In his book On Guerrilla Warfare, Mao describes the three stages of a successful guerrilla war. The first stage is a propaganda campaign directed at the populace in order to muster support for your cause. The second stage is a targeted campaign against military installations, strategically important infrastructure, and political objectives. This stage is designed to weaken and demotivate the enemy, while garnering support through a show of strength. The third stage employs conventional warfare techniques for capturing cities, toppling the regime, and taking control of the country.
