Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Humanities/2015 September 6

= September 6 =

'World Anti-Fascist War'
Is World War II commonly called 'World Anti-Fascist War' (not limited to the battles against Fascist Italy, but also Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan)? --Jabo-er (talk) 00:45, 6 September 2015 (UTC)


 * Not in English, no. AndyTheGrump (talk) 01:03, 6 September 2015 (UTC)


 * Is it an academically accepted concept to describe the WWII 'war against Fascism/Fascists'?--Jabo-er (talk) 02:39, 6 September 2015 (UTC)


 * Generally speaking it's not academically accepted to describe anything as complicated as WW2 with a three word slogan. Among other problems, the Japanese government of the time could only be called fascist if you used that word in an irresponsibly vague way. 99.235.223.170 (talk) 02:50, 6 September 2015 (UTC)
 * A Google search shows that "World Anti-Fascist War" is a formulation commonly used in English language media outlets controlled by the Chinese Communist Party. The old Soviet Union used a somewhat similar formulation, Great Patriotic War, which is still common in Russia. Cullen328  Let's discuss it  03:28, 6 September 2015 (UTC)


 * Are you thinking of the Great Patriotic War or were there more? Sagittarian Milky Way (talk) 03:37, 6 September 2015 (UTC)
 * (edit conflict) "The Great Patriotic War of the Soviet People" (Velikaya Otechestvennaya voyna sovetskogo naroda) was the full version, according to Great Patriotic War (term). Cullen328  Let's discuss it  03:41, 6 September 2015 (UTC)

I found a number of educational websites that use the term "fascist" to describe the ideologies of both Italy and Germany, presumably because the Italian Fascists came to power earlier. See German Fascism, German Fascism Under Hitler and Germany In 1933: The Easy Slide Into Fascism. The term as a catch-all description for extreme right political systems seems to be more popular on the left; according to Fascist Italy and Nazi Germany: Comparisons and Contrasts By Richard Bessel, "'Fascism' as a subject of theoretical and comparative analysis was a product of a largely Marxist-inspired debate..." (p. 2), which perhaps accords with the Chinese terminology noted above. However, I'm not sure what that says about those who write history websites for schoolchildren. Alansplodge (talk) 07:44, 6 September 2015 (UTC)


 * It shows that they are lefties, slaves to, and regurgitating, doctrinaire formulations. 86.169.105.74 (talk) 09:07, 6 September 2015 (UTC)

As pointed out above, I came across the surprising term 'World Anti-Fascist War' when the Chinese communists organised commemorative activities last week (even though the party had little thing to do with fighting Japanese aggression and many Chinese national heroes who indeed faught the Japanese were suppressed by the communists). The 'Great Patriotic War' term is more understandable than the Chinese communist invention, since the Soviet rationale is: the Nazis invaded our fatherland, so we the patriots expelled them. But the 'Anti-Fascist War' framework has to put every defeated state (especially Japan) in a basket called 'Fascism', which might be used as propaganda of their ideology?--Jabo-er (talk) 09:11, 6 September 2015 (UTC)
 * I googled "'World Anti-Fascist War" and the first few links all render the full name as "War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War", which seems to imply a war against two separate groups, Imperial Japan and the various fascist powers. My other car is a cadr (talk) 10:06, 6 September 2015 (UTC)
 * Another point to make is that Franco (a Fascist by any reasonable definition) was not a belligerent - see Spain and World War II. Tevildo (talk) 10:49, 6 September 2015 (UTC)
 * But although many neutral states sympathised with the Western Allies, openly or otherwise, there was no secret about which side Spain preferred. Indeed, Spain might well have been persuaded to join the Axis had not Hitler taken a strong personal dislike to Franco and would “rather have three or four teeth pulled” than go through another meeting with him.  Alansplodge (talk) 11:25, 6 September 2015 (UTC)


 * Folks... the question asked was: "Is World War II commonly called the 'World Anti-Fascist War" and the answer to that is still "no" (at least not in English). Whether it is accurate to describe'' it as being an anti-Facist war (or not) is a different question (one not asked). Blueboar (talk) 13:29, 6 September 2015 (UTC)


 * Actually, it was also asked whether it was "an academically accurate concept" to use that term. By the same poster. 99.235.223.170 (talk) 21:16, 7 September 2015 (UTC)


 * There are other reasons what Spain didn't enter World War II http://www.theguardian.com/uk/2013/may/23/mi6-spain-200m-bribes-ww2.  Widneymanor (talk) 15:51, 6 September 2015 (UTC)

UK/France deliberations on declaring war on the USSR
1. Was there any parliamentary debates on whether the UK should fulfill its treaty obligations by declaring war on USSR in response to its Poland invasion?

2. Did Churchill ever voice his opinion on this matter?

3. Same question for the French side as well. My other car is a cadr (talk) 10:19, 6 September 2015 (UTC)


 * See House of Commons Debate on 20 September 1939: WAR SITUATION, The Prime Minister (Mr. Chamberlain) for the British reaction. They had already realised that they could do nothing to stop the Germans invading Poland, so there was little point in launching a war against the Soviet Union too. They did however, later fight a war against the Soviets by proxy in supporting Finland during the Winter War, although there was little they could do on a practical level. There was some Anglo-French contingency planning for an air offensive against the USSR under the codename Operation Pike, which came to nothing.  Unfortunately, the Germans were supporting the Finns too, and so they found themselves on the wrong side when the British allied themselves with the Soviets. Alansplodge (talk) 11:37, 6 September 2015 (UTC)


 * A bit more searching around reveals that we have an article; Franco-British plans for intervention in the Winter War. Alansplodge (talk) 21:28, 6 September 2015 (UTC)
 * Me again; I found it rather interesting reading through the Commons debate linked above, that Robert Boothby, a Conservative MP, thought that Parliament "ought not to take too tragic a view of this action, and above all not to take too moral a view of it. There is nothing this country likes better than to take a high moral attitude...", that the Soviet action had been motivated by "self-preservation and self-defence" and that he "would rather have Russian troops there than German troops". Alansplodge (talk) 09:50, 7 September 2015 (UTC)

Degree
Do degree gpas and levels (masters, bachelors) etc matter less when you get more experience in the workplace? Or will it always affect progression, salary etc? — Preceding unsigned comment added by 176.26.73.206 (talk) 11:43, 6 September 2015 (UTC)
 * Often, but not always. A lot depends on the profession. Blueboar (talk) 13:33, 6 September 2015 (UTC)
 * GPA matters in getting a job, especially your first one. Progression within a company is not going to be based on your GPA, in general, so much as on your evaluations and accomplishments, as well as on your political skills. I suppose knowledge you won some prize or honor or being "first in your class" might add a little sizzle to the discussions about your promotion possibilities, but I have not heard of managers getting out the undergraduate transcripts of their technical employees when deciding who to promote.Graduating from a highly respected school versus a poorly regarded school can make a difference later in your career. When you  mention a masters, certainly having a relevant masters from a respected school would aid promotion in many fields, and to a greater extent than having a high undergraduate GPA for your bachelors.  Edison (talk) 15:30, 7 September 2015 (UTC)
 * In some countries (France, for example) employment is rigidly conditioned by degree level. Jobs and the associated careers, unemployment insurance and retirement plans are legally separated into "cadre" and "non cadre" - if you don't have the right degree it's virtually impossible to get into a "cadre" position no matter how much experience you have. 2A01:E34:EF5E:4640:957E:3A4:1053:D09B (talk) 06:13, 8 September 2015 (UTC)

Solomon Adams
Can anybody help me find out who was Solomon Adams found here in the 1860 United States Census?--KAVEBEAR (talk) 16:09, 6 September 2015 (UTC)

Which St. Theodore?
Having no response after a week at Wikipedia talk:WikiProject Saints, I'm bringing this here. - Jmabel &#124; Talk 17:23, 6 September 2015 (UTC)

Is there any way to determine which Saint Theodore is depicted in the left pane of the stained glass shown here (from Christ Church Cathedral, Victoria, British Columbia). - Jmabel &#124; Talk 18:15, 30 August 2015 (UTC)


 * Why not ask the cathedral directly? Phone and email here. The same page links to a guided tour which seems to say the windows are relatively new, so there is a good chance they will know. 184.147.128.46 (talk) 17:42, 6 September 2015 (UTC)
 * He wears a mitre, so was clearly a bishop, which rules out most St T's. Very probably Theodore of Tarsus, 8th (Arch)bishop of Canterbury, especially if the cathedral is Anglican, which you don't say. Johnbod (talk) 18:01, 6 September 2015 (UTC)
 * Yes, certainly Theodore of Tarsus - try reading the inscriptions, & considering the pairing with Wilfrid next to him. Johnbod (talk) 18:04, 6 September 2015 (UTC)
 * Although, looking closer at the image, this Theodore seems a good bet, being both an archbishop (top writing) and associated with Saint Wilfred (right panel). 184.147.128.46 (talk) 18:06, 6 September 2015 (UTC)
 * Thanks. Unsurprisingly, as a secular Jew I did not know which saint in an Anglican Cathedral would likely be paired with Wilfrid. - Jmabel &#124; Talk 18:17, 6 September 2015 (UTC)
 * Also, it turns out he wasn't previously even on Commons' disambiguation page for Saint Theodore; I've added him there. - Jmabel &#124; Talk 18:21, 6 September 2015 (UTC)
 * I'm quite certain that very few Anglicans would know anything at all about Theodore and Wilfred, so you're in good company. Alansplodge (talk) 17:03, 7 September 2015 (UTC)

Insecurity
This is a hypothetical about psychology. If someone declares, "I'm not insecure. I just feel responsible for you not liking something that I choose for us to [watch/enjoy/whatever]." Is that classed as an insecurity? Or is the rationalisation valid? 213.106.130.210 (talk) 19:08, 6 September 2015 (UTC)
 * That's just a declaration. Assuming you're trying to win an argument with this hypothetical person, we'll need to know more about her. If she's not completely honest, that statement doesn't mean anything, for example.
 * Guessing that she is, moral responsibility (real or imagined) isn't emotional insecurity, on its own. InedibleHulk (talk) 19:54, 6 September 2015 (UTC)
 * True. I didn't give enough information. If the plot were to lag, this person would ask, "You still like [the show], right? It'll get better, I promise." - I actually think the question I'm asking is, how do I deal with the insecurities of others? [When I have my own insecurities, obviously] 213.106.130.210 (talk) 20:29, 6 September 2015 (UTC)
 * You deal with them by accepting them. ←Baseball Bugs What's up, Doc? carrots→ 20:53, 6 September 2015 (UTC)
 * True again. Thank you, both. Edit: Bugs, you answered a question of mine, too, a year ago. Thanks!! 213.106.130.210 (talk) 21:26, 6 September 2015 (U


 * Or by boosting their confidence. If you're the hard-to-read type, maybe trying to force an obvious reaction to the parts of the movie/whatever that only almost make you go "hmmm". Then she can feel reasonably sure you're cheering/booing/at least zoned into the thing, and can cut back on the second-guessing. Of course, that only works if you're not outright faking it, just amplifying.
 * If you think gesturing too loudly is for jerks and phonies, you could just assure each other that life is too short for bad movies/whatever and if it still isn't working for either of you after twenty minutes, you'll agree to simply move on together. That way, there's little doubt about who's happy or not. InedibleHulk (talk) 21:50, 6 September 2015 (UTC)
 * Gotcha. Thank you. Edit: I wasn't being honest. I've given reassurance so much it's become a chore. 213.106.130.210 (talk) 22:01, 6 September 2015 (UTC)
 * Life's too short for mindless chores, according to this Farm and Dairy column. So, if you plan on sinking into a rut, at least know thyself. Good luck! InedibleHulk (talk) 22:24, 6 September 2015 (UTC)
 * You're funny. Thank you. 213.106.130.210 (talk) 22:48, 6 September 2015 (UTC)