resistance movements dedicated to fighting the AxisThe Axis Powers is a term for the alliance of Germany, Italy, Japan, and the other countries allied to them during World War II. The three major Axis powers referred to themselves as the Rome- Berlin- Tokyo axis. The Axis powers were opposed by the Allies invaders. Germany itself also had an anti-Nazi German resistance movement in this period. Although mainland BritainThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a state in Western Europe, usually known simply as the United Kingdom the UK Britain or less accurately as Great Britain . The UK was formed by a series of Acts of Union which united the formerly did not suffer invasion in World War II, the British made preparations for a British resistance movement in the event of a German invasion.

1 Resistance movements

The following groups may differ widely in numbers and in activity:

1.1 Post-World War II

• The guerrilla groups the National Libertion Front (FLN) and National Algerian Movement (MNA) who resisted French colonial rule during the Algerian War of IndependenceThe Algerian War of Independence ( 1954 62) was a period of guerrilla strikes, maquis fighting, terrorism against civilians on both sides, and riots between the French army and colonists in Algeria and the FLN ((Front de Liberation Nationale) and other pr
• The ANC, PACPAC or Pac may refer to several articles: Pan Africanist Congress, a political party in South Africa. Perceptual Audio Coding, an audio compression algorithm. Political action committee in the United States. Perturbed Angular Correlation, a particular typ and other political and guerrilla movements that resisted the apartheidApartheid ap-ar-taed is an Afrikaans word meaning "separation" or literally "aparthood" (or "apartness"). It was the name of the policy and the system of laws implemented and enforced by "White" minority governments in South Africa from 1948 till 1990. regimeTechnically the word regime (occasionally spelled regime , particularly in older texts) refers to any system of control, or more specifically a system of government, but in English language it has become a largely pejorative synonym for " government" or " in South Africa
• The Mujahadeen in Soviet-occupied Afghanistan
• Hizbollah (or Hezbollah), a Lebanese militant group who resisted the Israeli military occupation of various parts of Lebanon through guerrilla warfare until Israeli forces left the Southern Lebanese "security zone" in 2000
• Chechen separatist guerrillas nominally under separatist leader Aslan Maskhadov (elected President of Chechnya in 1997) fighting against what they see as a Russian occupation of their country
• The Palestinian militant (or guerrilla) groups such as the PLO, Hamas and Islamic Jihad in the West Bank and Gaza Strip during the first intifada (or uprising) and the second Al-Aqsa Intifada against Israeli military occupation
• The Iraqi resistance -- a partisan resistance against the U.S.-led multinational force in Iraq, (2003- ).