From 1929 to 1939 the Italian economy grew by 16%, about half as fast as during the earlier liberal period after the Great War. Annual growth rates were 0.5% lower than prewar rates. The Great Depression hit Italy particularly hard; failing factories supported by failing banks were owned by the fascist state. This made an already bad situation worse and Mussolini increased his power while the citizens suffered. The boys in these school photos grew up in an impoverished state only to become gun fodder upon reaching adulthood. Hindsight paints a tragic picture as they smile at us from the pictures.