Wars of national liberation - Definition and Overview

Wars of national liberation were those conflicts fought by indigenous military groups against an imperial power in an attempt to remove that power's influence.

In modern conflicts of this type, a common observation is that without substantial outside help from opposing superpower nations, the conflicts would have failed. The KGB and the CIA are alleged to have fomented many of these conflicts.

Conflicts

Conflicts commonly thought of as wars of national liberation:

• Explicit wars of decolonization:
  • In Vietnam, by the Viet Minh against France (also, during World War II, against Japan). Arguably, the Vietnam War was a continuation of this war of national liberation.
  • In Algeria, by the NLF against France
  • In Western Sahara, by the Saharan Liberation Army against Spain
• In Nicaragua, by the Sandinistas
• In South Africa, by the African National Congress
• In the United States, by the Continental Army under the Continental Congress
• In Afghanistan, by the mujihadeen
• In Sudan, by the Sudanese People's Liberation Army and by the Sudanese Liberation Army and Justice and Equality Movement

See also

• civil war
• independence
• guerrilla movements
• insurgency