THE ROLE OF NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS IN COMPREHENSIVE DEFENSE

The ongoing war in Ukraine has demonstrated that Russia is an aggressive power capable of using all elements of national power to reach its strategic aims. Lithuania, due to its proximity to Russia, historical ties, and strong overt support to Ukraine, might be a prime target for the next Russian aggression. Due to its limited resources, Lithuania cannot establish a large regular force; therefore, developing a comprehensive defense might be an effective deterrent. This research investigates the ways and means to enhance the comprehensive defense strategy by utilizing non-governmental organizations. To examine the roles of NGOs in the comprehensive defense effort, this thesis used the Lithuanian Catholic Church (LCC) as a contributor to state defense. The LCC was chosen because of its substantial influence on Lithuanian society. The research utilized a case study analysis to investigate the role of the Catholic Church in Lithuanian resistance against the Czarist and Soviet occupations in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Overall, the findings of this research indicate that the Catholic church of Lithuania positively influenced social capital, and thus fostered unity, trust, and collaboration. These elements strengthened social resilience and enabled Lithuanians to resist both Czarist and Soviet occupations. Therefore, this research leads to the assumption that other non-governmental organizations might have the potential to support the comprehensive defense strategy.

Department dc:contributor.department

Defense Analysis (DA)

Grantor dc:publisher

Monterey, CA; Naval Postgraduate School

Year dc:date.issued

2023

Author dc:creator

• Auzelis, Tomas

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Houck, Shannon C.

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright is reserved by the copyright owner.

Handle dc:identifier.uri

https://hdl.handle.net/10945/72489

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:calhoun.nps.edu:10945/72489