AskHistorians

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In terms of potential nuclear war, is any one incident considered the “closest” of all close calls?	5
Were there any longstanding rivalries between pre-Colombian tribes, or tribal alliances, in North America? Were there any Native American equivalents to Britain vs France or NATO vs Warsaw Pact?	4
The book “40 Thieves on Saipan”, about USMC snipers in the Pacific War, makes detailed claims about Japanese spies living in Hawaii’s Pololū Valley. These spies allegedly provisioned Japanese subs & sent secret radio transmissions which the FBI was investigating. Is there any truth to these claims?	4
Did the Reagan administration’s hawkish stance toward the USSR actually increase the threat of nuclear war?	4
Considering that normal global commerce effectively ceased during WW2 (particularly non-Axis trade with Axis nations) how did Nazi Germany & Imperial Japan finance their massive war efforts during 1939-1945? Presumably it was debt financed but, if so, who were the creditors?	4
Regarding Japanese planes downed at Pearl Harbor: were they deliberately recover and studied? What became of the remains of the pilots?	4
Regarding 19th century infantry tactics, what did “rifle chain” & “rifle swarm” entail?	4
Europe’s German-speaking polities were culturally and religiously similar to France and possessed both military and economic strength. Why, then, did it take so much longer for a united Germany to form?	4
Since Japan surrendered unconditionally, what incentive did the US have to preserve the position of the emperor? Assuming it wasn’t just out of respect, what did the US gain from leaving a (politically neutered) monarchy in place?	4
Did any of the US Founding Fathers express opinions regarding ownership of dogs or cats? Were any of them noted as owners of dogs or cats? How common was dog/cat ownership in colonial America?	4

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