The description of World War 1 in twentieth century Italian textbooks

Italian textbooks published in the interwar period were intended to expose the pupil to the whole realm of knowledge. The teaching of diplomatic and military studies, presented in a nationalist framework, served as introduction to a historical synthesis. Recent textbooks, on the other hand, abandon commentary in favor of documents and illustrations, selected from a pacifist point of view. A pedagogy based on scientific discovery and creativity leads the pupil towards a broad understanding of history, as opposed to a mere assimilation of historical facts. The result is a more global view modelled on humanitarianism. Every age develops its interpretations of history by virtue of its way of thinking and the dominant ideal.