Arditi: The Insane Combat Techniques of Italy’s WW1 Assault Troops

The Arditi were Italian special forces during the First World War. “Ardito“ means “He who acts with courage, with audacity; intrepid, courageous, daring.“ In 1917, following proposals and studies by some generals aware of the need to use troops that went beyond the classic formula of the frontal assault on the enemy lines “softened“ by the artillery, they decided to test a specially constituted unit commanded by Major Giuseppe Bassi. The newly formed assault units therefore developed as a corps in their own right, their task was no longer to open the way for the infantry towards the enemy lines, but the total conquest of the latter using new tactics. Dagger fencing was the pride of the Arditi, and they were also trained in unarmed hand-to-hand combat by studying forms of Jujitsu and Judo adapted to their type of warfare and with Italian influence. Much of the footage used was taken from the Facebook page “ARDITI della GRANDE GUERRA“ which I thank and recommend visiting: #arditi #ww1 #jujitsu #martialarts #hema 0:00 - Who were the Arditi? 0:11 - The precursors 1:26 - The birth of the assault units 2:02 - The training 2:41 - Assault Tactics 3:39 - Equipment 5:38 - Dagger Fencing 6:19 - Jujitsu of the Arditi 8:30 - The battles 9:28 - The dissolution 10:11 - The Traditions 10:26 - The Hymn of the Arditi