Most Popular
1500 questions
22
votes
1 answer
What effect did the Attack on Mers-el-Kébir have on Great Britain's international relations during WW2?
The Attack on Mers-el-Kébir/Battle of Mers-el-Kébir was an action that took part between the Royal Navy and the French Navy on July 3rd 1940 that was a result of Winston Churchill ordering that the French Fleet should either join the RN, with or…
Kobunite
- 4,800
- 2
- 31
- 53
22
votes
2 answers
Why is there a big gash in the side of the Pyramid of Menkaure?
Why is there a big gash in the side of the Pyramid of Menkaure?
If you look at a picture of the pyramid, on the side where they have the entrance to get inside, above that there is a 100 yard long indentation/gash that looks strange, almost like it…
djangofan
- 339
- 2
- 5
22
votes
4 answers
What was the size of surface of a cereal crop needed per man per year during the Dark Ages in Western Europe?
If I'm a peasant during the dark ages, what surface (in meters (<- I am in advance on my time)) I need to farm to get enough cereal (for bread and brew) ?
how many cereals (in kg (<- again, I'm in advance on my time) this surface will deliver per…
The Unholy Metal Machine
- 529
- 5
- 13
22
votes
3 answers
Why didn't Japan expand into Ezo?
Throughout the first millenium of Japanese history (and before that even) the Japanese rather steadily expanded up Honshu.
Once they had taken the whole of Honshu however they seemed largely to stop. Throughout the Edo period their dealings with…
Lee Jackson
- 407
- 2
- 5
22
votes
3 answers
Did American policymakers seriously consider scaling down Lend Lease Aid to the Soviet Union after the battle of Kursk?
In 1941, Senator (and future President) Harry Truman famously said, "If we see that Germany is winning the war, we ought to help Russia; and if that Russia is winning, we ought to help Germany." General Patton wanted to re-arm defeated German troops…
Tom Au
- 104,554
- 17
- 253
- 530
22
votes
2 answers
When did the Romans begin using the sword, as opposed to the axe, for decapitation?
According to this article, the Romans first used the axe for decapitation, and then moved to using the sword later. The article states:
[B]eheading, a mode of executing capital punishment by which the head is
severed from the body. The ancient…
Nathan Arthur
- 323
- 2
- 8
22
votes
3 answers
World War 1 Indian propaganda posters
In World War 1, because war broke out between the triple entente and the central powers (and they happened to have a lot of foreign colonies), the allies made posters to recruit soldiers from all over the world to fight in the trenches. This would…
clickonMe
- 1,063
- 1
- 13
- 23
22
votes
8 answers
Are there famous battles that took place on ice?
As my favorite ice hockey team became the champion of Poland today, I was reminded of the famous Battle of the Ice that took place in 1242. During the fights, forces of Alexander Nevsky managed to draw Teutonic Knights to the frozen Lake Peipus,…
Darek Wędrychowski
- 7,848
- 4
- 40
- 61
22
votes
1 answer
What is the state of the art historical analysis of claims that Carthaginians discovered America?
The Carthaginians, and the Phoenicians in general, are renowned for their seafaring abilities. There is evidence for their circumnavigation of Africa, and strong evidence for the fact that Hanno the Navigator reached modern Cameroon.
The geologist…
astabada
- 5,736
- 2
- 32
- 68
22
votes
3 answers
Why did epidemic disease spread only from Europe to America and not both ways in the Columbian Exchange?
In learning about the history of the Americas you often hear about how pre-columbian civilizations operating at a highly advanced level were devastated by epidemic diseases like smallpox, to the point where many of them were practically wiped out…
Emmett Palaima
- 331
- 1
- 5
22
votes
2 answers
Is there any primary source for Mussolini being called "Juliet"?
So, I have heard a rather amusing, but seemingly apocryphal story (as an answer on game show), that Italians called Benito Mussolini "Juliet", due to his liking of speeches given on balconies.
I tried to figure out whether that was indeed the case,…
DVK
- 17,695
- 7
- 77
- 144
22
votes
4 answers
How did Alexander III of Macedon get the title "the Great"?
Alexander III of Macedon is referred to as Alexander "the great", but who gave him this title? At what point in history was he acknowledged as such and why is he considered so great?
YUASK
- 1,399
- 1
- 11
- 21
22
votes
3 answers
When did the acceptance of diversity become such an important social goal in Western countries?
In most Western countries today, embracing diversity is considered both a desirable end and a means to an end[Unsupported assertion]. Every other day sees another academic publication showing that more diversity leads to better decision making, more…
J Li
- 395
- 2
- 6
22
votes
2 answers
Are there historic references to sorcerers and their scrolls?
According to 'Acts 19:19' (of the Christian bible):
A number who had practiced sorcery brought their scrolls together and burned them publicly. When they calculated the value of the scrolls, the total came to fifty thousand drachmas.
When I hear…
Lorry Laurence mcLarry
- 621
- 5
- 11
22
votes
2 answers
How and why did e.g. Chechnya differ in status from entities like Armenia?
Chechnya, Dagestan, North and South Ossetia, etc. are Russian republics. In this regard, they differ from "Soviet Republics" like Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, etc. (My particular interest is in "Caucasian" entities.)
The Soviet Union was formed in…
Tom Au
- 104,554
- 17
- 253
- 530