The West's East

Contemporary Baltic Defense in Strategic Perspective

Lukas Milevski (Lecturer, Lecturer, University of Leiden)

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English

Oxford University Press Inc
12 July 2018

Geopolitics; Theory of warfare & military science

In 2004 the Baltic states - Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania - finalized their return to the West by joining NATO and the EU after definitively throwing off their 'captive nations' status by regaining independence in 1991. This has not, however, halted resurgent Russian revanchism in the region; given Russia's aggressive actions starting in Ukraine in 2014, defense of the Baltic has gained a new urgency and prominence. In The West's East, Lukas Milevski places the Baltic states in strategic and historical perspective. Through these nations' experiences, he sheds light on how independent states have been able to persist, despite being surrounded by predatory great powers. The work offers a deep overview of the region's history, from the indigenous Baltic tribes which populated it to the post-Cold War era, followed by recent political analogies of West-Russia relations. Analyses of today's strategic balance in the region indicate the various actors' geopolitical outlooks, strategic cultures, military capabilities, and non-military security vulnerabilities. As Milevski argues, the NATO-Russia relationship will play the major role in any potential conflict in the Baltic, but neutrals Finland and Sweden must also be factored into the strategic analysis. Using the logic of strategy he anticipates potential military interaction in the region step by step-from deterrence, to Russia's choice of offensive strategy, to area denial and NATO's return and break into the Baltic theater, and finally war termination-to determine the answer to the ultimate question: how much defense for the Baltic is enough?

The West's East gives both experts and policymakers alike the background and framework for thinking strategically about a region that has re-emerged as a significant geopolitical concern in the Putin-Trump era.

By: Lukas Milevski (Lecturer Lecturer University of Leiden)
Imprint: Oxford University Press Inc
Country of Publication: United States
Dimensions: Height: 223mm, Width: 147mm, Spine: 23mm
Weight: 386g
ISBN: 9780190876319
ISBN 10: 019087631X
Pages: 240
Publication Date: 12 July 2018
Audience: College/higher education , Professional and scholarly , Primary , Undergraduate
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Active

1 Introduction, Or Baltic Defense in the Shadow of Ukraine 2 Great Power Geopolitics and Baltic Independence I: From the Tribes to 1795 3 Great Power Geopolitics and Baltic Independence II: From 1795 to the Present 4 Analogies for Contemporary West-Russia Relations 5 Today's Strategic Actors in the Baltic I: Nato and Neutrals 6 Today's Strategic Actors in the Baltic II: Russia 7 Strategic Interaction in Baltic Defense 8 How Much Defense is Enough for the Baltic States Bibliography Index

Lukas Milevski teaches strategy-related topics as a Lecturer at the University of Leiden. He is a Baltic Sea Fellow of the Foreign Policy Research Institute and is currently researching Polish deterrence for the Sasakawa Peace Foundation/Changing Character of War Programme, University of Oxford, where he also wrote this volume as a Smith Richardson Strategy and Policy Fellow 2015-16.

Reviews for The West's East: Contemporary Baltic Defense in Strategic Perspective

Milevski succinctly traces the story of great power politics and the Baltic states from their origins in the late medieval period to the present. Essential reading for those studying the strategic challenges facing the Baltic states today. -Antulio J. Echevarria II, US Army War College Dr. Milevski has written an outstanding strategic study of the security problem that Russia poses to the three Baltic republics that are members of NATO: Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia. Because of geography and politics, the only strategically plausible theory for their security must reside primarily in a nuclear meaning to Article V of the NATO Treaty. -Colin S. Gray, Professor Emeritus of Strategic Studies, University of Reading A fascinating, well-written-and sometimes frightening-strategic analysis of NATO's Baltic frontier. -Donald Stoker, author of Clausewitz: His Life and Work