/r/askhistorians

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In "The Great Gatsby" by F. Scott Fitzgerald, Gatsby mentions that because he fought in WW1 the British let him study at an English University (Oxford) for free, or low cost. Did this actually happen for American troops in WW1?

1912 upvotes • koolstas

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How did storms affect medieval battles? Would armies waiting to engage the enemy call off a planned encounter if they saw a storm coming? What would happen if a storm suddenly broke out while the battle was already in progress?

1912 upvotes • malta3

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When did the US figure out that the USSR could not keep up?

1912 upvotes • EasternBlitz

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In stories of Prometheus giving fire to mankind, he is punished by having his liver eaten each day and regrown each night (because of his immortality). However, we now know that the liver does actually regenerate, from as little as 25% of its mass. Did the ancient Greeks know this?

1911 upvotes • superkamiokande

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Did Nazi Germany have its own version of the USO, sending out celebrities to entertain its troops?

1910 upvotes • JournalofFailure

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Would I have trouble eating enough (about 2000 kcal a day) as a common man in the Middle Ages? During Antiquity? The Iron Age? (in Europe)

1909 upvotes • TheGreatLakesAreFake

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Did H.H. Holmes really build a murder labyrinth, or was he just a terrible architect?

1909 upvotes • Jerswar

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In Midsummer Night's Dream, Theseus decides to watch the Rude Mechanicals' play specifically because he expects it will be entertainingly terrible. Nowadays many watch movies like "The Room" for the same reason. Just how old is the idea of "so bad it's good" entertainment?

1909 upvotes • Notmiefault

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Pre-1776, to what degree were the "Canadian" colonies considered distinct from the "American" colonies?

1908 upvotes • CireArodum

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In "The Pacific" miniseries, the Japanese military commit numerous atrocities in Okinawa (shooting civilians, forcing civilian women to be suicide bombers, etc); is this historically accurate?

1908 upvotes • Fumebar

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Title	Upvotes	Author	Mark as read	Favorited	Rating	Add to a list
In "The Great Gatsby" by F. Scott Fitzgerald, Gatsby mentions that because he fought in WW1 the British let him study at an English University (Oxford) for free, or low cost. Did this actually happen for American troops in WW1?	1912	koolstas
How did storms affect medieval battles? Would armies waiting to engage the enemy call off a planned encounter if they saw a storm coming? What would happen if a storm suddenly broke out while the battle was already in progress?	1912	malta3
When did the US figure out that the USSR could not keep up?	1912	EasternBlitz
In stories of Prometheus giving fire to mankind, he is punished by having his liver eaten each day and regrown each night (because of his immortality). However, we now know that the liver does actually regenerate, from as little as 25% of its mass. Did the ancient Greeks know this?	1911	superkamiokande
Did Nazi Germany have its own version of the USO, sending out celebrities to entertain its troops?	1910	JournalofFailure
Would I have trouble eating enough (about 2000 kcal a day) as a common man in the Middle Ages? During Antiquity? The Iron Age? (in Europe)	1909	TheGreatLakesAreFake
Did H.H. Holmes really build a murder labyrinth, or was he just a terrible architect?	1909	Jerswar
In Midsummer Night's Dream, Theseus decides to watch the Rude Mechanicals' play specifically because he expects it will be entertainingly terrible. Nowadays many watch movies like "The Room" for the same reason. Just how old is the idea of "so bad it's good" entertainment?	1909	Notmiefault
Pre-1776, to what degree were the "Canadian" colonies considered distinct from the "American" colonies?	1908	CireArodum
In "The Pacific" miniseries, the Japanese military commit numerous atrocities in Okinawa (shooting civilians, forcing civilian women to be suicide bombers, etc); is this historically accurate?	1908	Fumebar