Baltics Left of Bang: Nordic Total Defense and Implications for the Baltic Sea Region

Authors

Håkon Lunde Saxi Ph.D., Norwegian Defence University College
Bengt Sundelius, Swedish Defense University
Brett Swaney, Center for Strategic Research, Institute for National Strategic Studies, at the National Defense University

Files

Description

Sponsored by the U.S. National Defense University (NDU) and the Swedish National Defense University, this paper is the second in a series of Institute for National Strategic Studies Strategic Forums dedicated to the multinational exploration of the strategic and defense challenges faced by the Baltic states. The December 2017 U.S. National Security Strategy described Russia as “using subversive measures to weaken the credibility of America’s commitment to Europe, undermine transatlantic unity, and weaken European institutions and governments.” The U.S. and European authors of this paper, along with many others, came together in late 2017 to explore possible responses to the security challenges facing the Baltic Sea Region (BSR). This second report highlights early research and gaming insights indicating the importance of total defense and comprehensive security, whole-of-society approaches to deterrence and defense of the Baltic Sea Region from Russian aggression. It also provides recommendations for how the Nordic and Baltic states can leverage aspects of total defense and comprehensive security to generate a credible asymmetric defense and build societal resilience.

Document Type

Book

Publication Date

1-2020

Publisher

National Defense University Press

City

Washington, DC

Recommended Citation

Saxi, Håkon Lunde Ph.D.; Sundelius, Bengt; and Swaney, Brett, "Baltics Left of Bang: Nordic Total Defense and Implications for the Baltic Sea Region" (2020). Strategic Forums. 9.
https://digitalcommons.ndu.edu/strategic-forums/9