När Carl von Clausewitz (1780 – 1831) – de senaste århundrandenas i särklass mest inflytelserike militäre tänkare – i början av 1800-talet föreläste vid Allmänna krigsskolan i Berlin kom han in på frågor om folkkrig och folkbeväpning. Hur skulle man se på dessa spörsmål, som alltjämt i allra högsta grad är aktuella i vår samtid? Clausewitz såg dessa frågor ur de förtrycktas perspektiv. Han hade ju erfarenhet av invaderande och ockuperande franska trupper i det egna landet. Skulle man inte bjuda motstånd till varje pris? Jo, det skulle man och det med alla till tillgängliga medel. Det skulle bli våldsamt värre, men vems ansvar var det:
”Finally, there are those who tremble before the idea of a people´s war, because it is bloodier than any other, seldom remains free of dreadful scenes, and will escalate all tragedy and ruin.
But who is to blame for that? Is not he who drives others to the height of despair to blame? The people´s war is here. You condemn its ruinous effects – well condemn those who forced it upon us. If you pose as a judge of human behavior, then do not condemn the oppressed because he is weak, but be just. Hurl your allegations at those who have made this evil necessary.”
“The storm bell is rung as soon as the enemy advances. The Landsturm of every county assemble. Where they encounter enemy columns they withdraw a significant distance laterally into the woods without engaging in battle. As soon as the bulk of the enemy columns has passed through, the Landsturm attacks the detachments and the wagon trains that follow. Disperses them wherever possible, and withdraws as soon as the enemy returns with considerable force.”
Läs merCarl von Clausewitz om folkkrig och beväpning av folket