What were The Soviet Union's claims to a better quality of life?

Like, I'm not necessarily asking if they were true (but I would like to know if they were true) but I was wondering what claims were made as to why life in the Soviet Union was superior to that of life in the United States. By the government or citizens, what the most important ones were, how they changed, the extant to which they were believed, the extant to which they were right, and how they changed over time would all be of interest to me.

2 Answers 2015-05-23

How many times has a US warplane actually fired an air-to-air missile, with deadly intent, since 1980?

I just realized after watching Top Gun that it's likely we haven't been engaged in a true aerial dogfight for quite some time. (I know the film is fictional btw)

2 Answers 2015-05-23

Did the invention an use of synthetic fertilizers meet any criticism in the early 1900s? (Inspiration for school project)

Hey /r/askhistorians!

I hope to God that this is the right sub to post this on - if not, please do tell me, and I'll remove the post.

I'm currently writing an assignment in which I have to incorporate methods used in both biotechnology and history. I've decided that it should be about the invention and production of synthetic fertilizers, specifically focusing on the Haber-Bosch Method. I'm struggling with finding any historical material that I can use however. I've found some decent statistical data that I can use, however I'd like to get my hands on some written material from the early 20th century in which this subject is discussed. Ideally, I'd like to be able to conclude what the general view on the use of synthetic fertilizers was in the early 1900s.

This subject seems to be a hot topic today, and as far as I can tell, it was discussed all the way back in the 1920's, but I haven't been able to find a source for this. Hope you can help me out here!

1 Answers 2015-05-23

Why did the Shah choose to exile Ayatollah Khomeini?

It seems like a strange decision given that Khomeini was initially imprisoned, and then exiled, which allowed him to continue preaching to his followers from Iraq and later France.

1 Answers 2015-05-23

It's often pointed out that British troops were better trained than American troops during the Revolution, but what exactly does that mean? What was it about British soldiers during the 18th century that made them so feared?

This question is more about my lack of understanding of this type of warfare. I can understand how someone can fight better with a sword and shield, or how a team of Navy Seals can be better organized and with better aim than a normal soldier. But how does better training translate when you're lining up and firing volleys of musket shots at another line of guys?

5 Answers 2015-05-23

What has been the biggest betrayal in history?

1 Answers 2015-05-23

What does it mean to be called a 'sir' in Great Britain like Sir Isaac Newton, Sir Henry Bessemer?

1 Answers 2015-05-23

Saturday Reading and Research | May 23, 2015

Previous

Today:

Saturday Reading and Research will focus on exactly that: the history you have been reading this week and the research you've been working on. It's also the prime thread for requesting books on a particular subject. As with all our weekly features, this thread will be lightly moderated.

So, encountered a recent biography of Stalin that revealed all about his addiction to ragtime piano? Delved into a horrendous piece of presentist and sexist psycho-evolutionary mumbo-jumbo and want to tell us about how bad it was? Need help finding the right book to give the historian in your family? Then this is the thread for you!

11 Answers 2015-05-23

Has the world always hated the rich? or is that just a modern concept?

1 Answers 2015-05-23

How was the Dutch military rebuilt after the Second World War and what were the consequences for the Indonesian War of Independence only 2 years later?

I'm curious about the way the Dutch went from no army at all in 1945 to deployment on the other side of the globe very shortly after.

  • Was there a need to rebuild the army from scratch or did equipment and expertise survive the German occupation?
  • What happened with the draft? Were all people that should've been drafted in 1940-1945 simply enlisted all at once when the war had ended? Did this cause any problems?
  • Were there issues with the physical health of soldiers, e.g. because of malnutrition in the Hunger Winter?
  • Were there any combat issues in Indonesia that could be attributed to a lack of training or preparation?
  • Many Dutch veterans of the Indonesian Independence Wars seem to have suffered from psychological issues such as PTSD. Was this war actually particularly hard to cope with for the average soldier, and is there any particular reason for that?

1 Answers 2015-05-23

Has Switzerland always been a republic?

After playing a bit of EU IV (I assume about 80% of this subreddit is familiar with this game) I began to wonder - has Switzerland always been a republic? I'm aware that Switzerland hasn't always been quite so neutral, but when did the nation of Switzerland officially declare its existence, and was it a republic at this point? (I mention this latter part, as I expect that the tribes who lived in Switzerland thousands of years ago had some sort of hereditary rule going on.)

A further question, if anybody can answer - if Switzerland has been a republic for so long, has it been a democratic one? By this, I mean, has Switzerland given the right to vote to all (or at least a majority) of its citizens above a certain age? Or did it have a system wherein only the wealthy could vote, making the Swiss republic more akin to the Polish Sejm in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, rather than a modern democracy?

Sorry if this is the wrong subreddit for this - don't really know where else I could put it.

1 Answers 2015-05-23

Can anyone please give me information about a WWII POW so I can find out more about my late grandfather?

Hello.

My grandfather passed away more than 10 years ago, and since I was still a child back then, I didn't have much of an opportunity to talk about the second world war.

Now that I am older, and that my grandmother also passed away several years ago, I grew interested in the history of my family.

The main reason why I would like to know about it, is that there is (almost?) no information left. When my grandmother died, a lot of her belongings (and at the same time of my grandfather, for example his notes about what he did there and what happened there) were thrown away by a family member who thought all these "old things" were "meaningless".

One other thing is that I don't live in Europe anymore, and I can't afford to go to that camp to find information about him.

One of the things I know, is that he was imprisoned in a camp in Germany. The name of the camp is "Landsberg" or something like that. I don't know if that is the exact way to spell it, but I suppose it could be this camp: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Landsberg_am_Lech

He was from Belgium, and was arrested there on a train before being sent to the camp.

Then, there is not much that I know about him.

My father told me that there was another Belgian who he seemed to have befriended and who died there (he doesn't know how) and his name was Desmedt (don't know if that's the right way to spell it).

When he was liberated, there was a Lithuanian who told him not to go a certain way because it was war there, and he would probably be killed, and instead go by another way. This man probably saved his life, so if there is information about him and or the way my grandfather went to go home, I'd be really happy.

What kind of work did he do there? How were the conditions? Is it possible to find out more about him and his companions / friends he made there? How long was he imprisoned and why? How did he came back to Belgium on his own?

These are some of the questions I would like to have an answer to if it's possible.

Since Reddit is a place with a huge amount of people, I think this is my best chance to find at least basic information about him.

Thank you and sorry for being so vague, but I don't have much information about him.

Edit: I forgot to mention that the Lithuanian man was also imprisoned with my grandfather.

1 Answers 2015-05-23

When did animal Sacrifices become antiquated in Jewish religion?

If Jews don't recognize the Christ, then what reasoning do they hold for not sacrificing animals to atone for their sins anymore?

6 Answers 2015-05-23

[Serious] Considering the photographic and film evidence the eyewitness accounts and testimonials of the holocaust, what "Proof" do holocaust deniers use to counter all this?

Considering all the undeniable proof that the holocaust took place and the almost non existent room for doubt, how can people to this day deny the holocaust ever happened? what "Proof" do they use?

Thank you for taking the time to comment.

2 Answers 2015-05-23

In a comment rosemary95 stated that there are thousands of fragmentary classical authors and their fragments but that most of there of the fragments are littered throughout old scrolls (ancient and medieval)(full question below).

In a comment rosemary95 stated that there are thousands of fragmentary classical authors and their fragments but that most of there of the fragments are littered throughout old scrolls (ancient and medieval)? A)Why in most disciplines is there not a policy that you don't automatically digitize discovered artifacts , manuscripts and inscriptions? B) Why hasn't there been a huge archive of classical texts for both scholars and the lay public?

3 Answers 2015-05-23

Did the Native Americans have anything akin to the alcoholic beverages of Europe?

1 Answers 2015-05-23

Have an A2 History exam soon, Historians, how do you remember the detail?

Hi, I have an A2 History exam coming up on June 8th. The topic is 'British State and People: 1865-1915'.

The topic encompasses:

  • The 1867 Reform Act (1865-1868)
  • Gladstone's First Ministry (1868-1874)
  • Disraeli's Second Ministry (1874-1880)
  • Gladstone's Second and Third Ministries (1880-86)
  • Conservative Dominance (1886-1906)
  • Liberal Ascendency (1906-1915)
  • The Rise of Labour & Women's Rights (1865-1915)

I have a good over-view of this however I struggle to remember the finer details. Someone told me that the best way to remember this info is to truly understand what it means/context.

Historians, how do you remember such detail for an exam? How do I remember the details needed for this topic? Any tips? I need to also improve my evaluative skills, which is vital in History essays so I need to argue a point.

Much appreciated, thanks.

5 Answers 2015-05-23

Why is there a distinct lack of nobility in Norway when Sweden and Denmark has many minor titles still in existence?

1 Answers 2015-05-23

How did people think before languages existed?

1 Answers 2015-05-23

Why were military officers so young hundreds of years ago? Were they capable officers?

2 Answers 2015-05-23

How did kings and emperors handle mass scale immigration?

1 Answers 2015-05-23

What are some interesting tidbits of history you've always wanted to share, but never got the opportunity to?

1 Answers 2015-05-23

Were Egyptian Pharaoh's expected to be warriors? Did this change throughout time?

2 Answers 2015-05-23

Were there any Orthodox Christian knights or were knights strictly Catholic?

1 Answers 2015-05-23

Why did the Soviets in WW2 lose so many men?

1 Answers 2015-05-23

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