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Yes, from early �43 members of the Hitlerjugend -age 16- were drafted to man anti-aircraft guns in Germany, so the regular soldiers could be sent to the front. By middle 1944 56.000 so called "Flakhelfer"(air-defence-aids) were on duty. Girls were also drafted. They worked in the command and control staff, doing electronic plotting, RADAR tracking and targeting and communication with Luftwaffe pilots in the air.

In late 1944 the "Volkssturm" was formed as a "militia" of men between the age of 16 and 60.

Many of the poorly armed and trained units fled the enemy, but especially in the east they fought with desparation. Total "Volkssturm" dead are estimated at around 20.000 men.

In 1942 18-year olds were drafted into the regular army, �43 the age limit was 17, in �44 16-year olds could "volunteer".

Yes! Check this out:

The Hitler Youth by H. W. Koch

This is just one of many, many books on the subject.

I have met and known of Americans who admit that they "lied about their age" to get in uniform. Some, nonetheless, became very capable soldiers and sailors or even made a whole career of military service.

This question ought to be accompanied by the question, Where did the most children die? As a result of Allied pilot day and night bombing and incindiary bombs on cities, I would venture to propose to researchers that more German children died by combat violence than those of any other nation. More than in the Soviet Union or Japan or UK under the Battle of Britain.

I'm sure it happened in all countries. No male wanted to be left out of the war during those days. My uncle was 15 when he left to fight in Korea(1950), as an infantryman in the US Army. He returned 3 years later, after his 18th birthday, surviving 3 years of bayonet fighting. On record the Hitler Youth Divsion, had numerous children under 17 who fought with distinction. Out of over 12,000 soldiers only approx 250 survived the fighting to surrender.

In Berlin, April 1945 there were kids who were 10 or 12 defending the city from the Russians. They manned artillery or used anti tank weapons.

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10y ago

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