What is the most surprising fact you have learned about history? (England, 60s)

[Ariete]

Originally Posted by J Baustian

Something I just read today, about World War II.

Every time the Germans sent a bombing raid across the Channel, there seemed to be British fighter planes ready to attack them.

The British had radar. That's how they knew when the German bombers were in the air and where they were headed. But to mislead the Germans, they created a story that the coast watchers were given extra rations of carrots, so they had exceptionally good eyesight.

To some extent the Germans believed this story, and started growing more carrots for their own people.

And after the war, people everywhere including the US thought that carrots were essential for eyesight. Or at least that's what mothers told their children. In reality, carrots are only effective when a person already has a severe vitamin deficiency. Most people in the developed countries get adequate Vitamin A from other sources.

But why did the Germans - who themselves had radar technology and knew all about it - did bomb the British radar stations and not the carrot fields?

Because the thing you read is false.

[Razza94]

Originally Posted by Ariete

But why did the Germans - who themselves had radar technology and knew all about it - did bomb the British radar stations and not the carrot fields?

Because the thing you read is false.

The Germans did have radar, but it was nowhere near as advanced as the British system. The German high command simply had no idea of just how effective the British system was. Britain invented the technology and led the world in the early 1940's. The Wehrmacht were genuinely baffled as to how the British seemed to be reading almost all of their moves. No matter where they went, there were British fighters waiting for them, or in hot pursuit. Had the German known the truth, they would have spent far more time targeting British radar stations. Other than the beginning of Hitler's main assault against British infrastructure in August of 1940, there was very little in the way of a sustained and systemic effort taken to target British radar stations.

That being said, I'm not to sure about this carrot story. It sounds like something of an urban legend.

[Ariete]

Originally Posted by Razza94

The Germans did have radar, but it was nowhere near as advanced as the British system. The German high command simply had no idea of just how effective the British system was. Britain invented the technology and led the world in the early 1940's. The Wehrmacht were genuinely baffled as to how the British seemed to be reading almost all of their moves. No matter where they went, there were British fighters waiting for them, or in hot pursuit. Had the German known the truth, they would have spent far more time targeting British radar stations. Other than the beginning of Hitler's main assault against British infrastructure in August of 1940, there was very little in the way of a sustained and systemic effort taken to target British radar stations.

That being said, I'm not to sure about this carrot story. It sounds like something of an urban legend.

That is completely correct. The Germans thought the Home Chain radar system was much less developed and effective than it was in reality. The radar installments could've been destroyed to a large degree, but the constant change of priorities (airfields, radar stations, industry) meant that nothing really was effective enough.

Nothing to do with carrots, though.

[Razza94]

Originally Posted by Ariete

That is completely correct. The Germans thought the Home Chain radar system was much less developed and effective than it was in reality. The radar installments could've been destroyed to a large degree, but the constant change of priorities (airfields, radar stations, industry) meant that nothing really was effective enough.

Nothing to do with carrots, though.

Agreed. The German strategy was always doomed to failure because they had a poor understanding of their enemy's capabilities, and the overall strategic approach was confused, they were never prepared to commit to a single sustained strategy, the high command seemed to shift policy on a weekly, if not a daily basis.

That and the fact that they clearly didn't eat enough carrots

[Coldjensens]

the first thing that comes to mind it that the Celts were not from Ireland/Northern England, but were the dominant culture of all of Europe until Julius Caesar killed them all (or almost all) men women and children, in order to become better known. It was one of the biggest genocidal efforts ever and I had nver heard any of this.

[Razza94]

Originally Posted by Coldjensens

the first thing that comes to mind it that the Celts were not from Ireland/Northern England, but were the dominant culture of all of Europe until Julius Caesar killed them all (or almost all) men women and children, in order to become better known. It was one of the biggest genocidal efforts ever and I had nver heard any of this.

Indeed. They were an incredibly dominant group across Europe in their heyday, and even began to spread into Asia. But were increasingly conquered or assimilated with Romans,Germans and some other cultures. Although they did manage to survive in some places, on the far edges of western Europe.





The Celts are an underrated group of people. They had a very vibrant and sophisticated culture.

[dozerbear]

In May, 1944 the destroyer escort USS England (DE-635) sank 6 Japanese submarines in 12 days. England was named in honor of Ensign John C. England, who died on the USS Oklahoma at Pearl Harbor.

England spent most of the next year escorting convoys before being reassigned to picket duty off Okinawa. On May 9, 1945 a kamikaze struck her starboard side just under the bridge. After being patched up at Leyte she headed home for permanent repairs, arriving at the Philadelphia Navy Yard late July. With the end of the war she was never repaired and eventually scrapped.

[NHartphotog]

Originally Posted by msgsing

It's subjective.

And written by the winners.

[NHartphotog]

Originally Posted by slowlane3

John Hancock, John Jay, and General Ulysses Grant owned slaves too.

For heaven's sake, let's get a little perspective! The USA didn't INVENT slavery, and it is ludicrous to criticize American statesmen for participating in the economy as it existed during their lifetimes. Remember, humans had millions of years to experiment with slavery other methods of getting things done, and the flashes "enlightenment" that send us into periodic frenzies of self-righteousness have less to do with "right" and "wrong" than with what benefits the Ruling Rlass.

If any of you had you lived at the time of slavery in America, do you seriously think you would have woken up one morning and realized "It is morally and ethically wrong for one person to own another person, and have the right to take what that person earns by his own labor!" Should you be so Progressive a thinker, you must be sorely tormented by the knowledge that the Ruling (Political) Class in America today confiscates a significant chunk of your paycheck, before you even see it, in the form of payroll withholding of income taxes. Apparently every worker in America is "owned" by the Ruling Political Class (the federal government), which takes it's ownership share of your earnings. Or maybe you got to vote on how much you were willing to pay for your government...or how BIG government has grown...never mind.

On the subject of slavery, have you served in our military, or do you know anyone serving? Take the Navy, just one of our Empire Militaries costing trillions as our national borders pretend to serve some unknown function. A moronic Commanding Officer can order anyone under his commend to go up in the sail of a submarine during a hurricane, on a whim, where being washed overboard and dying of hypothermia is a guarantee. The penalty paid by the C.O.? He won't get advanced. The C.O. is free to order everyone under his command to periodically pay significant chunks of cash into a "slush fund" to buy gifts for big muckety-mucks (to make the C.O. look good), even though most of the guys on the boat earn so little that they are eligible for food stamps. But you can complain, or refuse, right? And the C.O. has the right to set OFFICE HOURS as 24/7/52 (when the boat is not deployed, of course, when the workday is 24/7/52).

Due to human nature--namely, the obsession that 99.999% of us have with GETTING POWER OVER OTHERS--slavery is just one of the schemes we've come up with as we go about the business of being alive. And face it: how far have we really come, in a world where employers don't have to pay ANYONE a living wage, and where our paychecks are what is left over after the Ruling Class feeding frenzy? Quick, turn on the TV and be horsewhipped by the media on an hourly basis, lest we forget the on us the absolute horrors that were suffered by 4 million Americans (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slaver..._States)--none of which are still alive today.

[Katiethegreat]

In ancient Ireland a woman could divorce her husband if he became too fat to have sex with, or if he discussed their sexual relationship with anyone.