Lessons from the WWII Norwegian Resistance

[RandomAccess]

I found this via a couple of tweets posted on a different thread but thought it deserved OP treatment.

ThreadReader https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1011002957406588928.html

My dad was tortured by the Gestapo for 4 days and thrown in a concentration camp for being in the Norwegian Resistance. Growing up, he would tell me things he learned in the Resistance. I thought, I'm never going to need this stuff. Here's some things of those things #Thread

First, you're never going to win a head on battle with an adversary that's got you outgunned. That's not the point of the Resistance. The point is to create friction, make it hard for your adversary to operate, to increase transaction costs.

Second, resistance doesn't have to be a dramatic act. It can be a small act, like losing a sheet of paper, taking your time processing something, not serving someone in a restaurant. Small acts taken by thousands have big effects.

Third, use your privilege and access if you've got it. He and his buddies stole weapons from the Nazis by driving up with a truck to the weapons depot, speaking German, acting like it was a routine pick up, and driving away.

Fourth, and this is part of the third point really, sometimes the best way to do things is right out in the open. Because no one will believe something like what you're doing would be happening so blatantly. All good Social Engineers know this.

Five, bide your time. But be ready for opportunity when it strikes. Again, your action need not be dramatic. Just a little sand in the gears helps.

Six, and this is a no brainer, operate in cells to limit damage to the resistance should they take you out. Limit the circulation of info to your cell, avoid writing things down and . . .

Seven, be very careful with whom you trust. Snitches and compromised individuals are everywhere. My Dad was arrested because of a snitch. His friends weren't so lucky, the Gestapo machine gunned the cabin they were in without bothering to try and arrest them.

Eight, use the skills you have to contribute. Dad was an electrical engineer. When the Nazis imposed the death penalty for owning a radio (the British sent coded messages to the Resistance after BBC shows) he said he became the most popular guy in town.

But everything's cool and we're not going to need to engage in any of this. We don't have a President who openly admires and coddles dictators while trashing our democratic allies. Our President has read the Constitution he's taken an oath to uphold, and so have his followers.

original Twitter thread:

Link to tweet

ETA: This is the thread where I found a link that led me to this: https://www.democraticunderground.com/100210792625

[cilla4progress]

1. You must be proud of

Your dad

[RandomAccess]

3. No -- this was by Tor and he wrote it about HIS dad

Those aren't my tweets

[Baitball Blogger]

2. This is very IChing.

"First, you're never going to win a head on battle with an adversary that's got you outgunned. "

And, it's the little things. So true.

[Cha]

4. Thank You for making this an OP, RA!

Second, resistance doesn't have to be a dramatic act. It can be a small act, like losing a sheet of paper, taking your time processing something, not serving someone in a restaurant. Small acts taken by thousands have big effects.