Today:
Welcome to this week's instalment of /r/AskHistorians' Sunday Digest (formerly the Day of Reflection). Nobody can read all the questions and answers that are posted here, so in this thread we invite you to share anything you'd like to highlight from the last week - an interesting discussion, an informative answer, an insightful question that was overlooked, or anything else.
/u/hellcatfighter answered "Why were the Japanese so resolved to fight and die in WWII?"
/u/alvisefalier on "Where did the city of Venice got its freshwater?"
/u/kochevnik81 answered "Did people live in the Soviet Union without being members of the communist party? Were all citizens expected or coerced to join the party?"
Just to toot my own horn a bit, I answered /u/stangsa's question on Britain's selection of Hong Kong as its China colony here.
I answered a question on what the Black Death was and how it managed to kill half of Europe, I'm slightly surprised there's nothing in the FAQ about it.
I think this answer on the legal relations between skin color and "race" by /u/grumblingduke is worth checking out, if you haven't already.
Also, I attempted to answer a question by /u/pallmtrees on what inspired Italian Prime Minister Francesco Crispi's interest in the colonization of Ethiopia during late XIX Century - the matter of why a politician, or a political group, choose to commit to an endeavor that may appear to us unsure or too costly, especially if we attempt to search for objective causes, representing those events by means of neat, well defined blocks, is one that seems relevant in a broader context.
Welcome one and all to another great edition of the Sunday Digest. Hopefully everyone, wherever you are, is enjoying this wonderful time of year. I’m a bit late to the party this week, so I’m not going to repost ones that were already up. But everyone should check them out! There’s some fantastic ones.
Let’s start off, as we usually do, with the great regular series.
Tuesday’s feature was Tuesday Trivia: History that passes the Bechdel Test! This thread has relaxed standards and we invite everyone to participate! Tuesday Trivia: History that passes the Bechdel Test! This thread has relaxed standards and we invite everyone to participate! Which had several great responses! Read up on saints, workers, fighters and more!
The Saturday Showcase | December 22, 2018 and the ongoing tale as told by /u/Klesk_vs_Xaero. Are there any plans to turn this epic into a novel or book at some point? It certainly deserves it.
And I can't wait to see everyone in the New Year! (Y2K questions here I come!)
Thanks to /u/Gregory_K_Zhukov and /u/Gankom for the mentions!
A few days ago, I was thrilled to answer this question about knowledge of Roman concrete in late antiquity.