In Fascist Italy, Kids Were Trained For the Military at a Very Early Age
During the fascist regime in Italy under Benito Mussolini, there was a glorification of the military. Youth organizations and programs were established to instill fascist values and prepare young people for military service. The Balilla and Avanguardisti were two fascist youth organizations that aimed to indoctrinate young boys and girls with fascist ideology and prepare them for future military service. The Balilla organization focused on boys aged 8 to 14, while the Avanguardisti targeted teens. Within these youth organizations, military-style training was incorporated to teach discipline and combat skills.
Alongside military training, the youth organizations emphasized ideological indoctrination to foster loyalty to the fascist regime. Participants in these youth organizations wore distinctive uniforms, similar to military attire. As children progressed through the youth organizations, they could join paramilitary units. After the fall of Mussolini’s fascist regime in 1943, the youth organizations were disbanded, and their activities were discontinued.
