Total Defense and OSINT: The Role of Citizens in Modern Warfare

In “Resistance in Total Defense: The Role of Citizens in LSCO” from the Special Warfare Journal, Captain Ryan Davis argues that citizens play a critical role in modern warfare by providing real-time intelligence through open-source reporting. Davis presents “Total Defense” as a framework that integrates civilians into national defense planning and emphasizes preparing populations before conflict begins. He highlights historical and contemporary examples that show how citizen participation strengthens resistance against more powerful adversaries. Ukrainian civilians are highlighted as a case of successful total defense, where the local populace used digital tools to report on Russian troop movements, helping military leaders make informed decisions. The article also addresses the ethical and legal implications of civilian involvement in hostilities. Davis concludes that governments and military leaders must build systems that enable citizens to contribute to intelligence during conflict; citizen reporting is a necessary component of modern large-scale combat operations.

“The End of Battlefield Secrets: Addressing the OSINT Gap in U.S. Special Operations” (Small Wars Journal, Jan. 2026) similarly argues that modern conflict operates in an environment of near-total transparency, where information flows from civilians and open sources in real time. Like “Resistance in Total Defense,” it shows that ordinary citizens and widely available technology now play a central role in intelligence gathering and battlefield awareness. Together, the two articles underscore a shared message that success in contemporary warfare depends on adapting to a participatory, information-rich battlespace.

Ukraine Case Study

Since the 2022 invasion, Ukraine has weaponized smartphones and the pervasiveness of social media to erode the opacity of the battlefield. In this model, Ukrainians have turned every citizen into a sensor… Citizens now have the means to provide geolocated enemy information to the Ukrainian Army directly from their smartphones… The conglomeration of open-source information enabled Ukrainian supporters’ ability to discern the adversary’s current movements and disposition… Due to the government-produced app’s previous popularity and public familiarity, citizens could report Russian activity with ease.

Total Defense

Governments need to develop the capability and promote the willingness of all members of society to contribute in their own way… Total Defense is a concept that states ‘the government should enhance and institutionalize collaboration among and across governmental organizations, civic organizations, and the larger public in order to prepare the society for resistance as part of building societal resilience….’ Total Defense is vital for countries that face a more powerful adversary… Governments need to prepare for a conflict by leveraging the country’s greatest strength: its own population. With proper planning and implementation, citizens can be used as sensors during the initial stages of an invasion.

Other Case Studies

The Russian invasion of Ukraine is not the only example of countries relying on citizens to report enemy movements… In 1940, during the Battle of Britain in WWII, the Observer Corps, composed almost entirely of volunteers, was used to spot and report German aircraft… The Baltic countries are already calling on their patriotic citizens to support their National Defense Plans… The manual specifically calls on the Lithuanian Government to ‘recognize that citizens are a crucial part of the country’s early warning system.’

The Way Ahead

Governments need to leverage existing systems to enable all citizens to rapidly report information; then they can use AI to scrub the data and provide real-time enemy information to commanders to make decisions… Military commanders must take steps to harness the potential of this important intelligence asset. This will enable better Common Intelligence Picture (CIP) and Common Operating Picture (COP) development, reduce the fog of battle, and enable the elimination of adversaries. Enabling this shift allows citizens to serve as sensors, providing real-time situational awareness of the world around them. Military Commanders need to be prepared to operationalize OSINT reporting from their nation’s citizens.