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Like an autopsy to prove what was being published about other races was incorrect

Is it true that little kids had to become prostitutes to eat?

You never hear about Portuguese or Norwegian composers. I feel like English and French composers of "classical" music aren't really spoken about much either. Seems like everything that is still played today is German, Austrian, Italian, Russian, Czech, etc.

I enjoy history a lot, and I also enjoy movies though I don't normally watch historical fictions, because there is a lot of clashing between hollywood fiction and historical truths.

For example, if I wanted to match a movie taking place in Japan (any period would work, really) but I didn't want horrible inaccuracies or misrepresentations, what movie might I look for? Or would I just be better off watching a documentary on the subject manner?

My grandfather (opa) is Dutch-Indonesian. I'm a writer and I'm planning a trip to visit and interview him about his experiences in general over the course of his life, but I'm hoping to get him to talk about the Japanese occupation of Indonesia, which he lived through and doesn't like to discuss. Can you guys help me think of some tactful questions to ask him? Thank you.

Airborne warfare was effectively invented, or at least used in a much more decisive manner, during World War Two.

I'm asking who would've trained the Drill Instructors in 'Airborne' jumps, for them to successfully train their recruits.

I've been reading Band of Brothers, my question reworded is basically - Who would've trained Sobel so that he was able to parachute?

And how would they have been treated? If you need more specific question lets say early 800s sweden.

What exactly were they trying to do/prove?

I've been reading a historical novel set in ancient Rome and it's made frequent references to educated, aristocratic Romans having to read aloud in order to make sense of text. It even once explicitly stated that everyone had to read aloud.

The way they're described, it almost sounds like they're all dyslexic or something.

Was that a thing? Could Romans not read to themselves silently for some reason?

I can't imagine why that would be, nor can I find any explanation from googling the subject.

I was talking to a couple of Indian co-workers and during the conversation I mentioned Gandhi. They proceeded to have an hour long argument about whether or not Gandhi was a good person.

I was unable to keep up with them as they quickly switched languages and simply ignored me to yell at each other. The only information is that I understood is that one of them thought Gandhi supported the splitting caused millions of people to die and the other said it wasn't his fault at all both agreed that this was at the end of his life.

Basically my question is what happened at the end of his life to cause such a divide in their support?

I just read a basic understanding of the Vietnam War and this is what popped into my mind after learning about it.

How was the ARVN (South Vietnamese Army, for those that don't know) treated as soon as the North stormed through Southern Vietnam and Saigon was captured? Were alot of people executed for being the North's enemy? What about higher officials and officers?

Was there a lot of bloodshed to begin with in terms of the fall of Saigon or was the South pretty much destroyed and dismantled prior to this and it pretty much was a walk in the park for the NVA?

Hello,

I'm writing a novel about the reign of Queen Isabella, and in my research (watching a documentary in this case), I heard about how a German traveller coined the term "ornament of the world" when describing the Cordoba Caliphate. Is there a written source of the statement, or is it more apocryphal than anything?

Most high budget, well produced documentaries are often about the war in Europe or Pacific. What are some documentaries that you recommend that focuses on other theaters such as Second Sino-Japanese war?

Hello,

I've been trying to broaden my historical knowledge and one subject I've been reading about is India. In particular I'm trying to better understand its transition from a collection of Princely States to become the British Raj, and I'm trying to figure out how the East India Company fits into the equation.

My understanding is as follows: The British East India Company was founded circa the year 1600, originally to be just as it sounds - a company dedicated to organizing and exploiting trade in the Eastern regions of the world, now that Europe was beginning to actively explore and establish relations with the Far East. I'm aware that other nations had more or less analogous entities as well.

Over time, as Britain acquired territory in India this territory was essentially allowed to be governed by the East India Company, administered as a kind of 'corporate state' with its own armies, with a fair degree of internal autonomy, albeit owing allegiance to the British Crown. Then, at some point in the later 1800's (the exact date escapes my memory), a large Indian rebellion broke out and though it was put down, the British decided to disband the East India Company and declare Queen Victoria to be the Empress of India, thereby establishing the British Raj. If any of my understanding so far is incorrect, please correct me.

My questions are as follows.

1. Why did the British decide to allow essentially a corporate entity to administer their colonies/protectorates in India? As opposed to other dominions, like the Thirteen Colonies, Canada, etc. which were administered directly by civil/military officials appointed by the crown?

2. When the British decided to disband this company, or end its rule, under what authority did this happen? My understanding is that the British East India Company was actually a corporate entity, with shareholders, and the British government itself owned no shares.

3. Are there any other things I should know about the East India Company in terms of why it came about, how it functioned, or what its legacy is?

Thanks in advance for entertaining my queries!

I want to know what various consumer goods, such as food items, clothing, cars, rail, plane, and bus fare, gas, houses, household appliances, and more would cost through the decade in the United States. I've found a few lists online, but they all run into the same problem - these prices were extremely variable, as different states and even different cities had different prices depending on the expense of shipping commodities, and food prices in particular are always fluctuating. So, I'm guessing that the information I am asking for is really something that will take a pretty good sized book to cover with any sort of depth, if not multiple volumes of books. What I would like to ask r/askhistorians is whether this book or series exists, so that I can try to aquire it.