Why did the Germans in WW2 use stick grenades, and why did that grenade type almost entirely fall out of favour after WW2?

I saw this question was answered in part here. But it only answered why it isn't used today. I understand both why it was used and, through this explanation why it stopped being used. On one hand, the stick provides the thrower an increase in range, and the reason it fell out of favour is because it was apparently too expensive and had logistical issues. But surely a more expensive grenade would at some point be used for more quality over quantity minded armies, right?

As far as I'm aware, literally no major standing army on earth uses stick grenades at all. That seems like a very comprehensive denial of the weapon system. Is there any more to the story than just "it's expensive and difficult to transport?" And if that's the case, what made the weapon system so popular with the Germans? Unlike with half tracks which came and went on both sides of the war and have since vanished on the modern battle field, the alternative weapon system, the standard pineapple grenade, was available, and derivations of the basic design we are all familiar with are the universal standard for soldiers to this day. I'm sorry if the link I provided is basically the entirety of the story, but it seems a touch anti climactic and feels like it leaves something out that I'm just not privy to.

1 Answers 2020-07-21

In terms of potential nuclear war, is any one incident considered the “closest” of all close calls?

1 Answers 2020-07-21

The enormous Soviet offensive against Japan in 1945 is often overlooked when discussing the end of the Pacific War, but did the Soviets possesses the capability for an amphibious invasion of mainland Japan?

1 Answers 2020-07-21

Adolf Hitler’s “medicinal” hard drug habits are well-documented, but is there any evidence that Hitler being high as a kite affected the course of the war?

2 Answers 2020-07-21

Why were the NVA and the viet congs referred to as Charlie in the war?

Never understood this. Is the term in this instance even plural or singular?

2 Answers 2020-07-21

How did the ancient Celts conduct trade without a writing system?

I was looking up some information on Ancient Celts, and one thing that stood out to me was that they conducted trade amongst themselves and with their neighbors. Now, it certainly isn't impossible to trade while being illiterate, but it seems to me to be quite difficult. Not having ledgers or receipts or anything like that would make any long distance trade very cumbersome to say the least. Also, how would you have had taxation?

So the question is, how did they manage to do it? Was it all done by doing calculations in their heads and memorizing all of the different item sales and purchases, or did they use some other system? Did they borrow Greek or Roman writing systems to conduct business with the Greeks and Romans respectively?

1 Answers 2020-07-21

Did Jews know about the concentration camps outside of them?

Watching some documentaries it seems that there was obviously a big shift where all of them were rounded up en masse and didn't really know what was happening even inside of the camps, but I'm wondering about the people who still weren't at the camps. After some time had passed did the information ever make it out to others? Did Jews in the ghettos, other countries or in hiding ever know about what was happening at the concentration camps? Was the information wide spread or only a select few?

2 Answers 2020-07-21

What were the military contributions of the Arab Druze to Israel’s War of Independence, and why did they side with the Jews?

I know the Druze are some of the most patriotic Israelis, and they fought for the country’s independence (and served that country with incredible dedication ever since!) but how did this happen? What was the internal dialogue like in the Druze community? What sort of relationship did the Druze have to the pre-state Jewish groups? To the other pre-state Arab faith groups? How did they make the decision to fight on the Jewish side?

During the War of Independence, how were the Druze organized? Were Druze combatants fully integrated with Israeli forces or was it more of a Druze militia siding with Israel situation?

I’m happy with answers to only one or a few of these questions, I know it’s a lot!

1 Answers 2020-07-21

Without the Bible, how much would we know about ancient Israel and Judah?

I was reading about Urartu and it made me think how we know so much about these very ancient countries that barely left any writings, which made me wonder: If we didn't have the Bible as a source, how much would we know about the history of ancient Canaan (Israel, Judah, Ammon, Edom, etc.)?

2 Answers 2020-07-21

Did the European-Napoleonic era have famous small arms manufacturers the way we think of HK or Browning today? If so, what qualities were they known for in their firearms? Were they sought by foreign militaries or were they considered national state assets the way the arms industry today is?

1 Answers 2020-07-21

Why did the Bolsheviks move the Russian capital back to Moscow in 1918?

The capital of both the Russian empire and the provisional government in 1917 was Saint Petersburg/Petrograd. Why did the Bolsheviks decide to relocate the capital to Moscow?

1 Answers 2020-07-21

The Library of Alexandria has been widely viewed as a repository of advanced knowledge burned out of spite by superstitious Christians. The reality is much less exciting. What is the origin and history of the anti-Christian library myth?

1 Answers 2020-07-21

Bull sharks are well known for their aggression and ability to live in freshwater rivers and lakes for weeks at a time, most notably the Zambezi river in southern Africa. Do Bull Sharks feature in the mythologies of these areas' indigenous people? What about explorers/colonizers?

1 Answers 2020-07-21

Italian Navy during WW2

Why was it called "Regia Marina" which in Italian means 'Royal Navy' even when it sailed under Fascism?

Edit: Grammar.

1 Answers 2020-07-21

How did US and West German troops get in and out of West Berlin?

So like West Berlin was completely surrounded by East Germany right? So how did troops from the US and West Germany get in or out? I doubt the soviets just let US tanks roll through there territory to get there right? I mean there tanks and stuff stationed there.

1 Answers 2020-07-21

How did ship pumps work in the age of sail? Who manned them and when? Did they use primitive hoses or something else? Were pumps used for days on end because it was too difficult to patch holes while underway?

I have not been able to find anything about this topic, yet I hear ship pumps referred to in sea shanties and age of sail related media/ books.

Also where were the pumps on the ship typically?

1 Answers 2020-07-21

How come some of the Nazi leadership were pagans or practiced occultism and mysticism despite most of Germany being Christian? Did Hitler seek such men out? Was there a plan to erradicate Christianity in Germany and replace it with such beliefs? What did German citizens think of all this?

2 Answers 2020-07-21

Italy is full of heritage sites, small and large, listed and unlisted. When the 1990 World Cup was awarded to Italy, was there ever any resistance from some quarters such as. art historians and conservationists about inviting such a mass influx of potentially riotous international soccer fans?

Of course the Italians love football, and most would've been glad to hold such a showpiece event. But were there ever any reservations expressed by art historians and conservationists as to the potential for trouble by inviting in thousands of rowdy soccer fans to a country full of fragile historical sites? Did Italian authorities ever take into consideration any contingency plans for protecting historical sites from potential damage by hooligans/riotous fans?

1 Answers 2020-07-21

How did H.P Lovecraft interpret the Salem Witch Trials?

1 Answers 2020-07-21

German Map Symbols 1942

Hello all,

Hopefully I can ask this question here. I recently purchased this map to add to my continued research and collection of Stalingrad history.

https://www.loc.gov/resource/g7064v.ct000790/?r=-0.03,-0.077,1,0.872,0

On the map there are tons of red markers which I assume are indicative of Russian positions. However, I don't know the meaning of the symbols. Some I can speculate on, but I haven't found any legend that shows the exact meaning of symbols in use anywhere else- so I'm still stumped on what they could mean.

Is there anyone who could point me in the right direction, or knows anything about German operational maps that has any info on what the symbols mean?

1 Answers 2020-07-21

Diplomat biography

Hi all!

I'm looking for a diplomat figure to read his/her biography. I'm also interested in the political situation in Europe before the start of WWI. Any suggestions on what books/biography to read?

1 Answers 2020-07-21

Do we know what works were lost when the Library of Alexandria was burned down?

1 Answers 2020-07-21

What are some good books or primary sources about Gaul or Britain before the Roman occupation?

As the title suggests, I am looking for any books or primary sources on pre-Roman Gaul and Britain. I’m doing my own research and find this topic extremely interesting. Any books on Iron Age Celtic culture would also be interesting to me.

1 Answers 2020-07-21

How "modern" were modernized Qing armies like the Beiyang army, Huai Army, Xiang Army etc?

How "modern" in terms of equipment/training were these various Qing armies compared to other armies at the time? Were they comparable to European armies at the time?

1 Answers 2020-07-21

Were there attempts to form a Popular Front, à la those in Spain and France, in Great Britain in the 1930s? Why did these attempts fail? Did the Labour Party push for or resist attempts to form a left-wing coalition?

2 Answers 2020-07-21

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