Royal war and popular war
Royal war and popular (or people's) war ("Guerra regia e guerra di popolo") is a recurring concept in the historiography of the Italian Risorgimento, referring to the two possible forms in which the whole of Italy could be conquered and formed into a single independent state. First Italian Independence War. In the First Independence War for Italy, which ended unfavourably for the Risorgimento cause, there was a balance between two initiatives: people's war and royal war. The notable moments in the people's war were: The royal war was the campaign by the  Kingdom of Piedmont, including the battles of Goito, Peschiera del Garda, Custoza and Novara. Second Italian Independence War. The Second Independence War was a typical example of royal war led by Victor Emmanuel II, allied to Napoleon III in conducting a war against Austria. The people's war was only a minor support Hunters of the Alps, a corps of volunteers commanded by Giuseppe Garibaldi and considered as a special unit within the royal army. Expedition of the Thousand. The Expedition of the Thousand was entirely a people's war, with Garibaldi being its central figure. Third Italian Independence War . In the Third Independence War, with the Italian defeats at Custoza and Lissa, was essentially a royal war, though the corps of volunteers under Garibaldi did win a victory at Bezzecca. Analogy with the Resistance. The same contrast between royal war and people's war can be applied to the history of the Second World War, when a disastrous war under the royal and fascist régime was followed by the people's war of the Italian Resistance.