Considering he signed a Russian pact for funding when nationalising the Canal, and a Czech arms deal, there must have been common elements in the Soviet Union and Egypt's ideologies. I know Nasser didn't identify as Communist, but were there common elements?

Were they trying to flee the American government at the time? What did they see in Texas?

I was always taught in high school that the French lost because they fought badly. However, I've recently picked up some history books (particularly R.A.C. Parker's "The Second World War") and learned that the French (with help from the Americans, Canadians, and RAF) actually had superior numbers in terms of air craft, had more modern equipment, and fought more fiercely compared to the Luftwaffe, yet France was invaded. Can anyone help me understand why this is? Does it have to do with military/politics clashes between the two world wars?

Edit: clarification.

From my brief knowledge about the Mongolian empire, and Genghis Kahn in particular, his campaign was the direct cause of millions of deaths throughout Asia, including rape and pillaging. So why is it there are statues idolising the man?

Were they snowbirds?

I was watching Battleship today, and they get the museum ship USS Missouri running in a few hours (yes I know this is stupid), but they light the boilers and get enough steam to sail during this time.

Surely the amount of water necessary to power a vessel like this would require hours upon hours of time to heat up and generate enough steam.

As a side question, did blockade ships in the US Civil War stay under steam 24 hours a day (in case they had to chase down a blockade runner)? That must have cost a tremendous amount of coal!

My question is simple...how long?

I've often heard this as a rumor, but I haven't read anything concrete on the subject, and looking for information on it seems to be more difficult than I anticipated.

As a follow-up, if such is the case, are there direct correlations between saints and gods? Which gods became which saints?