Figure 1.--

We know that The Balilla influenced the Indian Hindu nationalists. Indian sources suggest that the Italian Fascism and the Balilla influenced the Hindu nationalist movement in India. This was not an organized effort by the Italians, although Italian diplomats did not discourage it. It was also of some concern to British officials in India. Italian propaganda attracted nationalist organizers in India. Hindu nationalists especially in Maharashtra were impressed with the Italian dictatorship and Mussolini. The Hindu nationalists had a very different vision for an independent India than Ghandi and the Congress Party.

Italian Policy

Indian sources suggest that the Italian Fascism and the Balilla influenced the Hindu nationalist movement in India. This was not an organized effort by the Italians, although Italian diplomats did not discourage it. It was also of some concern to British officials in India.

Influences

The Marathi press contributed considerable attention to Italian Fascism From 1924 to 1935. Kesri regularly published editorials and articles about Italian Fascism and Mussolini. The Marathi journalists were impressed by both the apparent Socialist component of the regime and how the Fascists seemed transforming Italy from a backward country to a major European power. Kesri in his editorials described Italy's shift from liberal democracy to Fascist dictatorship as a shift from anarchy to an orderly situation resolving social struggles. Kesri described how a new generation of young Italians were transforming Italy. He described the discipline of Italian youths: firm religious beliefs, attachment to the family , respect of traditional values (no divorce, no singles, no right to vote for women whose only duty was to sit at home by the fireplace). [Kesri] Notably Kesri gave special attention to the Balilla and the Avanguardisti. A Hindu nationalist politican, who came in contact with the fascist regime and its dictator was B.S. Moonje a politician strictly related to the Hindu militant group Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). Between February and March 1931 on his return from the round table conference Moonje made a tour of Europe which included a long stop-over in Italy. There he visited some important military schools and educational institutions. The highlight of the visit was the meeting with Mussolini. The Indian leader was in Rome during March 15-24, 1931. On March 19 in Rome he visited among others the military college, the central military school of physical education the fascist academy of physical education and most important the Balilla and Avanguardisti organisations. He wrote in his diary, "The Balilla institutions and the conception of the whole organisation have appealed to me most though there is still not discipline and organisation of high order. The whole idea is conceived by Mussolini for the military regeneration of Italy. Italians by nature appear ease-loving and non-martial like the Indians generally. They have cultivated like Indians the work of peace and neglected the cultivation of the art of war. Mussolini saw the essential weakness of his country and conceived the idea of the Balilla organisation. Nothing better could have been conceived for the military organisation of Italy. The idea of fascism vividly brings out the conception of unity amongst people India and particularly Hindu. India need some such institution for the military regeneration of the Hindus so that the artificial distinction so much emphasised by the British of martial and non-martial classes amongst the Hindus may disappear. .... I was charmed to see boys and girls well dressed in their naval and military uniforms undergoing simple exercises of physical training and forms of drill." [Moonje]

Hindu Nationalist Youth

The Boy Scouts have always been the single most important youth group in India. We know that Hindu nationalists organized a youth group, but we have little information on this group.

World War II

Indian nationalists organized during World War II to overthrow Indian rule. By this time the Germans had eclipsed the Italians as the oprincipal Fascist power. For a time in 1941 and 42 it looked liked the NAZI Panzer might break through Soviet lines in the Caucusses and British lines in Egypt and head for India. To the east after the fall of Singapore, the Japanese advanced through Siam (Thialand) and Burma (Myramar) and reached the India frontier. The major nationalist group centered on Hindu nationalists was organized by Subhas Chandra Bose, who in 1941 and again in 1942 went to Germany to meet with Hitler and gave speeches against British imperialism. He also went to Japan in 1943. There even was a unit of Indians in the German Wehrmacht. After all, the swastika was an old Hindu-Buddhist symbol!

Ghandi

The Hindu nationalists had a very different vision for an independent India than Ghandi and the Congress Party. Hindu nationalists hated Ghandi who preached toleration and an Independent India in which not only were all faiths respected, but untouchibility abolished. Ghandi was assasinated by a Hundu nationalist youth (1948).

Sources

Kesri, "Italy and the young generations," August 13, 1929.

Moonje. B.S. Diary (Nehru memorial museum and library (NMML) Moonje papers microfilm, rn 1).