Citizendia

A Chinese Nationalist soldier, age 10, member of a Chinese division boarding planes in Burma bound for China, May 1944.
A Chinese Nationalist soldier, age 10, member of a Chinese division boarding planes in Burma bound for China, May 1944. Burma, officially the Union of Myanmar ( pjìdàunzṵ mjàmmà nàinŋàndɔ̀ is the largest country by geographical area in mainland Southeast Asia.
German prisoners of war in the streets of Berlin, May 1945.
German prisoners of war in the streets of Berlin, May 1945. Berlin is the capital city and one of sixteen states of Germany.

The military use of children takes three distinct forms: children can take direct part in hostilities (child soldiers), or they can be used in support roles such as porters, spies, messengers, look outs, and sexual slaves; or they can be used for political advantage either as human shields or in propaganda. CHILD syndrome (or congenital hemidysplasia with ichthyosiform erythroderma and limb defects) is a genetic disorder Sexual slavery refers to the organised coercion of persons into various different sexual practices forced Prostitution single-owner sexual slavery Human shield is a military and political term describing the presence of civilians in or around combat targets to deter an enemy from attacking those targets

Throughout history and in many cultures, children have been extensively involved in military campaigns even when such practices were supposedly against cultural morals. Since the 1970s a number of international conventions have come into effect that try to limit the participation of children in armed conflicts, nevertheless the Coalition to Stop the Use of Child Soldiers reports that the use of children in military forces, and the active participation of children in armed conflicts is widespread. The Coalition to Stop the Use of Child Soldiers was formed in June 1998 to "advocate for the adoption of and adherence to national regional and international legal standards

Contents

International law

International human rights law

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, Art. The United Nations ( UN) is an International organization whose stated aims are to facilitate cooperation in International law, International security The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, often referred to as CRC or UNCRC, is an international convention setting out the civil political 38, (1989) proclaimed: "State parties shall take all feasible measures to ensure that persons who have not attained the age of 15 years do not take a direct part in hostilities. " The Optional protocol on the involvement of children in armed conflict to the Convention that came into force in 2002 stipulates that its State Parties "shall take all feasible measures to ensure that persons below the age of 18 do not take a direct part in hostilities and that they are not compulsorily recruited into their armed forces". The United Nations General Assembly adopted the Optional protocol on the involvement of children in armed conflict to the Convention on the Rights of the Child [1] The Optional Protocol further obligates states to "take all feasible measures to prevent such recruitment and use, including the adoption of legal measures necessary to prohibit and criminalize such practices. " (Art 4, Optional Protocol)[2] Likewise under the Optional Protocol states are required to demobilize children within their jurisdiction who have been recruited or used in hostilities, and to provide assistance for their physical and psychological recovery and social reintegration. (Art 6(3) Optional Protocol)[3]

Under Article 8. 2. 26 of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC), adopted in July 1998 and entered into force 1 July 2002, "Conscripting or enlisting children under the age of fifteen years into the national armed forces or using them to participate actively in hostilities" is a war crime. The Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (often referred to as the International Criminal Court Statute or the Rome Statute) is the Treaty The International Criminal Court ( ICC or ICCt) was established in 2002 as a permanent tribunal to prosecute individuals for Genocide, crimes against "July 1st" redirects here For the Ayumi Hamasaki song see H (song. See also 2002 (disambiguation Year 2002 ( MMII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. War crimes are "violations of the laws or customs of war" including but not limited to "murder the ill-treatment or deportation of civilian residents of an occupied [4]

On July 26, 2005, the United Nations Security Council unanimously passed UN Security Council Resolution 1612, the sixth in a series of resolutions about children and armed conflict. Events 657 - Battle of Siffin. 811 - Battle of Pliska; Byzantine Emperor Nicephorus Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. UN Security Council Resolution 1612, which implements a monitoring and reporting mechanism regarding the use of child soldiers was adopted unanimously by the United Nations Security [5] Resolution 1612 established the first comprehensive monitoring and reporting system for enforcing compliance among those groups using child soldiers in armed conflict. [6]

International humanitarian law

Under the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of children in armed conflict, which was adopted and signed in 2002, the use of anyone under the age of 18 in combat is illegal under international law. The United Nations General Assembly adopted the Optional protocol on the involvement of children in armed conflict to the Convention on the Rights of the Child See also 2002 (disambiguation Year 2002 ( MMII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. National armed forces are permitted to recruit individuals below the age of 18, but are strictly forbidden from deploying them into combat. Non-state actors and guerrilla forces are forbidden from recruiting anyone under the age of 18 for any purpose.

This prohibition traces its roots to the Additional Protocols to the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949, adopted in 1977, which had set the age at 15 years old. The Geneva Conventions consist of four Treaties formulated in Geneva, Switzerland, that set the standards for International law for humanitarian Events 1099 - First Crusade: Battle of Ascalon - Crusaders under the command of Godfrey of Bouillon defeat Fatimid Year 1949 ( MCMXLIX) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Following the civil wars of the 1990s, especially in Sierra Leone, it was recognized that the age of 18 was the most widely recognized dividing line between childhood and adulthood. The 1990s collectively refers to the years between and including 1990 and 1999 Sierra Leone, officially the Republic of Sierra Leone, is a country in West Africa. The International Criminal Court embodied this principle in the Rome Statute by refusing jurisdiction over anyone who committed crimes under the age of 18 and David Crane, Chief Prosecutor in Sierra Leone, additionally refused to prosecute anyone who had committed crimes as a child soldier under the age of 18. The International Criminal Court ( ICC or ICCt) was established in 2002 as a permanent tribunal to prosecute individuals for Genocide, crimes against The Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (often referred to as the International Criminal Court Statute or the Rome Statute) is the Treaty David Crane may refer to David Crane (law, former Chief Prosecutor for the U

International labour law

Forced or compulsory recruitment of anyone under the age of 18 for use in armed conflict, is one of the predefined worst forms of child labour, deemed a form of slavery, in terms of the International Labour Organisation's Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention, 1999, adopted in 1999. The Convention concerning the Prohibition and Immediate Action for the Elimination of the Worst Forms of Child Labour, known in short as the Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention As a social-economic system slavery is a legal institution under which a Person (called "a slave" is compelled to work for another The International Labour Organization The Convention concerning the Prohibition and Immediate Action for the Elimination of the Worst Forms of Child Labour, known in short as the Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention

In terms of the Worst Forms of Child Labour Recommendation ratifying countries should ensure that forced or compulsory recruitment of children for use in armed conflict is a criminal offence, and also provide for other criminal, civil or administrative remedies to ensure the effective enforcement of such national legislation (Article III(12) to (14)). The Worst Forms of Child Labour Recommendation was adopted by the International Labour Organisation (ILO in 1999 as ILO Recommendation No 190

Movement to stop military use of children

Red Hand Day on 12 February is an annual commemoration day to draw public attention to the practice of using children as soldiers in wars and armed conflicts. Red Hand Day, held on February 12, is an universal annual commemoration day created to draw attention to the fate of children who are forced to serve as Soldiers in Events 1429 - English Forces under Sir John Fastolf defend a supply convoy carrying rations to the army besieging Orleans from attack by the

Recently, a strong international movement has emerged to put an end to the practice. See, for example, Coalition to Stop the Use of Child Soldiers. The Coalition to Stop the Use of Child Soldiers was formed in June 1998 to "advocate for the adoption of and adherence to national regional and international legal standards

Child soldiers in the world today

"Child Soldier in the Ivory Coast", Gilbert G. Groud, 2007.
"Child Soldier in the Ivory Coast", Gilbert G. Groud, 2007. Côte d'Ivoire (ˌkoʊt divˈwɑː(r ' in English, kot diˈvwaʀ in French) or Ivory Coast, officially the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire, is a Gilbert G Groud (1956 - present is a painter illustrator and author from Toulepleu Côte d'Ivoire.

According to the website of Human Rights Watch as of July 2007:

“In over twenty countries around the world, children are direct participants in war. Human Rights Watch is a United States -based international Non-governmental organization that conducts research and advocacy on Human rights. Denied a childhood and often subjected to horrific violence, an estimated 200,000 to 300,000 children are serving as soldiers for both rebel groups and government forces in current armed conflicts. [7]”

Under the terms of Protocol I of the Geneva Conventions, children over the age of fifteen who have volunteered can be used as spotters, observers, message-carriers. Protocol Additional to the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949 and relating to the Protection of Victims of International Armed Conflicts ( Protocol 1) Introduction (see above International humanitarian law)

Africa

The Capetown Principles and Best Practices, adopted by the NGO Working Group on the Convention on the Rights of Children and UNICEF at a symposium on the prevention of recruitment of children into the armed forces and on demobilization and social regeneration of child soldiers in Africa in April 1997, proposed that African Governments should adopt and ratify the Optional protocol on the involvement of children in armed conflict raising the minimum age from 15 to 18, and that African Governments should ratify and implement other pertinent treaties and incorporate them into national law. The United Nations General Assembly adopted the Optional protocol on the involvement of children in armed conflict to the Convention on the Rights of the Child The symposium define a child soldier as any person under age 18 who is "part of any kind of regular or irregular armed force or group in any capacity, including but not limited to cooks, porters, messengers and those accompanying such groups, other than purely as family members. The definition includes girls recruited for sexual purposes and for forced marriage. It does not, therefore, only refer to a child who is carrying or has carried arms. "[8]

As of 2007, Africa has the largest number of child soldiers. In 2004 one estimate put the number of children involved in armed conflict including combat roles at 100,000. [9]

A child soldier of the Sudanese People's Liberation Army (2007).
A child soldier of the Sudanese People's Liberation Army (2007).

See interactive Map of Child Soldiers

Asia

In 2004 the Coalition to Stop the Use of Child Soldiers reported that in Asia thousands of children are involved in fighting forces in active conflict and ceasefire situations in Afghanistan, Burma, Indonesia, Laos, Philippines, Nepal and Sri Lanka, although government refusal of access to conflict zones has made it impossible to document the numbers involved. Afghanistan /æfˈgænɪstæn/ officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan ( Pashto: د افغانستان اسلامي جمهوریت, Burma, officially the Union of Myanmar ( pjìdàunzṵ mjàmmà nàinŋàndɔ̀ is the largest country by geographical area in mainland Southeast Asia. The Republic of Indonesia ( (Republik Indonesia is a Country in Southeast Asia. Laos (ˈlɑːoʊs or /ˈlaʊs/ officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic, is a Landlocked country in Southeast Asia, bordered by Burma The Philippines ( Filipino: Pilipinas, officially known as the Republic of the Philippines (fil ''Republika ng Pilipinas'' RP Nepal (नेपाल) is a Landlocked country in South Asia. Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka ( Sinhalese:, இலங்கை known as Ceylon before 1972 is an Island [14] In 2004 Burma was unique in the region, as the only country where government armed forces forcibly recruit and use children between the ages of 12 and 16. [14]

Main article: Military use of children in Sri Lanka

In Sri Lanka, thousands of children are believed to be in the ranks of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE),[18] a rebel group banned as a terrorist organization by a number of countries. Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka ( Sinhalese:, இலங்கை known as Ceylon before 1972 is an Island Military use of children in Sri Lanka has been an internationally recognized problem since the inception of the Sri Lankan civil war in 1983. "LTTE" redirects here For the Led Zeppelin bootleg see Listen to This Eddie. Since signing a ceasefire agreement in 2001, the latest available UNICEF figures show that the LTTE has abducted 5,666 children until July 2006, although the organization speculates that only about a third of such cases are reported to them. The United Nations Children's Fund (or UNICEF) was created by the United Nations General Assembly on December 11, 1946 July 2006 was a month with thirty-one days The following events also occurred during the month Sri Lankan soldiers nicknamed one unit the Baby Battalion, due to the number of children in it. [7] In response to widespread international condemnation of alleged children recruitment practices, the LTTE informed that they have made (taking effect in Oct. 2006) child recruitment illegal for its groups. [18]

More recently, the para-military group known as the Karuna Group, which is apparently a splinter group from the LTTE, has been held responsible for the abduction of children according to UNICEF and Human Rights Watch. A paramilitary is a force whose function and organization are similar to those of a professional military force but which are not regarded as having the same status Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal (TMVP ( தமிழ் மக்கள் விடுதலைப்புலிகள், Tamil Peoples Liberation Tigers) also The word schism (ˈsɪzəm or /ˈskɪzəm/ from the Greek σχίσμα skhísma (from σχίζω skhízō, "to tear to split" The United Nations Children's Fund (or UNICEF) was created by the United Nations General Assembly on December 11, 1946 [19]

Middle East: Palestine

Main article: Child suicide bombers in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict

In Armies of the Young: Child Soldiers in War and Terrorism anthropologist David M. Rosen discusses the creation of troops of boys aged twelve and up, modelled on the Hitler Youth, and armed by the Arab Nazi party in Palestine and that carried out military attacks as part of the 1936–1939 Arab revolt in Palestine. David M Rosen is an American anthropologist Rosen holds a JD from Pace University School of Law and a Ph For the SS division with the nickname Hitlerjugend see 12th SS Panzer Division Hitlerjugend The Hitler Youth ( German:, The 1936–1939 Arab revolt in Palestine was an uprising during the British mandate by Arabs in Palestine which lasted from 1936 to 1939 [20]

Child soldiers are still being today used by Palestinians in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Palestinian people or Palestinians ( الشعب الفلسطيني, ash-sha`b al-filasTīni; الفلسطينيون, al-filasTīnīyyūn On May 23, 2005, Amnesty International reiterated its calls to Palestinian armed groups to put an immediate end to the use of children in armed activities: "Palestinian armed groups must not use children under any circumstances to carry out armed attacks or to transport weapons or other material. Events 1430 - Siege of Compiègne: Joan of Arc is captured by the Burgundians while leading an army to relieve Compiègne Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Amnesty International (commonly known as Amnesty or AI) is a Western based international Non-governmental organization which defines its mission as "to "[21]

Professor of Georgetown University William O'Brien wrote about active participation of Palestinian children in the First Intifada: "It appears that a substantial number, if not the majority, of troops of the intifada are young people, including elementary schoolchildren. They are engaged in throwing stones and Molotov cocktails and other forms of violence. " (Law and Morality in Israel's War With the PLO, New York

Arab journalist Huda Al-Hussein wrote in London Arab newspaper on October 27, 2000: "While UN organizations save child-soldiers, especially in Africa, from the control of militia leaders who hurl them into the furnace of gang-fighting, some Palestinian leaders… consciously issue orders with the purpose of ending their childhood, even if it means their last breath. Events 312 - Constantine the Great is said to have received his famous Vision of the Cross. 2000 ( MM) was a Leap year that started on Saturday of the Common Era, in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. "[22]

Palestinians and their proponents strongly deny that the practice is either widespread or planned. According to the Coalition to Stop the Use of Child Soldiers 2004 Global Report on the Use of Child Soldiers, there were at least nine documented suicide attacks involving Palestinian minors between October 2000 and March 2004:[23] but also stated "There was no evidence of systematic recruitment of children by Palestinian armed groups. The Coalition to Stop the Use of Child Soldiers was formed in June 1998 to "advocate for the adoption of and adherence to national regional and international legal standards However, children are used as messengers and couriers, and in some cases as fighters and suicide bombers in attacks on Israeli soldiers and civilians. All the main political groups involve children in this way, including Fatah, Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine. Fatah (فتح literally opening, is a reverse Acronym from the Arabic name Harakat al-Tahrir al-Watani al-Filastini (حركة التحرير Ḥamas (ar حركة حماس acronym ar حركة المقاومة The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine ( PFLP) ( Arabic: الجبهة الشعبية لتحرير فلسطين al-Jabhah al-Sha`biyyah li-Tahrīr "[24]

Recruitment of children to fight as soldiers against Israelis has been documented [8] in Palestinian school textbooks and the photographic record of Palestinian recruitment of children as soldiers, marching and training often with real machine guns, by the website project "InHonor. net" [9] [10] [11]. Recruitment also exists in the content of Palestinian children's television programming. [12] [13] [14] [15]

Europe

A boy in Chechnya. Photo by Mikhail Evstafiev.
A boy in Chechnya. Photo by Mikhail Evstafiev. Mikhail Aleksandrovich Evstafiev ( Russian: Михаил Александрович Евстафьев born in 1963 is a Russian Artist, Photographer

North America

The United States has recently come under fire for the detention and trial of child soldiers and non-combatant minors captured during military operations in Afghanistan and Iraq. Afghanistan /æfˈgænɪstæn/ officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan ( Pashto: د افغانستان اسلامي جمهوریت, For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iraq topics. Omar Khadr, a 15 year old Canadian citizen, arrested in Afghanistan in 2002, and held at Guantanamo for the past five years was to have been one of the first detainees to be charged before a military commission. Omar Ahmed Khadr ( عمر أحمد خضر, born September 19 1986 is the fourth child in the Canadian Khadr family. Human Rights Watch charges that, "the US government incarcerated him with adults, reportedly subjected him to abusive interrogations, failed to provide him any educational opportunities, and denied him any direct contact with his family. "[29] In 2004, three Afghan children were released from Guantanamo, believed to be between the ages of 13 and 15 at the time of their capture, to rehabilitation programs operated by UNICEF in Afghanistan. The United Nations Children's Fund (or UNICEF) was created by the United Nations General Assembly on December 11, 1946

Latin America

History

Drummer boy during the American Civil War.
Drummer boy during the American Civil War. A drummer is a Musician who plays a Drum or drums particularly a Drum kit ("drum set" or "trap set" Marching percussion Causes of the war See also Origins of the American Civil War, Timeline of events leading to the American Civil War The coexistence of a slave-owning South

Throughout history and in many cultures, children have been extensively involved in military campaigns even when such practices were supposedly against cultural morals.

The earliest mentions of minors being involved in wars come from antiquity. It was customary for youths in the Mediterranean basin to serve as aides, charioteers and armor bearers to adult warriors. Examples of this practice can be found in the Bible (such as David's service to King Saul), in Hittite and Egyptian art, and in Greek mythology (such as the story of Hercules and Hylas), philosophy and literature. Etymology According to the Online Etymology Dictionary, the word bible is from Latin biblia, traced from the same word through Medieval Latin and Late Latin David, Arabic: داوود or داود dawud, "beloved" was the second king of the united Kingdom of Israel according to the Hebrew Bible Saul (שאול המלך (or Sha'ul) ( Arabic: طالوت,Tālūt ( (reigned 1047 - 1007 BCE is identified in the Books of Samuel, 1 Chronicles The Hittites were an ancient Anatolian people who spoke a language of the Anatolian branch of the Indo-European language family and established Ancient Egypt was an Ancient Civilization in eastern North Africa, concentrated along the lower reaches of the Nile River in what is now The term ancient Greece refers to the period of Greek history lasting from the Greek Dark Ages ca Greek mythology is the body of stories belonging to the ancient Greeks concerning their gods and Heroes the nature of the world and the origins and significance Hercules is the Roman name for the Mythical Greek hero Heracles, son of Zeus and the mortal Alcmena. In Greek mythology, Hylas ( Greek: Ὕλας) was the son of King Theiodamas of the Dryopians Other sources such as Ovid

Also in a practice dating back to antiquity, children were routinely taken on campaign, together with the rest of a military man's family, as part of the baggage. Luggage is any number of Bags cases and containers which hold a Traveller s articles during transit. This exposed them to harm from rearguard attacks, such as the one at the battle of Agincourt, where the retainers and children of the English army were massacred by the French. The Battle of Agincourt was an English victory against a larger French army in the Hundred Years' War.

The Romans also made use of youths in war, though it was understood that it was unwise and cruel to use children in war, and Plutarch implies that regulations required youths to be at least sixteen years of age. The Roman Empire was the post-Republican phase of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial Lucius Mestrius Plutarchus ( Greek: Μέστριος Πλούταρχος c

In medieval Europe, young boys from about twelve years of age were used as military aides ("squires"), though in theory their role in actual combat was limited. In Feudal or Medieval times a squire was a Man-at-arms in the service of a Knight, often as his Apprentice. The so-called Children's Crusade in 1212 recruited thousands of children as untrained soldiers under the assumption that divine power would enable them to conquer the enemy, although none of the children actually entered combat; according to the legend, they were instead sold into slavery. The Children's Crusade is the name given to a variety of fictional and factual events which happened in 1212 that combine some or all of these elements visions by a French or German boy As a social-economic system slavery is a legal institution under which a Person (called "a slave" is compelled to work for another While most scholars no longer believe that the Children's Crusade consisted solely, or even mostly, of children, it nonetheless exemplifies an era in which the entire family took part in a war effort.

Mexico honors its heroic cadets who died in the battle of Chapultepec (1847).
Mexico honors its heroic cadets who died in the battle of Chapultepec (1847). Los Niños Héroes (the "Boy Heroes" or "Heroic Cadets" were six teenage military cadets who died defending Mexico at Mexico City 's Chapultepec The Battle of Chapultepec (September 1847 was a US victory over Mexican forces holding Chapultepec Castle west of Mexico City during the Mexican-American

Young boys often took part in battles during early modern warfare. Early Modern warfare is associated with the start of the widespread use of Gunpowder and the development of suitable weapons to use the explosive One of their more visible roles was as the ubiquitous "drummer boy" – the film Waterloo (based on the Battle of Waterloo) graphically depicts French drummer boys leading Napoleon's initial attack, only to be gunned down by Allied soldiers. A drummer is a Musician who plays a Drum or drums particularly a Drum kit ("drum set" or "trap set" Marching percussion Waterloo was a Soviet - Italian film of 1970 directed by Sergei Bondarchuk and produced by Dino De Laurentiis. In the Battle of Waterloo (Sunday 18 June 1815 near Waterloo Belgium During the age of sail, young boys formed part of the crew of British Royal Navy ships and were responsible for many important tasks including bringing powder and shot from the ship's magazine to the gun crews. The Age of Sail was the period in which International trade and Naval warfare were dominated by Sailing Ships lasting from the 16th to the mid The Royal Navy of the United Kingdom is the oldest of the British armed services (and is therefore known as the Senior Service) See also firearms magazine for an explanation of the magazines used to load man-portable weapons These children were called "powder monkeys". During the Siege of Mafeking in the Second Boer War, Robert Baden-Powell recruited and trained 12-15 year old boys as scouts, thus freeing up the limited number of men for the actual fighting. The Siege of Mafeking was the most famous British action in the Second Boer War. See also First Boer War,, South African Wars (1879-1915 The Second Boer War ( Dutch: Tweede Boerenoorlog, Afrikaans: The boys' success led indirectly to Baden-Powell founding the Boy Scouts, a youth organization originally run along military lines. Scouting, also known as the Scout Movement, is a worldwide Youth movement with the stated aim of supporting young people in their physical mental and spiritual At the outbreak of the First World War, boys as young as 13 were caught up in the overwhelming tide of patriotism and in huge numbers cheerfully enlisted for active service others to avoid the harsh and dreary lives they had working in British industry. Many were to serve in the bloodiest battles of the war, such as ex-miner Dick Trafford who took part in the Battle of Loos, and Frank Lindley who, seeking to avenge his dead brother, went over the top on the first day of the Battle of the Somme. Both were just sixteen. Typically many were able to pass themselves off as older men, such as George Thomas Paget, who at 17 joined a Bantam battalion in the Welsh Regiment. George Paget was typical of the Boy soldiers who were able to enlist in the British Army and go on to fight in the trenches during the early part of World George died of wounds in captivity just five weeks after landing in France. George Mahers who served briefly in France when he was just thirteen years and nine months old. He was sent back to England along with five other under-age boys.

A young boy, Bugler John Cook, served in the U. S. Army at the age of 15 and received the Medal of Honor for his acts during the Civil War Battle of Antietam, the bloodiest day in American history. Cook is the only child to ever receive this honor. [34]

By a law signed by Nicholas I of Russia in 1827, a disproportionate number of Jewish boys, known as the cantonists, were forced into military training establishments to serve in the army. PLEASE TAKE NOTE************ Cantonists ( Russian language: Кантонисты, the term adapted from Prussia for "recruiting district" were sons of Russian conscripts who The 25-year conscription term officially commenced at the age of 18, but boys as young as eight were routinely taken to fulfill the hard quota. Conscription (also known as the draft, the call-up or national service) is a general term for involuntary labor demanded by some established authority

World War II

Polish Szare Szeregi fighters during the Warsaw Uprising, 1944.
Polish Szare Szeregi fighters during the Warsaw Uprising, 1944. Grey Ranks (Szare Szeregi was a codename for the underground Polish Scouting Association ( pl Związek Harcerstwa Polskiego) The Warsaw Uprising ( Powstanie Warszawskie) was a World War II struggle by the Polish Home Army ( Armia Krajowa) to liberate Warsaw

In World War II, children frequently fought in insurrections. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including During the Holocaust, Jews of all ages, including teenagers such as Shalom Yoran, participated in the Jewish resistance simply in order to survive. The Holocaust (from the Greek el ''ὁλόκαυστον'' (el-Latn holókauston holos, "completely" and kaustos, "burnt" also known as PLEASE TAKE NOTE************ Shalom Yoran (born June 29, 1925) is a survivor of The Holocaust and a former Jewish partisan. The Jewish resistance during The Holocaust was the resistance of the Jewish people against Nazi Germany leading up to and through World Many members of the youth movement Hashomer Hatzair fought in the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising of 1943. Hashomer Hatzair (השומר הצעיר also transliterated Hashomer Hatsair or HaShomer HaTzair, translating as The Youth Guard) is a Socialist The Warsaw Ghetto Uprising (German "Aufstand im Warschauer Ghetto", Polish "Powstanie w getcie warszawskim") was the Jewish Many other anti-fascist resistance movements across Nazi-occupied Europe consisted partially of children (for example, Szare Szeregi in Poland). Anti-fascism is the opposition to fascist ideologies organizations governments and people A resistance movement is a group or collection of individual groups dedicated to fighting an Invader in an occupied country or the government of a sovereign nation Grey Ranks (Szare Szeregi was a codename for the underground Polish Scouting Association ( pl Związek Harcerstwa Polskiego) Poland (Polska officially the Republic of Poland A number of child soldiers served in the Soviet Union's armed forces during the war. The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR was a constitutionally Socialist state that existed in Eurasia from 1922 to 1991 [35] In some cases, orphans also unofficially joined the Soviet Red Army. The Red Army ( Russian: Рабоче-Крестьянская Красная Армия R aboche- K rest'yanskaya K rasnaya A rmiya Such children were affectionately known as "son of the regiment" (Russian: сын полка) and sometimes willingly performed military missions such as reconnaissance. Russian ( transliteration:,) is the most geographically widespread language of Eurasia, the most widely spoken of the Slavic languages

On the opposite side, Hitler Youth (Hitlerjugend) was an organization in Nazi Germany that trained youth physically and indoctrinated them with Nazi ideology to the point of fanaticism. For the SS division with the nickname Hitlerjugend see 12th SS Panzer Division Hitlerjugend The Hitler Youth ( German:, Nazism, which was a short name for National Socialism (Nationalsozialismus refers primarily to the Ideology and practices of the National Socialist German Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. Fanaticism is an Emotion of being filled with excessive uncritical Zeal, particularly for an extreme religious or political cause or in By the end of World War II, members of the Hitler Youth were taken into the army at increasingly younger ages. During the Battle of Berlin in 1945 they were a major part of the German defenses. For the bombing campaign on Berlin by the RAF from November 1943 to March 1944 see Battle of Berlin (air.

In some cases, youth organizations were, and still are, militarized in order to instill discipline in their ranks, sometimes to indoctrinate them with propaganda and prepare for subsequent military service. See also Youth The following is a List of youth organizations; all organizations are international unless noted as associated with a specific country Propaganda is a concerted set of messages aimed at influencing the opinions or behaviors of large numbers of people

Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos

An alleged 12 year old ARVN soldier poses for US Army cameraman with a M-79 grenade launcher, Tan Son Nhut, 1968 (Vietnam War).
An alleged 12 year old ARVN soldier poses for US Army cameraman with a M-79 grenade launcher, Tan Son Nhut, 1968 (Vietnam War). The Army of the Republic of Vietnam ( ARVN) was a military component of the armed forces of the Republic of Vietnam (commonly known as South Vietnam The United States Army is a military organization whose primary mission is to "provide necessary forces and capabilities. The M79 grenade launcher also know as "the Thumper" is a Single-shot, shoulder-fired Break open Grenade launcher which fires a 40 x46 mm Tan Son Nhat International Airport (Cảng Hàng không Quốc tế Tân Sơn Nhất is Vietnam 's largest international airport in terms of area ( compared with of The Vietnam War, also known as the Second Indochina War, or the Vietnam Conflict, occurred in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia
Main article: Indochina Wars

During the Indochina Wars, child soldiers were used by all local sides of the conflict. The Indochina Wars ( Vietnamese: Chiến tranh Đông Dương) refers to Wars of national liberation and attempts of the Vietnamese communists to assert regional Both the government forces and the insurgent armies employed even small children, including in the direct combat roles.

In the most notorious case, the Khmer Rouge communist group exploited thousands of desensitized conscripted children to commit mass murders and other inhuman acts during the Cambodian genocide. The Khmer Rouge (ខ្មែរក្រហម Kmae Krɑhɑɑm was the Communist ruling political party of Cambodia &mdashwhich it renamed The Kingdom of Cambodia ( formerly known as Kampuchea (, transliterated: Preăh Réachéanachâkr Kâmpŭchea) is a country in South East The brainwashed child soldiers were taught to follow any order without hesitation. [17]

Sierra Leone

Thousands of children were recruited and used by all sides during Sierra Leone’s conflict (1993-2002), including the Revolutionary United Front (RUF), the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC), and the pro-government Civil Defense Forces (CDF). The Revolutionary United Front ( RUF) was a rebel army that fought a failed ten-year insurrection in Sierra Leone, starting in 1991 and ending in 2002 The Armed Forces Revolutionary Council ( AFRC) was a group of Sierra Leone soldiers that allied itself with the rebel Revolutionary United Front in the late The Civil Defense Forces or CDF were a Paramilitary organization who fought in the Sierra Leone Civil War Children were often forcibly recruited, given drugs and used to commit atrocities. Thousands of girls were also recruited as soldiers and often subjected to sexual exploitation. Many of the children were survivors of village attacks, while others were found abandoned. They were used for patrol purposes, attacking villages, and guarding workers in the diamond fields. In his book A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Child Soldier, Ishmael Beah chronicles his life during the conflict in Sierra Leone. Ishmael Beah (born on November 23, 1980 in Sierra Leone) is a former child soldier and the author of the memoir A Long Way Gone Memoirs

In June 2007, the Special Court for Sierra Leone found three accused men from the rebel Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC) guilty of war crimes, crimes against humanity, and other serious violations of international humanitarian law, including the recruitment of children under the age of 15 years into the armed forces. With this, the Special Court became the first-ever UN backed tribunal to deliver a guilty verdict for the military conscription of children. [36]

Iran and Iraq

During the later stages of the Iran-Iraq War, both sides were accused of using adolescents to fill out the ranks of soldiers depleted by years of warfare. Large numbers of adolescents fought alongside adults in the ranks of the Iranian Basij militia. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iran topics. The Basij (also Bassij or Baseej, or Baseej-e Mostaz'afin or "The Mobilized Oppressed"" or بسيج is a volunteer based Iranian On Iraqi side, the regime of Saddam Hussein raised teenage paramilitary units called "Saddam's Cubs" (Ashbal Saddam), and recruited children as young as 10. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iraq topics. Saddam Hussein Abd al-Majid al-Tikriti ( Arabic: ar صدام حسين عبد المجيد التكريتي --> April 28 1937 &ndash December 30

See also

References

  1. ^ Adoption by the UN General Assembly of a new treaty prohibiting the use of children under age eighteen in combat Coalition to Stop the Use of Child Soldiers, New York, May 25, 2000
  2. ^ UNICEF: Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child
  3. ^ UNICEF: Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child
  4. ^ Wikisource:Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court#Article 8 - War crimes
  5. ^ Children and Armed Conflict: International Law/United Nations by the Center for Defence Information
  6. ^ Children and Armed Conflict: UN enters “era of application” in its campaign against child soldiers, Center for Defence Information October 12, 2005
  7. ^ Staff. Invisible Children Inc is a social political and global movement using the transformative power of a story to change lives Lwów Eaglets ( Orlęta lwowskie) is a term of affection applied to the Polish Child soldiers who defended the city of Lwów during the Trafficking of children is the recruitment transportation transfer harboring or receipt of children for the purpose of exploitation The Convention concerning the Prohibition and Immediate Action for the Elimination of the Worst Forms of Child Labour, known in short as the Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention Blood Diamond is an Academy Award nominated 2006 adventure Drama film co-produced and directed by Edward Zwick and Voces inocentes ( English title Innocent Voices) is a 2004 Mexican Film directed by Luis Mandoki Ender's Game (1985 is one of the best-known novels by Orson Scott Card. The Coalition to Stop the Use of Child Soldiers was formed in June 1998 to "advocate for the adoption of and adherence to national regional and international legal standards Events 1085 - Alfonso VI of Castile takes Toledo Spain back from the Moors. 2000 ( MM) was a Leap year that started on Saturday of the Common Era, in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. The Center for Defense Information (CDI is an organization founded in 1972 by U The Center for Defense Information (CDI is an organization founded in 1972 by U Events 539 BC - The army of Cyrus the Great of Persia takes Babylon. Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Campaign Page: Child Soldiers, Human Rights Watch. Human Rights Watch is a United States -based international Non-governmental organization that conducts research and advocacy on Human rights.
  8. ^ [1] UNICEF, Cape Town Principles and Best Practices, April 1997, p. 8
  9. ^ Some Facts
  10. ^ [2] "They Came Here to Kill Us" Human Rights Watch, January 2007
  11. ^ [3] "Early To War" Human Rights Watch, July 2007
  12. ^ Project MUSE
  13. ^ United States Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs. Zimbabwe Public Announcement (July 12, 2007) (html). Events 1191 - Saladin 's garrison surrenders ending the two-year Siege of Acre. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Retrieved on 2007-08-08. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1220 - Sweden is defeated by Estonian tribes in the Battle of Lihula.
  14. ^ a b Child Soldiers Global Report 2004PDF (2. 29 MB) Coalition to Stop the Use of Child Soldiers pp. The Coalition to Stop the Use of Child Soldiers was formed in June 1998 to "advocate for the adoption of and adherence to national regional and international legal standards 18,159-161
  15. ^ [4] "My Gun Was As Tall As Me", Human Rights Watch, 2002.
  16. ^ [5] "Nepal: Maoists Should Release Child Soldiers Now", Human Rights Watch, May 2007.
  17. ^ [6] Human Rights Watch Interactive Map of Child Soldiers
  18. ^ a b Bureau Report LTTE rebels make child recruitment illegal: Report, Zee News October 27, 2006
  19. ^ UNICEF condemns abduction and recruitment of Sri Lankan children by the Karuna group, UNICEF 22 June 2006
  20. ^ Glazer, Ilsa M. Events 312 - Constantine the Great is said to have received his famous Vision of the Cross. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. The United Nations Children's Fund (or UNICEF) was created by the United Nations General Assembly on December 11, 1946 Events 217 BC - Battle of Raphia: Ptolemy IV of Egypt defeats Antiochus III the Great of the Seleucid kingdom. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Armies of the Young: Child Soldiers in War and Terrorism (review) Anthropological Quarterly - Volume 79, Number 2, Spring 2006, pp. 373-384
  21. ^ Israel/Occupied Territories: Palestinian armed groups must not use children 23 May 2005
  22. ^ Arab Journalist Decries Palestinian Child-Soldiers translated by MEMRI. Events 1430 - Siege of Compiègne: Joan of Arc is captured by the Burgundians while leading an army to relieve Compiègne Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The Middle East Media Research Institute, or MEMRI for short is a Middle Eastern press monitoring organization located in Washington D Special Dispatch 147, November 1, 2000.
  23. ^ Child Soldiers Global Report 2004PDF (2. 29 MB) Coalition to Stop the Use of Child Soldiers p. The Coalition to Stop the Use of Child Soldiers was formed in June 1998 to "advocate for the adoption of and adherence to national regional and international legal standards 292
  24. ^ Child Soldiers Global Report 2004PDF (2. 29 MB) Coalition to Stop the Use of Child Soldiers p. The Coalition to Stop the Use of Child Soldiers was formed in June 1998 to "advocate for the adoption of and adherence to national regional and international legal standards 304 cites in footnote 18 that this Information is from Palestinian Human Rights Monitoring Group (PHRMG), March 2004.
  25. ^ Child Soldiers Global Report 2004PDF (2. 29 MB) Coalition to Stop the Use of Child Soldiers p. The Coalition to Stop the Use of Child Soldiers was formed in June 1998 to "advocate for the adoption of and adherence to national regional and international legal standards 217
  26. ^ Human Rights Watch: Promises Broken
  27. ^ Under-18s were deployed to Iraq, BBC
  28. ^ Basic Eligibility Requirements. Canadian Forces. Retrieved on 2007-09-02. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 44 BC - Pharaoh Cleopatra VII of Egypt declares her son co-ruler as Ptolemy XV Caesarion.
  29. ^ US: Move Khadr and Hamdan Cases to Federal Court. Human Rights Watch. Retrieved on 2007-07-26. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 657 - Battle of Siffin. 811 - Battle of Pliska; Byzantine Emperor Nicephorus
  30. ^ Global March Against Child Labour: Bolivia 2001
  31. ^ Global March Against Child Labour: Bolivia 2001
  32. ^ Colombia: Armed Groups Send Children to War Human Rights News a website of Human Rights Watch February 22, 2005
  33. ^ Human Rights Watch: Child Soldier Map
  34. ^ Slinger, P. Human Rights Watch is a United States -based international Non-governmental organization that conducts research and advocacy on Human rights. Human Rights Watch is a United States -based international Non-governmental organization that conducts research and advocacy on Human rights. Events 1495 - King Charles VIII of France enters Naples to claim the city's throne Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. W. Children At War. New York: Pantheon Books, 2005. 13.
  35. ^ Beevor, Anthony; Kinnunen, Matti (2003). Stalingrad (in Finnish). Helsinki: WSOY.  
  36. ^ "Guilty Verdicts in the Trial of the AFRC Accused"PDF (104 KB), press release from the Special Court for Sierra Leone, 20 June 2007; "Sierra Leone Convicts 3 of War Crimes", Associated Press, 20 June 2007 (hosted by The Washington Post); "First S Leone war crimes verdicts", BBC News, 20 June 2007

Further reading

Statue of Mały Powstaniec (The Little Insurgent) in Warsaw. Honour guard of Polish Boy Scouts.
Statue of Mały Powstaniec (The Little Insurgent) in Warsaw. Events 451 - Battle of Chalons: Flavius Aetius ' defeats Attila the Hun. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. The Associated Press ( AP) is an American News agency. The AP is a Cooperative owned by its contributing Newspapers radio Events 451 - Battle of Chalons: Flavius Aetius ' defeats Attila the Hun. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. The Washington Post is the largest and most circulated Newspaper in Washington D Events 451 - Battle of Chalons: Flavius Aetius ' defeats Attila the Hun. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Warsaw (Warszawa; also known by other names) is the Capital and Largest city of Poland. Honour guard of Polish Boy Scouts. Związek Harcerstwa Polskiego ( The Polish Scouting and Guiding Association, ZHP) is the coeducational Polish Scouting organization recognized
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