Hello, I am a high school history teacher and wanted to ask about a DVD advertisement in a magazine. As I was cleaning around my grandfather's house I found a magazine called The Great Courses. Supposedly it has a bunch of high profile professors talking and lecturing about various topics.

The history one is The World Was Never The Same: Events That Changed History by professor J. Rufus Fears. Has anyone here or a colleague of yours seen these videos? If so are there pieces of videos that would be suitable for a high school class?

Thanks.

Given the Ottoman tradition of becoming sultan and having ones brothers assassinated: I wonder how they insured the lineage if the sultan was unable to sire heirs, as unlike in the west, there where no uncles to claim the throne.

Hi, this is my very first post on reddit! I'm sorry for asking so many questions at once, but I recently read As Meat Loves Salt by Maria McCann and was confused by some of her descriptions. From what I understand, this book is a pretty accurate portrayal of 17th century England. She describes the main character as "black." Would that mean black like the way Black Irish people are called black? Or were there soldiers fighting in England during the 17th century who were from Africa? Where there many black people in England at the time who would have been able to fight in Oliver Cromwell's army?

Thanks for your time!

I'm interested in learning more about WWII. I've done some research and I've found two books that seem to be popular and critically acclaimed:

• All Hell Let Loose: The World at War 1939-1945 by Max Hastings
• The Second World War by Anthony Beevor

Which one is better in your opinion? Also, are there any other books, not necessarily covering the whole war, worth reading? (e.g. battle of Stalingrad, D-day, Nazi Germany etc.)

I'm watching "Generation War", a German-made TV drama charting the lives of five young Germans thought WWII. It got a wonderful reception but I don't know how accurate the historical details are.

It features a group of Polish partisans. A German Jew falls in with them but must keep his identity hidden. And they also raid a Nazi train, and when realising it is full of Jewish prisoners, decide to just leave the carriage doors shut, with one claiming that they are as bad as the Communists and Nazis.

I had never heard of any hostilities between the too groups. I had assumed, perhaps naively, that they would be united in their fight against Nazism. So, was anti-Semitism present? If so, how prevalent? Or this merely the taking of artistic license?

More specifically, has the more modern ability to create more relics (photo/video/social media etc) had an impact on how death is commonly dealt with by parents?

• Were they simply pawns of the European combatants or did they have their own strategies and goals from the war?

• What factors caused Indian tribes and confederations to choose one European power over another as an ally?

Any insight or discussion of the Indians is greatly appreciated. I'd like to get to the bottom of why us North Americans call it the "French and Indian War."

Thank you!

Sometimes bombs don't go off. Did the US have any contingency plans in place to destroy or even recover the atomic bombs they dropped on Japan, in the event they failed to detonate?

I was just wondering if anyone can tell me anything regarding the history of restraining orders -- mostly just where the first appear in history, but also anything about them being used more regularly in modern society.

Most of the info I can find online seems to be more descriptive/practical advice surrounding the legal concept, not anything about the origins.

edit: Its not the Soviet Storm documentary. The one I mean concentrates more on the inhabitants of the city and their stories. /edit.

A few years ago I saw a documentary about the siege of one of the russian cities, I think it was Stalingrad, but I am not sure. It was under siege for at least a year and the documentary tells the story of the inhabitants of the city...

Near the end is a poem read. Very powerful and moving. I can not for the life of me remember the name of the documentary and I can't find it again. Any idea what it might be?

Like many American Jews, I've had a long time fascination with the Holocaust. My grandfather was one of the first allied medical officers at Buchenwald and I went to "Survivors' dinners" for years.

I'm also a strong believer in the power of play. I reject utterly the idea that play is "for kids".

I'm looking for pictures and first hand accounts of the Nazi death marches and specifically, the march from the evacuation of Auschwitz.

Thanks.

I'm finishing his three volume bio by Manchester and I'd like to read something by Churchill.