History Question?

Question

One person's terrorist is another person's freedom fighter. Evaluate the validity of this statement using two twentieth century examples.

Answer 1

Contras/Samoza regime versus Sandanistas in Nicaragua.

Viet Cong and pro-American forces in Vietnam.

Soviet Army versus Taliban in Afghanistan. (This is a particularly good one because the Americans supported the very same men and organisations called 'terrorist' today).

Nationalist Military versus Socialists in Spanish Civil war.

ANC versus White regime in South Africa (Nelson Mandela imprisoned for terrorism- and nobody really disputes it WAS terrorism- but today he's a huge hero).

Haganah/Irgun in Palestine- was a terrorist group, but they became the leaders of Israel who railed against 'terrorism' from Arabs.

IRA versus British army... and Loyalists (pro-British) committed terrorism against IRA and Catholics. Recently, both groups were brought together to form a new government of Northern Ireland.

Once the laws being fought against are no longer respected, even if this is years after the event, violent acts are no longer seen as 'terrorist'. But we by contrast do not make yesterday's 'freedom fighters' into terrorists- most people accept the pro-American Afghan resistance was 'good', but the same men and groups are now 'evil'.

Answer 2

Consider the Hungarian freedom fighters of 1956 were, I'm sure, considered terrorists and criminals by the Soviet-backed regime, but were hailed as heroes by the West.

In World War II, many Filipinos used what some might call terrorist tactics against the occupying Japanese forces. To the ones involved--and likely most of their countrymen--they were merely trying to expel an illegitimate government that had been forced on them, and therefore were patriots.

It is, indeed, largely a matter of perspective; mine is that Osama bin Laden doesn't deserve to be considered as on the same plane as the Hungarian rebels or the Filipino guerrillas.

Answer 3

To some people living in the middle east Osama bin laden is a freedom fighter trying to free the middle east from American oppression. To some people living in the world back during WW2 Hitler was a freedom fighter trying to free people of the "stench" of the Jewish race. Do i beleive in these statements...? NO, but that would be THEIR prospective

Answer 4

20th century - I think the PLO fits the bill. (Palestinian Liberation Organization)

Founded by the Arab League in 1964, its goal was the destruction of the State of Israel through armed struggle. It was initially controlled for the most part by the Egyptian government. The original PLO Charter stressed Israel's annihilation, as well as a right of return and self-determination for Palestinian Arab.

Freedom fighters because they were fighting for their ancient homeland, which was taken to create the nation of Isreal.

Terrorist because they use armed, violent methods to take what was theirs.



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