First of all, I'm sorry if this breaks any rules. I'm just interested in hearing what people have to say. Anyways...

Over the course of my 2+ years as a moderately active reader of this sub, I've come under the impression that questions about Nazi's and related subject matter are asked a disproportionate number of times. I can understand why the Nazi's are more interesting than irrigation techniques in the Mesopotamia, I really do.

But, what worries me in conjunction with the frequency of these questions, is their context. As of writing, there is a rising post that asks about the Nazi equivalent of a USO. To be blunt, its a question with the capacity to humanize the Nazi's, and over the years, I have noticed that many Nazi questions have had this capacity (or even intent) as well.

Given the problems we are seeing in society today (race politics boiling over in America, far-right parties wining major political races in Europe, totalitarianism in the Philippines) and even the large contingent of far-right political groups on reddit itself, I think my observation is at the very least worth discussing as a community. We don't know where the upvotes on these questions are coming from, and frankly, the worst case-scenario is frightening. In a world where people from the aforementioned political affiliations are the ones perpetuating the popularity of these sorts of questions, does /r/AskHistorians have a role to play in the spread of far-right sympathy on Reddit in particular? If so, is there anything AH can or should do?

I've visited the Vatican once and I was told that St Peter was considered the first Pope, although the Church hadn't been fully founded during his time.

Today I was discussing with my parents about it and, after doing some research, had trouble finding certain information.

• When and where was the Roman Catholic Church founded? Was it literally founded by Peter, or was it something that came from his followers post mortem? Does this have any relation with the Decree of Nicaea, 325bc?
• Why was the Vatican region chosen for the St Peter's Basilica? I found that it was built during the 16th century, but why that place specifically?
• What's the relation between the Pentecost (St Peter's first sermon) and these locations, if there is any? This is something mentioned by my mother in that his sermon was done where his Basilica is now, but I can't find anything about this. Any hints or is this just some misconception? Where and When did he do the Pentecost, anyway -- it's said that it was a bit after the "Return" of Jesus, which would date it 33bc, but I find it hard to believe he'd go to the Vatican region within the year(which is why my mom's phrase feels weird as well)
• Finally, what's the difference between the Roman Catholic Church and the Apostolic Catholic Church?

I'm really not sure where to look anymore. Every time I see an answer to a question from here it's always well written and sourced so I feel like this is the best shot at figuring these out. If anyone could help me I'd be really grateful!

My grandfather wrote an autobiografy, it describes his life from a day to day basis. It's a terrible read, full of insignificant details (like what he paid for parking). But it also portrays how he experienced important world events like 9/11.

I think the book will be very valuable for later generations, because I have the feeling we only remember the lives of the most important poeple. I live in the Netherlands (if that's relevant), I can't ask my grandfather if/how he wants it to be preserved because he is diagnosed with dementia.

Sorry for my English, I'm not a native speaker. Thanks in advance!

You always hear about ancient Japan and it's proficiency with steel. Why is this? Did they have access to some material that no one else did? Was it the processes for refinement that they discovered? Or is this just a modern thought based in myth?

I chose this century to ask this question since electricity wasn't manipulated to the extent of the 19th or 20th centuries. So I wonder, were people hoping for a perfect utopia in the future, or something else entirely?

A long time ago I stumbled across a cartoon in which appeared Frederick the Great whipping Hitler and Bismarck taking off his belt ready to beat Hitler down too. The thing is, I'been looking for that same image fir a long time, but I don't seem to find it anywhere. Does anyone of you know anything about it, where I could find it or its source?

I'm aware this is a different post than the other ones posted here. I'm fairly new to the sub and I still don't know entirely how it works, so if you might think this post could go on another sub please tell me.

Hi,

I once read about the use of another term for the more common "Treaty of Versailles". However, I can't remember it, so I ask you for help to find it.

The only thing I remember is that the term began with the letter T. I think it had some reference to the physical location of Versailles. The post where I read it (can't remember where) read something along the lines of "Reverse the treaty/other term of T!".

Not much info, but I thank you in advance.

As the title says. The difference between literature of pre vs post WW1 has re-sparked my interest in the Great War & it's build up say the 100 years leading to it

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I understand that the most distant Phoenician settlement was Tarshish but I am wondering if the Phoenicians explored further than the strait of Gibraltar. I also am wondering why there were no settlements in the Atlantic especially considering the mineral resources of the British isles or West Africa.

From what I know the USSR was a very authoritarian state. Yet they seemed to do some form of elections, and pay lip-service to the concept of democracy.

I guess my question is, were they ever "democratic" to begin with? Were their elections shams, did they know this, and what did they think/say about it?

I don't really have a very specific question but I'm just interested in the gap between their theory and practice of democracy?

Are there any books with historical accounts. Even written acorns from the time

I'm doing research for a paper regarding early 20th century knowledge of space. Does anybody have any good resources regarding the twenties and thirties and what was actually known about space, radiation in the vacuum of space, how space travel would be possible, how other properties of physics are affected by space or really any other human interest topics regarding space

Especially interested in common beliefs and scientific theories disproved by space travel.

Most resources outside of speaking to goddard's patents usually begin in the late 40s with no mention of anything earlier.

Any help the community could offer would be greatly appreciated