The classic argument stating that tyrants try as early and hard as possible to confiscate weapons from civilians is another cue. An army pretty much knows the

The classic argument stating that tyrants try as early and hard as possible to confiscate weapons from civilians is another cue. An army pretty much knows the truism stating that occupying is more easy if the zone is gun-free. There is an often-neglected complement: by the same principle an army fighting against another which occupies a nation usually try to deliver weapons to civilians rebelling against the invader, even if manufacturing and delivering them dissipates very precious resources. It was quite patent during WW2, for example in France where the OSS and SOE parachuted a huge amount of weapons to the Résistance and Maquis movements. In the same vein the German army, during the invasion, quickly confiscated civilian weapons (they were registered) and was then very reluctant to deliver weapons to their local sympathizers (at first and for an extended period they bluntly refused).