Unarmed Against Hitler: Civilian Resistance in Europe, 1939-1943

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Resistance in German-occupied Europe is generally understood as insurrectional violence. However, as soon as the war broke out, thousands of people engaged in civil disobedience---manifested through strikes, demonstrations, and the activities of medical organizations, courts of law, and churches. Jacques Semelin gathers evidence for the untold story of a movement that took place in France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Norway, and Denmark as well as Poland, Czechoslovakia, Romania, and Germany itself. A widespread campaign contested authority and paved the way for later armed resistance and the eventual defeat of the Nazis. This study goes beyond historical interest. It is ethical in scope and deals with civilian strategy at large. To what extent is society prepared to face aggression, whether external or internal As such, it is of value not only to military historians and other students of World War II, but it provides thoughtful approaches for political scientists and others concerned with contemporary issues of violence and civil disobedience.

Reviews

.,.".offers some very valuable insights. Should be read by policy makers and theorists interested in international defense in the nuclear age."-ARMOR
....offers some very valuable insights. Should be read by policy makers and theorists interested in international defense in the nuclear age.-ARMOR
The book is a must read in this season of homage to the military sacrifice, not to defame those losses, but to honor all who wove the tapestry of valiant resistance to tyranny.-The Journal of Military History
With great clarity and scholarship, Semelin goes beyond historical particulars to define the basic principles that underlay civilian resistance. This is an exceptional work, one that shows how important the resistance was-and not just in military terms-even before the tide of war changed in 1943. General, advance undergraduate, and above.-Choice
...".offers some very valuable insights. Should be read by policy makers and theorists interested in international defense in the nuclear age."-ARMOR
"The book is a must read in this season of homage to the military sacrifice, not to defame those losses, but to honor all who wove the tapestry of valiant resistance to tyranny."-The Journal of Military History
"With great clarity and scholarship, Semelin goes beyond historical particulars to define the basic principles that underlay civilian resistance. This is an exceptional work, one that shows how important the resistance was-and not just in military terms-even before the tide of war changed in 1943. General, advance undergraduate, and above."-Choice

Author Bio

JACQUES SEMELIN is a historian and political science researcher at the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) in Paris. A post-doctoral fellow of the Center for International Affairs at Harvard, Dr. Semelin's earlier works include Pour Sortir de la Violence and La Dissuasion Civile.