The Baltic states (catch all)

[Fuchs]

I am collecting & analyzing information about the Baltic and blogged about the Baltic defense challenge months ago.

I've got some preliminary results and a quite plausible scenario.
The terrain seems to be quite defensible with strong forces, but the Baltic armies are almost non-existing and were misused as auxiliary troops providers for expeditions.

Feel free to send my hints like
* landscape photos,
* military history reports about combat there,
* maps,
* info about the roads and
* reports about possible advance speed of the Russian army in pursuit.


Maybe someone wasn't exactly pleased by my headline.
I concluded that the USA wouldn't be more relevant than France and less relevant than Poland and Germany for the defense of the Baltic states because of the geographic and political conditions as well as what I consider as a quite promising fictional Russian strategy there.
Most U.S. forces (except at most one division equivalent and some dozen combat aircraft) would arrive only after the decision.

[Stan]

Hey Fuchs!
OK, I'll bite for now.

I am collecting & analyzing information about the Baltic and blogged about the Baltic defense challenge months ago.

Care to post or send me a link to peruse?

I've got some preliminary results and a quite plausible scenario.
The terrain seems to be quite defensible with strong forces, but the Baltic armies are almost non-existing and were misused as auxiliary troops providers for expeditions.

At this point I would have to disagree, but not totally. The terrain does indeed lend itself to formidable defensive positions, and, also nearly precludes a large Russian first strike from successfully reaching the political capital in one piece. There's but one MSR in, and far too much hiding (similar to what a single platoon did to the Red Army at 200:1 odds under German guidance in 80 hours).

Hint: The only Russian tanks in Estonia are mired under 10 meters of marsh (with their original drivers)

Feel free to send my hints like
* landscape photos,
* military history reports about combat there,
* maps,
* info about the roads and
* reports about possible advance speed of the Russian army in pursuit.

Sorry, you're the one completing an IIR and Blog. Satisfaction comes from doing SAID yourself (which, would support your current theory).

Maybe someone wasn't exactly pleased by my headline.
I concluded that the USA wouldn't be more relevant than France and less relevant than Poland and Germany for the defense of the Baltic states because of the geographic and political conditions as well as what I consider as a quite promising fictional Russian strategy there.
Most U.S. forces (except at most one division equivalent and some dozen combat aircraft) would arrive only after the decision.

No druthers here with your opinion. The current fighters covering the Baltic are little more than early warning (slightly faster than Russian Iron me thinks) as are most of the cooperative agreements. Politically speaking, a little rally 'round the campfire works here far better at quelling fears.

Perception - They appear concerned with good reason and years of experience, and some think the Baltic States are another Georgia. Not tooting the NATO horn herein, the single difference is a united country with a few disgruntled (retired) Red Army folks with no desire to return home. Hardly a resistance movement in the shadows.

Hope to see your blog link!

Regards, Stan

[davidbfpo]

Much has happened to the three states since the last post here; a number of posts are on the Ukraine threads as all three view Russia as a 'clear and present danger'. There's also a current thread on one's states assessment of hybrid warfare and that will be merge dhere now.

This is a short commentary on one, Latvia although Lithuania and Estonia get a mention:http://strifeblog.org/2015/03/17/lat...s-left-behind/

[davidbfpo]

A short article citing Lithuania's top soldier:http://www.baltictimes.com/lithuania...WNx4Ww.twitter

[Bill Moore]

A short article citing Lithuania's top soldier:http://www.baltictimes.com/lithuania...WNx4Ww.twitter

They get it, Mao and others did the same thing to protect their states/societies against subversion.

The fifth lesson learned, according to Zukas, is that the society has to be prepared to act if there is a war. In early 2015 the Ministry of National Defence introduced a publication entitled "What We Must Know to Prepare for Extreme Situations and War". Zukas says that a joint mobilisation and civic resistance system is being developed. Public-spiritedness and patriotism are currently being promoted, and information about the Lithuanian armed forces and opportunities to undergo military training is also being advertised.

[kaur]

Estonian think tanker about Russian threat.

Moscow Lacks Available Forces to Seize and Hold Baltics, Estonian Military Expert Says

But Jaan Murumets, a senior Estonian military analyst who now works at Tallinn’s Center for Defense Studies, says that there is another reason why Russia will not invade: it lacks the available forces to seize and then hold the territory of the three countries and control their borders

http://windowoneurasia2.blogspot.be/...-to-seize.html

[omarali50]

The Ukrainians have some thoughts about what could be done

http://empr.media/opinion/analytics/...imise-solution