/r/askhistorians

Year:

Only show posts with narrations

Appreciation of the mods

430 upvotes • lgbt_turtle

Mark as read: Add to a list

Omaha beach was named after the native Omaha people. US soldiers applied Native American warpaint and shaved their heads into mohawks before the landings. Was this sort of tribute to the Native Americans common during WW2 and other conflicts in the past

430 upvotes • TheEarthShallTremble

Mark as read: Add to a list

How did folks keep flour mills from exploding all the time? I'm thinking 1100-1200, when lighting might have been predominantly, well, fire-based.

430 upvotes • AskMeAboutNurgle

Mark as read: Add to a list

Why did mexican conservatives see european noble families as the only sources of authority?

430 upvotes • Frigorifico

Mark as read: Add to a list

My name is Hannah. I'm a PhD student studying the Dogs for Defense program and the war dogs of World War II. MA about Dogs for Defense, war dogs, and pets in the 1940s!

430 upvotes • HistoryCat42

Mark as read: Add to a list

Is there any truth to the story that PayPal funded itself through its pre-IPO period primarily by not completing customer's transactions?

430 upvotes • rdef1984

Mark as read: Add to a list

In The High Mountains of Portugal by Yann Martel, a character claims that “Swimming is a modern invention - people at the time of Jesus could not swim. If they fell into deep water they sank and they drowned”. Is this true?

430 upvotes • chambo143

Mark as read: Add to a list

The Black Sea is fascinating: it's only half as salty as the world's oceans (17-18 parts per thousand, versus ~33-37 for the Atlantic). Did people notice this difference in antiquity (or more recent history)? Was this known to Byzantines? The Ottomans? Imperial Russia? If so, what was made of this?

430 upvotes • TendingTheirGarden

Mark as read: Add to a list

I grew up hearing about Anglo-Saxon migrations/conquests leaving an indelible mark on England. In recent decades, historians doubted the textual evidence for this and said any impact was small. Now, genetic testing shows a huge impact. Why did historians become doubtful, and why were they off base?

430 upvotes • RusticBohemian

Mark as read: Add to a list

What were the contingency plans for Churchill's safety if the Germans successfully invaded England? Was he planning to flee to somewhere in the Commonwealth and set up a government in exile or make a last stand in his bunker like Hitler?

429 upvotes • Gnagus

Mark as read: Add to a list

Title	Upvotes	Author	Mark as read	Favorited	Rating	Add to a list
Appreciation of the mods	430	lgbt_turtle
Omaha beach was named after the native Omaha people. US soldiers applied Native American warpaint and shaved their heads into mohawks before the landings. Was this sort of tribute to the Native Americans common during WW2 and other conflicts in the past	430	TheEarthShallTremble
How did folks keep flour mills from exploding all the time? I'm thinking 1100-1200, when lighting might have been predominantly, well, fire-based.	430	AskMeAboutNurgle
Why did mexican conservatives see european noble families as the only sources of authority?	430	Frigorifico
My name is Hannah. I'm a PhD student studying the Dogs for Defense program and the war dogs of World War II. MA about Dogs for Defense, war dogs, and pets in the 1940s!	430	HistoryCat42
Is there any truth to the story that PayPal funded itself through its pre-IPO period primarily by not completing customer's transactions?	430	rdef1984
In The High Mountains of Portugal by Yann Martel, a character claims that “Swimming is a modern invention - people at the time of Jesus could not swim. If they fell into deep water they sank and they drowned”. Is this true?	430	chambo143
The Black Sea is fascinating: it's only half as salty as the world's oceans (17-18 parts per thousand, versus ~33-37 for the Atlantic). Did people notice this difference in antiquity (or more recent history)? Was this known to Byzantines? The Ottomans? Imperial Russia? If so, what was made of this?	430	TendingTheirGarden
I grew up hearing about Anglo-Saxon migrations/conquests leaving an indelible mark on England. In recent decades, historians doubted the textual evidence for this and said any impact was small. Now, genetic testing shows a huge impact. Why did historians become doubtful, and why were they off base?	430	RusticBohemian
What were the contingency plans for Churchill's safety if the Germans successfully invaded England? Was he planning to flee to somewhere in the Commonwealth and set up a government in exile or make a last stand in his bunker like Hitler?	429	Gnagus