It's surprisingly easy to find letters or interviews of concentration camp guards who worked for Nazi Germany, yet I can't find anything similar that would give me any insight into a Gulag guard (not an administrator).

From what I understand (I most recently read Malia's book, Tragedy of the Soviet Union) the Gulag archipelago was incredibly inhospitable, to the point where survival after 3 months wasn't likely, but that leaves out the actual prison guards. Where did they live? Did they aid prisoners at any time? Torture them unnecessarily? What were the benefits keeping them working there, if any? I can't find a single memoir.

I know many casualties in WWI were not in the trenches, which were confined to specific fronts during the war, but what exactly were the tactics used in areas where fighting was more mobile? How much did it resemble WWII? How did these tactics vary between different fronts? Also, with regards to trench warfare, how much of the fighting actually occurred in areas where trench warfare was dominant? When did use of trenches begin and end? I'm trying to get a more well rounded view of how the war was actually fought.

Kaliningrad is/was of considerable strategic importance to the Russian/USSR military forces, particularly as a warm water port. In the 50's the Lithuanian SSR refused the offer of Kaliningrad, and reunified Germany refused it in 1990, instead wanting payment. Why refuse this offer? How high were the sums that Lithuania and Germany wanted from Russia that they refused 15,000km^2 of land and what was the debt owed by Russia/USSR? Was it that worthless?

I realize that weapons and valuables from the dead where looted after the battle, but Carthaginians buried their fallen and its doubtful that local population just let ~ 50.000 dead Romans and their allies lie around unburied making a stench and taking up land, so it seems that in a vicinity of the battlefield there should be rather obvious and massive earth mounds with skeletal remains.

Just considering how a lot of other political unions got started; I can think of Hawaii as a notable region that got annexed. Considering how so many of them are large and plentiful enough to be thriving countries in their own right, were any others given ultimatums, outright annexed, etc?

More precisely:

that the Rothschilds owned French, English and German media-outlets and used them to manipulate their respective peoples to start these wars (especially WW1).

that the Rothschilds did this to be able to sell more weapons.

Other fun facts are always welcome.

Hello! I am new to this subreddit. That being said, before I get to my question I would just like to say that before decidig to post this thread I read the rules for this subreddit, my English, be it not my mothers tounge there is a chance that I break one or more rule(s) by making this. But to my knowledge it will not.

Anyhow, My question is very short and simple and goes as follows. Did anyone, at anytime say something in style with "If Britain would've went to war with Prussia, they would not be considered the strongest military force". I remember reading this or something similar sometime ago.

Im genuinely sorry if this is seen as reduntant to ask. I am simply looking for this quote have it been made.

Thanks for your attention and time! Cheers.

When did engineering become it's own field of study and why?

In the book "Guns of August", the first few chapters mention the "overhauls" in the British, French, Russian and German military before WWI started, but don't get very specific. In general, what changed from a personnel, tactical and war materials standpoint? And did these "overhauls" include a change in philosophical ideology toward the conduction and development of strategy?

Thanks!

I can't find this question here on /r/askhistorians. If it was answered before, please point me to it, and sorry I asked again, I just can't find it.

For as far as I can see, this is a heated debate, but I'm not sure who to trust, so I came here.

EDIT: I hear that many people argue this to be true, but I heard that the M1 was at first automated, making it the first actual assault rifle, even if it was later made semi-automated.

EDIT2: I also recently heard that the Federov Avtomat might be considered the first assault rifle. Is that true?

I've frequently heard this myth spoken about world war one, but only about world war one. I wondered if there was any truth to this myth, and if so whether it was just tench fashion or actually consisted to do anything.

In the movie Der Untergang (Downfall), there is a scene where the "Greifkommando" execute civilians who attempt to flee during the Battle of Berlin. There is also another scene where civilians are hung in the streets with propaganda signs strung around their necks.

Who were these Greifkommando and what exactly were they tasked with? Were they all members of the SS? Were they created during the final phases of WW2? Are there any accounts of their actions?

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I was watching "Shakespeare in Love", in which Shakespeare goes to see a man whom he talks about his woes, and pays him for his time. The time is marked by an hourglass, and once his time is up, the man says "See you next week" or something similar. Which led to my question: when did the idea or profession of therapy begin, and how? Would Shakespeare have had access to such a person?

My limited reading of the subject has not produced any satisfactory answer.

Really want to study this event. All the work that went behind it, the lead up to Edison's unveiling of the lit-up city, immediate effects, etc. I'm basically obsessed with every detail of this fair.

Any good books, outlets, documentaries, shows, etc that you guys would recommend?

How historically accurate is Netflix's show, Narcos?