Did society as a whole really decline all that much following the fall of the western Roman Empire? Is the term Dark Ages widely used in academic circles or is it mainly used in pop culture?

Why not other faiths? Or a mixture of faiths? Did they actually take other minority religions but we just don't hear about it?

As a Swede growing up i have been told that Sweden was nutralduring WW2, how does the rest of the world see it?

Sweden's neutrality can be question especially after the midsummer crisis and i want to know what other countries think of Sweden during WW2

I'm looking for either absolute figures or percentages in:

Wehrmacht Kriegsmarine Luftwaffe Waffen SS (although that's probably 100%...?)

for the years 1939-1945

If you've got data that shows trends for numbers to rise or fall in a particular year that would be very useful too!

many thanks for all that contribute.

I understand this might be a fairly niche question. I would also be curious to learn about the same thing in other groups around similar times as well. I remember while visiting Chichen Itza that the tour guide said parts of the city have amazing acoustics as well, but I don't know if the Mayans deliberately planned it this way or not.

I am trying to find a copy of an 82nd Airborne "yearbook" <I do not know the technical name> that the soldiers received after the war. My Uncle presently has my Grandpa's Book (deceased) and the familial relationship is strained. I would like to see the locations were my Grandpa jumped and visit in the near future. He never discussed the war when I was growing up, however, he had quite a bit of leg pain and did discuss "hitting the water" was much worse than the land. He also received two Purple Hearts.

In his book, he marked all the pix he was in: A Winter Scene on Patrol at Night

Somewhere in Italy

and, if memory serves, he was also in Africa

The book had a deep magenta covering and it reminded me of a yearbook because it had many pictures.

I also found his enlistment record and if I could use that somehow to research, please point me to the relevant sites. I am aware that "next of kin" can obtain a copy of the service record, and the address/info.

If this helps, I do remember him discussing Gliders; Mom believes he piloted one, but I don't remember seeing any 325th info growing up. I think he might have jumped and piloted, if that makes any sense?

While its true some explorers (eg Lewis & Clark) came across peoples who had already encountered their own/known cultures, when other explorers made first contact what was the standard protocol for translation?

Did they rely on sort of pantomime? Did they select an indigenous representative to be trained in the party's language?

Hi. I have been on paleo for the last 2-3 years. I am not too strict, but I think I have found a lifestyle that works for me. My weight has been stable for at least a year now and I am happy with it.

That said, I (25M) am constantly feeling cold.

This was definitely not the case even a few years ago. I was always "the guy" who was never cold, wore nearly the same clothes in the summers and winters etc.

Could my diet be behind this? I don't exercise often, but I am only using a standing desk at work and I walk everywhere (work, library, pub, etc) so I don't think I'm idle for any extended periods of time.

Sure, I could start wearing more clothes, but that's not the solution I am hoping for :)

Any advice? Thanks!

Which war do you deemed as the first real world war (modern times, 1500 A.C onwards), I mean, a war with major/considerable worldwide implication (minimum 3 continents and different countries being involved with important particular issues), plus huge battles in several world theatres and noteworthy consequences/aftermath and notable casualties (at least 750.000-1 million killed people). (Do not have to be involved states of 3 continents, action has to be held in 3 different continents)

Some exemples that I think could be the answer (in my ignorant opinion): Eighty Years War (1568-1648) plus Dutch-Portuguese war and Franco-Spanish war, Nine years war (1688-1697) Spanish succession war (1701-1714), Austrian succesion war (1740-1748) (includes Jenkins' ear war, First Carnatic war, King George's war), Seven Years War (1756-1763), American Revolutionary War (1775-1783) or Napoleonic wars (1803-1815)

I know that it is a tricky question but thanks for answer!

Hi everyone, my grandfather recently died aged 98 and was a Sergeant in the German 2nd Paratroop Division in WWII.

He told me a number of stories over the years (which I'm happy to share) and I'm wondering if you know of any good online resources where I can learn more about the division.

For example, I'm looking if possible to corroborate stories he told me about a British supply convoy they hijacked in Africa; his commanding officer "Gepke" - (I can only find "Ramke" online); and how in Crete his unit was dive-bombed by their own Stukkas after they'd taken part of the island. These are just a few of the things I'd like to learn more about.

I'd be very grateful if you can help me out.

-Thanks

Not literally of course. I was listening to Dan Carlin's excellent Hardcore History podcast on WW I, and heard him give examples of step-wise advances in technology. In passing, he mentioned the "Germanic barbarians'" awe at the crumbling Roman aqueducts, and that they must have wondered what fantastic civilization built them.

It got me wondering ... are there any other instances of groups of people or civilizations that encountered technology from long ago that was more advanced than their own? It's interesting to think about cases where civilization doesn't move "forward."

Can someone explain it to me? I know he styled himself King of Castile for a while, and that it had something to do with Pedro the Cruel, but its origins escape me so I'm looking for a well structured description. Thanks in advance.

Pretty much as the title suggests: I know there was a relatively brief period of overlap, but I don't know anything about how tactics might have worked in any encounters that did take place.

If Japan refused to surrender, which city did the Truman adminstration plan to bomb after Nagasaki?

Or did they just pass these people off as 'insane' or 'village idiots'?

edit: I forgot to specify Europe, though if people have info on this from other parts in the world, I'd be interested in it too.

We know that the well-connected did what they could to escape Nazi Germany as it fell. Who is the highest-take person to evade capture to this day?