Russian History: Why did the Soviet military retain the traditional (western) Officer/Enlisted class binary rather than instituting some other hierarchichal structure? How did they ideologically justify maintaining two distinct and separate classes, one subordinate to the other, in an army putatively fighting for a classless society?
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posted by jjjjjjjijjjjjjj
on Nov 2, 2012 -
11 answers
I'm looking for quantitative studies or other accounts of how often, and in what ways, soldiers in dangerous wartime situations discuss the possibility of death.
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posted by inkfish
on May 11, 2012 -
1 answer
Computer and/or military history nerds -- please lend your speculations. Was Joe doing mundane data entry or something secret and spy-like?
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posted by amanda
on Jul 2, 2011 -
13 answers
We're watching
Gettysburg, which is a great education in the Civil War for our 15-year-old son. What are other great movies about battles and war?
posted by musofire
on Oct 6, 2010 -
48 answers
I enjoyed Rick Atkinson's
Liberation Trilogy on WWII (so far) and Shelby Foote's
Civil War: A Narrative. What are similar narrative retellings for other wars? I'm particularly interested in something like this for the Napoleonic wars.
posted by event
on Aug 13, 2010 -
17 answers
Where can I find photos (portraits) of veterans in uniform, taken during their enlistment? Is this the kind of thing that's kept on file in military records?
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posted by liketitanic
on Apr 19, 2010 -
8 answers
Military history looks like a field where jokers abound. All sorts of people make various claims, and it seems that many of them don't know what they're talking about. How do I, a layperson, get the tools to evaluate claims about military history?
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posted by Monday, stony Monday
on Jan 31, 2010 -
19 answers
What are some objective criteria/metrics by which to measure progress towards success or failure in a war or other extended conflict?
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posted by EatenByAGrue
on Jan 13, 2008 -
18 answers
What kinds of high-technology
things exist now but will only come to light 50 or 100 years from now? Speculative, but asking for concrete answers.
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posted by exlotuseater
on Nov 30, 2007 -
41 answers
Where in London would I be able to see—and get a decent photograph of—a bearskin wearing footguard of the Household Cavalry?
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posted by barbelith
on May 14, 2007 -
8 answers
I'm seeking your brilliant ideas for cool behind-the-scenes history/military/engineering tours in the San Francisco Bay Area.
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posted by handful of rain
on Nov 2, 2006 -
19 answers
When, how, where did the distinction between commissoned and non-commissioned officer in the military originate?
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posted by IndigoJones
on Jul 21, 2005 -
9 answers
What sort of guns (by model) were issued to United States soldiers in the first world war? Smaller guns in particular.
posted by dagnyscott
on Apr 26, 2005 -
10 answers
When I was a kid, my dad had framed photos of the ships he'd served on during his time in the Royal Navy. Both he and the photos are long gone, but I've decided I'd like to put something similar together.
First problem is getting hold of his service history - I've only got a vague idea of the time he served (he was involved in Korea and Suez I think). Second is getting the photos.
Any ideas on either?
posted by monkey closet
on Feb 16, 2005 -
3 answers
Military Historians or Resident Librarians: lend me your ear!! Actually, I'm just looking for some pointers on digging up information. [MI]
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posted by smcniven
on Nov 12, 2004 -
2 answers
