Who do you guys think fired the first shot of the Lexington and concord battle? I’m very curious to see what historians think

1 Answers 2019-02-19

Why did the British use so little cavalry in the Revolutionary War?

2 Answers 2019-02-18

Did the Norse have peaceful (perhaps mercantile?) contact with Britain and France before Viking raids began? If not, how did the Vikings know where to raid?

1 Answers 2019-02-18

What Happened To Allied Citizens Who Left And Joined The Wehrmacht?

title, trying to find analogies for that begum chick in england rn.

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edit: or is it not apt at all because the current situation involves non state actors without any internationally acknowledged territory?

1 Answers 2019-02-18

When did the general public fully realize the significance of the Atomic bomb?

With all of the secrecy surrounding the Manhattan Project throughout the years-long development process, the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki must have been a complete shock to the world. This sudden demonstration of global warfare supremacy - and the US' willingness to use these weapons against its enemies - is arguably the most significant event in world history.

But when did the American public, and the global public for that matter, truly understand the gravity of the situation, and what one nation's possession of nuclear weapons meant for the future of the world?

You can watch Truman's announcement of the Hiroshima bombing now which, AFAIK, is the first time the existence of nuclear weapons was made public. Now, I'm not sure if the impact of what he’s saying is lost on me or what have you, but I just don’t know if I’d fully appreciate the significance of it if I’d been Joe Citizen in August 1945. Truman equates the power of the bomb to 20,000 tons of TNT, he waxes poetic about harnessing “the basic power of the universe” in a $2 billion gamble, and provides one ambiguous accomplishment in that it “destroyed (Hiroshima’s) usefulness to the enemy.” In hindsight, there’s no question about how momentous this announcement was. But I’m really curious about the reaction it got in the press and your average American’s understanding of what their president had just told them.

At some point in time it became clear that mankind had acquired the capability to destroy itself, and eventually the only thing keeping that from happening was the MAD doctrine. Was this immediately understood by the general public after the bombing of Japan? Was it a creeping realization that settled in over time as further advancements led to more powerful weapons? Did it only really start to sink in following the Soviets' acquisition of nuclear weapons?

1 Answers 2019-02-18

I was looking at Dr. Seuss Political cartoons, and found one where Hitler panics when he finds a V in his alphabet soup. What was this referring to?

Cartoon in question

2 Answers 2019-02-18

Both Philadelphia and Boston appear to be much more historically significant than NYC and, in 1776, Philly was the nation's most populated by a significant margin at 40,000 people (NYC at 25,000). What led to NYC becoming America's quintessential city over places like Philly or Boston?

3 Answers 2019-02-18

Federalists and Antifederalists

I'm writing a paper on Federalist No. 1, and I'm trying to figure out who had more political power in New York at the time, the Federalists, or the Antifederalists. The convention ratified the Constitution of course, but was that a result of the political power of the Federalists, or did something else cause a shift? I know the Antifederalists held more seats in the ratifying convention, but that's where my knowledge ends and I'm having trouble finding scholarly sources on the information I'm looking for. Any help is appreciated (and name your sources please! or at least point me in the right direction so I can find my own)

2 Answers 2019-02-18

How did plumbing work in onsen or other bathhouses prior to industrialization?

I am researching this for a fantasy story so that is why I am not particular on the exact time period or place. I am specifically interested in bathhouses with water sourced from hot springs, whether in ancient times or prior to the 18th century, but again if there is no data for it then I'll take anything!

How could you drain and fill baths without electricity or some type of engine? Was it possible to pump water by hand or possibly by steam power to raise it up so that gravity could then be used to move the water to a bath/etc? What was the process of tapping into and diverting a water source like prior to the 18th century?

I have found information on a variety of pumps and methods used to transport water prior to widespread mechanization and electricity. One beginner resource I stumbled upon was Evolution of Water Lifting Devices (Pumps) over the Centuries Worldwide by Yannopoulos et AL (https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/7/9/5031). (on mobile, pardon my formatting). Online resources for Roman bathhouses seem scant as well when it comes to the nitty-gritty of how they moved the water from place to place (beyond the aqueducts providing gravity fed water).

I hope this is appropriate for this forum. I have learned a lot from lurking and thought I would ask about this issue. If this question is too vague, I can remove it and think of a better way to poise my question. Thank you all!

1 Answers 2019-02-18

Socrates used philosophy to conclude that he knew nothing. Yet his students, Plato the Academic and Antisthenes the Cynic, went on to found philosophical schools that taught lot of "known things", both in terms of theory and practical living advice. How did they go from nothing to so many ideas?

1 Answers 2019-02-18

How/why was Christianity able to replace pagan faiths as it spread through Europe?

I listen to a lot of heavy metal, and there seems to be a recurring theme of rediscovering the ancient pagan/norse faiths of Europe that were wiped out by Christianity. I don't want to start an argument on "Christian oppression," but the fact that Christianity overcame these faiths so completely as the dominant faith of Europe implies that there was some direct reason for it. Why did Christianity win out?

3 Answers 2019-02-18

When people say not to judge past eras by today’s norms, is that every really valid?

For instance, between abolitionists and slaves, a huge number of people, even in the South, were strongly against slavery in the United States long before there was political consensus due to disenfranchisement. Today, there are still tons of lost causers (and even a number of neoconfederates). At what point do professional historians start to say “It was a different era. They didn’t know any better.” when considering people of the past?

1 Answers 2019-02-18

Why did Australia and other Commonwealth countries, that suffered huge casualties during WW1, so readily join WW2 in 1939

I would have thought there would be a bigger anti-war/isolationist movement in say Australia especially before 1941 but it seems like they joined the war in Europe right away. I could understand once Japan started attacking closer to say Australia but why were nations so quick to join the European War effort along with the UK. Or was there some kind of requirement to join as part of Commonwealth status?

1 Answers 2019-02-18

The population of the Soviet Union grew rapidly from 1950 until 1990. However, after the collapse of the Soviet Union, the population of the former Soviet states stagnated and began to decline. Was the collapse of the union so serious that it caused that decline or is there something I'm missing?

Here is a graph for reference.

https://tinyurl.com/gwszopw

1 Answers 2019-02-18

Hey everyone, can you guys tell me about Hitler's plan to build an atomic bomb in WWII?

Recently, i have been told about some kinda nuclear things, wars ... And there is some problems, mysteries that i need to know clearly. This is my very first post on Reddit, if there is any mistake or something, i will be very appreciated if you guys help me to improve it. Thanks.

1 Answers 2019-02-18

What is the origin and history of the idea that radiation makes you stronger or gives you superpowers?

In real life, radiation ravages your body. However, in movies, comics and pulpy sci-fi (such as The Incredible Hulk, Them!, etc.) radiation makes animals huge and gives people superpowers. What is the origin and history of this idea?

1 Answers 2019-02-18

There is a recent controversy between Israel and Poland regarding Polish collaboration with the Nazis. To what extent did the Poles collaborate with the Nazis, and how widespread was it compared to other German-occupied countries?

1 Answers 2019-02-18

Did Bismarck really fight duels?

I know he fought a would-be assassin once and won, but I can't seem to find anything about duels. Did he really fight in a bunch of them? Thanks

1 Answers 2019-02-18

Lots of US states have laws against oral sex. Were these laws ever enforced? How?

Did the cops make rounds each night and perform random house checks? More accusation-based? Or were these symbolic laws meant to condemn the practice rather than actually being used in court?

1 Answers 2019-02-18

The smallpox vaccine predates germ theory by 150 years; how did it come to be adopted and how did they think it worked?

1 Answers 2019-02-18

How common was the Niqab, Burqa and Hijab amongst Islamic women (both common and noble) throughout history?

Is the full veil a relatively new thing? Did it come with the rise of salafism and the Islamic revolution in Iran or was it always there? How conservative was the view during say the Islamic golden age of science and philosophy? Was it always mandated by law like it is now in many Islamic countries?

Thanks :)

1 Answers 2019-02-18

Differances of a m4a2 with a 76 mm cannon and a 'easy eight '

Does a m4a2 with a 76 mm cannon have any differences to a easy eight (m4a2e8 i think is the name )

1 Answers 2019-02-18

What caused some ancient civilization to base their calendars around the moon rather than the sun? And vice versa?

1 Answers 2019-02-18

I've had a cold for a couple of weeks, and it sucks. If I were afflicted by a lingering illness with cold- or flu-like symptoms in a town in 1500s Germany, who would I talk to for medical advice, and what would they recommend me?

Repackaging 1500s medical advice as a new hip kind of alternative medicine: I'm tellin' you now, it's gonna be big!

2 Answers 2019-02-18

Why was Britain christianized in the early Middle Ages? I thought it had already become Christian with the Roman Empire.

Apologies for the ignorant question, but I thought since Britannia was part of the Roman Empire it had been therefore become Christian much earlier than the 6th century.

2 Answers 2019-02-18

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