The Jews in Warsaw were few in number and they had a wretched assortment of guns, but they tied up the Germans for quite some time. With training and better guns, they could have done more.
And note that this isn't really a question of a rabble of citizens defeating a modern army in the field. This is about citizens being able to make life hard for a dictator and about breathing hope into others so that people begin standing up to the government. People who can defend themselves do not have to be sheep.
But if you take the guns, the men have little choice but to be sheep. And sheep are led to the slaughter.
UKRAINIAN SS Troops ate the Warsaw ghetto
Captured Warsaw Ghetto resistance fighters about to be executed
I remember reading of a German officer who could not comprehend Jews fighting for their lives!
His words were...”Why won’t they come out? Why won’t they come out and let us exterminate them?”
I am also reminded of a scene in VIVA ZAPATA in which Madero is brought to power, and the people are ordered to turn in their guns.
During the gun turn in, General Huerta attacks them with the Mexican Army.