Not arguing with that at all, afaik you are correct in every detail. But the reason they're respected as 'heroes' is because we/they won. If the Germans had won then they'd have been seen as scummy renegades worthy of nothing but contempt. Which is why it is commonly accepted that despite the...
I think you've just outlines exactly why to some/most of the world Mandela WAS a Freedom Fighter - although I accept if you supported the Aparthied regime then yes, he was a terrorist. It all depends on which side you were on. It's a bit like to us the French Resistance were freedom fighters...