A French Resistance Guide for the U.S. -- food for thought and future activism
Of course this isn't WWII; we've now got the Internet and easily understand Steps 1 and 2.
Of course we see and support current activism in the party.
But other information below is still valuable if worse comes to worst.
Because even as we see success we still keep in mind that we're only months in, with 3.5 years to go, at best.
At worst, we must also plan for activism during that time.
As you read, ask yourself: without the Internet and DU, what is our plan? What can other DU'ers do?
Because this forum space is a resource of answers, with material preparation the goal.
How the French Resisted Occupation—What We Can Learn If Democracy Falls Into the Wrong Hands
https://substack.com/home/post/p-156934766
Step 1: Accept That the Official Government is Probably Screwed
The Vichy Regime, led by Marshal Pétain, bent over backward to please their new overlords... the Nazis... think of politicians who suddenly find authoritarian rule very convenient... handing over power like it’s a clearance sale.
The Free French Government, led by Charles de Gaulle, noped out of there and set up shop in London, running the country from exile ... inside France, government workers had a choice: play along, resist in secret, or "accidentally" misplace a whole lot of Nazi paperwork.
Lesson for us? If democracy collapses, don't wait for the "official" government to save us. Alternative structures—exiled leadership, underground networks, and local governance—become the real seat of power.
Step 2: Know Which Institutions Will Get Hollowed Out First
First thing the Nazis did? Take control of institutions that mattered.
The Military – Disbanded or absorbed. No standing army, no organized resistance. (Think about that next time someone tells us that just owning a gun makes you a freedom fighter.)
The Police & Courts – If we think law enforcement won’t switch sides when the paycheck comes from the new regime, think again. Some resisted, but many helped enforce fascist policies.
The Media – Newspapers and radio became fascist megaphones overnight. We either get propaganda or silence. The Resistance responded by printing underground papers and running secret radio stations.
Industry & Economy – The Germans took over factories, food supplies, and transportation. Everyday people either starved or turned to the black market to survive.
Lesson for us? If a coup (soft or hard) takes over government agencies, expect rapid takeovers of law enforcement, courts, media, and economic controls. If we don’t have [or see] alternative systems (independent news, community security, local food networks) ...start looking now for family, friends & neighbors who can give mutual help.
Step 3: Resistance is a Full-Time Job
The French Resistance wasn’t just blowing up train tracks ... They did everything possible to keep their country functioning without feeding the machine of fascism.
Sabotage – Work slowdowns, “lost” Nazi paperwork, derailed supply chains. (Your printer mysteriously breaking at just the right time...)
Information Warfare – Secret newspapers, illegal radio broadcasts, coded messages. Because when the government controls the media, whisper networks become lifelines.
Underground Networks – Smuggling Jews, POWs, political dissidents out of the country. Creating safe houses, fake IDs, and escape routes.
Civil Disobedience – Non-compliance, fake cooperation, and good old-fashioned ghosting when the occupiers come knocking.
Lesson for us? If a regime takes over, our job is not to comply.
It’s to jam the gears.
Play dumb, work slow, misfile/mislay everything, keep independent information flowing, and organize underground support networks.
Step 4: What This Means for the U.S. Right Now
...The French example is not some cute history lesson—it’s a roadmap for ... when a modern country loses control of its own government.
So, if ... the U.S. were to face a non-military invasion—where an authoritarian force legally and bureaucratically seizes the government—what do we do?
Parallel systems must be ready. If democratic institutions get hijacked, alternative governance must step up. This means cities, states, and underground networks taking the reins.
Government employees have a choice. Will they follow orders, or will they “accidentally” throw sand in the gears? Don’t underestimate the power of strategic incompetence.
Control of information is everything. Start backing up important knowledge offline. Independent press, encrypted networks, and person-to-person info sharing will be the new normal.
Decentralization is protection. The more we rely on one big system, the easier it is to capture. Local governments, small businesses, and independent supply chains keep power from being centralized.
Resist in every way possible. Every historical occupation has the same lesson: the people who resist—from the new government workers “losing” paperwork, to underground radio hosts,
to entertainers to clubs and church groups -- are the ones who keep people power & democracy alive.
This is the year of Hope. And Hope acts.
... under the control of an anti-democratic force...
Who do we trust?
Where do we get our news, and necessities like food, money, ID papers, gas,?
How do we keep ourselves, children, and others safe?
What other good plans are out there?
= new reply since forum marked as read
for the sake of our descendants.
And our fortitude in the face of lies and fear. 