MILITARY EDUCATION OF UKRAINIAN YOUTH OF GALICIA IN PLASTUN CIRCLES BEFORE THE FIRST WORLD WAR

Abstract

The article examines the military education of Ukrainian youth in Galicia before the First World War. The main emphasis in the study was given to Ukrainian plastun organizations. The first national military formations were created on the example of these paramilitary groups, which organized and trained Ukrainian youth to fight for national interests during the First World War. Members of the societies became the basis of the first armed Ukrainian formation of the 20th century – the Legion of Ukrainian Sich Riflemen. It should be noted that the idea of military training of young people was not positively received by the entire Galician society, part of which was against military methods of struggle. So, since its inception, the first important period in the history of Plast fell on the three pre-war years. It was testified that the Scout idea found fertile ground on Ukrainian soil. It was emphasized that due to the peculiarities of historical development, Plast took deeper roots only in Galicia. It was determined that from the time of its creation and the closer the time was to the war, the more stages of militarization of Plast there were. It is highlighted that before the war, Plast movement was mainly viewed as a military preparatory factor. At the same time, its essence was determined by the fact that the nation could win victory for statehood only by force of arms. Continuing the topic of the place and role of Plast in Ukrainian society, we note that, according to its ideological and worldview guidelines, the formation of not only people of a new generation, but also people's leaders, the national elite was foreseen. For this, Plast had to raise an energetic person with a willful character and a deep sense of national dignity. It was emphasized that one of the tasks of Plast was to reach the consciousness of the entire Ukrainian nation through educated youth and to awaken its own identity in it, and it was concluded that the deep intention of Plast was to subordinate all the activities of its members to the needs of the Ukrainian nation. So, let's summarize that the ultimate goal of the Plastun circles was the only one – the acquisition of their own state. The examination of the topic in the context of military-historical and memoir literature was traced, in which scientific materials were found on the role of Plast members in ideological, organizational and military education. Keywords: Plast, Galicia, military school, the Legion of Ukrainian Sich Riflemen, youth organizations.