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We often hear about the atrocious conditions the infantry had to endure during WW1, especially on the western front (at least just being from a western country). A lot of the terrible conditions were caused by the constant artillery fire, especially during famous battles like the Somme and Verdun, both because of the psychological effects of sitting and thinking 'when will I blow up', and also because of the huge craters the shells would leave, which would often fill with water. What was it like working as an artillery gunner? Were the conditions generally better? Were you out of range of the opposing forces' artillery? How did your daily life compare to your regular soldier?

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From what I understand, roughly six million Jews and about six million people of other “undesirable” categories (i.e. Slavs, gays, some prisoners of war, etc. etc.) were massacred during the holocaust. So I’m curious, in your average concentration camp, would half of the people imprisoned there be Jews, and the other half be gentiles of various other “untermenschen” demographics? Like, if I we’re in Auschwitz in 1943, would I see a roughly equal number of Jews to Poles, for example, or no? And if not, why? In movies and TV shows concentration camp prisoners generally seem to be represented as wholly or largely Jewish, but if the estimates of non-Jews killed during the holocaust are correct, wouldn’t there have been a roughly equal number of people with pink or black triangles walking around?

This might be a difficult question to answer because for all I know who was in the camps when was changing radically year to year. But yeah: what sort of demographic make ups could one expect to find in your “average” concentration camp at any given point during the holocaust?

Pottery and ceramics are used as identifiers by archeologists for historic and prehistoric material cultures. They were widespread in use from the Neolithic to the Roman Empire - approximately ten thousand years and our imagination of Classical Civilizations such as Rome, Greece, Egypt and Mesopotamia wouldn't be complete without them. So why did they decline - if they did at all and if so, what replaced them?

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I mean, hindsight is 20/20, but it still seems like a major overreaction. If there were a bill abolishing slavery being passed, that would make more sense. Am I missing something?

So obviously Robert Peel and the invention of a modern police service was the century after the rebellion of the colonies and establishment of the USA, but why is there such a dramatic difference in terms of policing methods, interactions, ethos, etc?

Why are police in the Commonwealth seen as civilians, who can't order people about for no reason, whereas in the US they issue "orders" to ordinary citizens, and expect to be obeyed?

I understand the rationale/arguments made for carrying guns and using a lot more force (i.e. armed populace, back up being so far away, etc.) and I get them. But what's the historical reason? How did the development of a police force in the US differ from Robert Peel's noble institution? Was there a discussion had, in the US, about the formation of police forces?

What was the main events leading to the creation of The Fed? What is the context for it happening? My understanding is that the issue of a national bank goes back to the Jackson days.

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Specifically interested in the greenback vs fiat currency debates, and the sociology of decisions made.

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Also, are there any good books on the history of Banking/commerce in the USA? I have a rudimentary understanding of the creation of the first national bank with Hamilton, and the power struggle between the two opposing sides, but want to gain a more thorough understanding. Having trouble finding a good book on the topic

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So if they spotted each other did they just go at it or did they wait for the waves/weather to come down and then battle each other or run and fight another day? I would assume the carriers would have there planes either strapped down or below and battle ships hatches all closed and guys inside

The two claims I have heard the most are that the blond haired and blue eyed Afghans are descended from them, and that elements of Buddhism have Hellenistic influence.