Can Volunteer Forces Deter Great Power War? Evidence from the Baltics
Deterrence theory typically focuses on states’ armed forces and other tools of coercion. However, what about the resolve, resilience, and willingness of ordinary civilians who voluntarily organize and arm themselves as reservist militias to defend their homeland? Can well-armed volunteers in smaller...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Henley-Putnam University
2019-01-01
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| Series: | Journal of Strategic Security |
| Online Access: | https://scholarcommons.usf.edu/jss/vol12/iss4/3 |
| _version_ | 1828475571695255552 |
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| author | Lionel Beehner Liam Collins |
| author_facet | Lionel Beehner Liam Collins |
| author_sort | Lionel Beehner |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Deterrence theory typically focuses on states’ armed forces and other tools of coercion. However, what about the resolve, resilience, and willingness of ordinary civilians who voluntarily organize and arm themselves as reservist militias to defend their homeland? Can well-armed volunteers in smaller states deter larger powers? We examine the case of the Baltic States and Russia, one of the central fault lines of global politics. Questioning the commitment of NATO to their collective security, the governments of the Baltic States have begun to actively arm, organize, recruit, and train thousands of volunteer reservists to defend their homelands from an asymmetric attack, conventional or otherwise. Based on fieldwork in the region, we find that informal volunteer forces and formal civilian militias can influence the calculus of more powerful adversaries to produce a deterrent effect. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-11T06:15:53Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-ca6a42259f0c4f32808fd09232df124c |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1944-0464 1944-0472 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-11T06:15:53Z |
| publishDate | 2019-01-01 |
| publisher | Henley-Putnam University |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Strategic Security |
| spelling | doaj.art-ca6a42259f0c4f32808fd09232df124c2022-12-22T01:17:59ZengHenley-Putnam UniversityJournal of Strategic Security1944-04641944-04722019-01-011245068https://doi.org/10.5038/1944-0472.12.4.1747Can Volunteer Forces Deter Great Power War? Evidence from the BalticsLionel Beehner0Liam Collins1US Military Academy at West PointModern War InstituteDeterrence theory typically focuses on states’ armed forces and other tools of coercion. However, what about the resolve, resilience, and willingness of ordinary civilians who voluntarily organize and arm themselves as reservist militias to defend their homeland? Can well-armed volunteers in smaller states deter larger powers? We examine the case of the Baltic States and Russia, one of the central fault lines of global politics. Questioning the commitment of NATO to their collective security, the governments of the Baltic States have begun to actively arm, organize, recruit, and train thousands of volunteer reservists to defend their homelands from an asymmetric attack, conventional or otherwise. Based on fieldwork in the region, we find that informal volunteer forces and formal civilian militias can influence the calculus of more powerful adversaries to produce a deterrent effect.https://scholarcommons.usf.edu/jss/vol12/iss4/3 |
| spellingShingle | Lionel Beehner Liam Collins Can Volunteer Forces Deter Great Power War? Evidence from the Baltics Journal of Strategic Security |
| title | Can Volunteer Forces Deter Great Power War? Evidence from the Baltics |
| title_full | Can Volunteer Forces Deter Great Power War? Evidence from the Baltics |
| title_fullStr | Can Volunteer Forces Deter Great Power War? Evidence from the Baltics |
| title_full_unstemmed | Can Volunteer Forces Deter Great Power War? Evidence from the Baltics |
| title_short | Can Volunteer Forces Deter Great Power War? Evidence from the Baltics |
| title_sort | can volunteer forces deter great power war evidence from the baltics |
| url | https://scholarcommons.usf.edu/jss/vol12/iss4/3 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT lionelbeehner canvolunteerforcesdetergreatpowerwarevidencefromthebaltics AT liamcollins canvolunteerforcesdetergreatpowerwarevidencefromthebaltics |