In Mao Zedong's original formulation of the military strategy of people's war, a revolutionary base area (Chinese: 革命根据地gémìng gēnjùdì), or simply base area, is a local stronghold that the revolutionary force conducting the people's war should attempt to establish, starting from a remote area with mountainous or forested terrain in which its enemy is weak.
This kind of base helps the revolutionary conducting force to exploit the few advantages that a small revolutionary movement has—broad-based popular support, especially in a localized area, can be one of them—against a state power with a large and well-equipped army.[1][2] To overcome a lack of supplies, revolutionaries in a base area may storm isolated outposts or other vulnerable supply caches controlled by the forces of an opponent.[3]
^"The People's War". LIFE - Black Models Take Center Stage. Vol. 67. Time Inc. October 17, 1969. pp. 58–80. With their base areas now solidly organized, the guerrillas can now carry war to the enemy... The rebels' most pressing need is for arms, ammunition, and equipment. These they may get from the enemy by lightning assaults on police stations or isolated military outposts.
