What is Unconventional Warfare?

• A. Conventional warfare against state militaries.
• B. Nonviolent political activism.
• C. Cyber operations only.
• D. Activities conducted to enable a resistance movement or insurgency to coerce, disrupt, or overthrow a government.

Answer: (D)

Unconventional warfare refers to activities that support a resistance movement or insurgency with the aim of coercing, disrupting, or overthrowing a government, rather than engaging in open, conventional battles. It involves clandestine or specialized actions such as training, equipping, and advising local forces; gathering and using intelligence; subversion and political action; and psychological operations designed to win popular support and undermine the government’s legitimacy. Often coordinated with foreign actors, these efforts blend military means with political and informational tools to empower an internal or external resistance. This approach is distinct from fighting a state’s regular military, from nonviolent activism, or from cyber-only operations, because the goal is to enable and sustain an insurgency that can force political change.