Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Humanities/2023 March 20

= March 20 =

Historical foundation for another defunct airline
Of course, I'm well aware there's a Pan Am Historical Foundation. But, is there also a TWA Historical Foundation, as well? Please let me know. Thank you.2603:7000:8100:9390:41B7:4E1:DC78:E8EC (talk) 05:36, 20 March 2023 (UTC)
 * "The TWA Museum, located at 10 Richards Road, aims to provide information to the public about the story, history and importance of the major role TWA played in aviation history."   They are a 501(c)3 organization and have a research department, which sort-of counts as a "foundation". --136.56.52.157 (talk) 07:01, 20 March 2023 (UTC)
 * The TWA Hotel has a lot of TWA history previous to the takeover by Icahn. The museum mentioned above is at the old downtown airport in Kansas City. The Missouri State Historical Society has a lot of historical paperwork in their digital collection here.12.116.29.106 (talk) 16:10, 21 March 2023 (UTC)

Giant Baba
During the World War II, his older brother Shoichi was recluted by Sendai troopes and send to Guadalcanal, where he was killed by the American Army in February 1943. Can you help me to find what part of the Japanese Army were Sendai troopes and who was the commander of that Army in Guadalcanal? Thank you. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 193.207.166.24 (talk) 16:58, 20 March 2023 (UTC)
 * You can find the various commanders listed in the infobox at Guadalcanal campaign. The Japanese decided to withdraw from Guadalcanal at the beginning of January, 1943, and they were gone by February 9. Cullen328 (talk) 17:19, 20 March 2023 (UTC)
 * The commander in general for that campaign was Isoroku Yamamoto? — Preceding unsigned comment added by 193.207.166.24 (talk) 17:21, 20 March 2023 (UTC)
 * "Sendai troops" almost certainly refers to the 2nd Division (Imperial Japanese Army) who were heavily involved in the late stages of fighting on Guadalcanal. Cullen328 (talk) 17:24, 20 March 2023 (UTC)
 * Isoroku Yamamoto was the top commander of the Japanese Navy in the Pacific at that time, not the army. He was killed two months later. He was in charge of overall Naval operations but does not appear to have been at Guadalcanal itself. Cullen328 (talk) 17:33, 20 March 2023 (UTC)
 * this is a list of Sendai troopes who died in 1942-1943: https://ameblo.jp/guadalcanal/entry-11958272187.html. Maybe you can use it to search what Japanese Army's unit and commander were in February 1943. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 193.207.166.24 (talk) 17:45, 20 March 2023 (UTC)
 * Translate has Sendai Organization 2nd Division, 2nd Regiment: 1st Company Private Shoichi Baba Bougainville Died in war Sanjo City, Niigata Prefecture 18.2.6 Think that is 17th army (Gen. Harukichi Hyakutake), 2nd Division (Lt. Gen. Masao Maruyama). A 2nd Artillery, Engineer, and Transport regiments. fiveby(zero) 19:35, 20 March 2023 (UTC)
 * Harukichi Hyakutake may have been the senior commander but he was on Bougainville Island over 600 kilometers away at the time. Masao Maruyama was actually on Guadalcanal until the end of the Japanese occupation. Cullen328 (talk) 19:47, 20 March 2023 (UTC)
 * and Feb. 4: Hyakutake and staff boarded Isokaze, and Maruyama came over the side of Hamakaze. (p. 591) Colonel Matsuda, who now took charge of all Japanese forces on Guadalcanal (p. 592) Colonel Yutaka Matsuda according to Operation_Ke fn# 55. fiveby(zero) 20:33, 20 March 2023 (UTC)

OK. As last request, can you search if exist a photo about Shoichi Baba with that troopes, or maybe a site of those deaths with also the place and date of birth? Thank you. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 193.207.132.229 (talk) 17:25, 21 March 2023 (UTC)
 * According to the site you linked, Shoichi Baba died of illness (ja:戦病死) on Bougainville Island on the 6th. Operation Ke states Six hundred of the evacuees succumbed to their injuries or illnesses before they could receive sufficient medical care. Samuel Eliot Morison has: a large proportion of the troops here withdrawn were starved, wounded, disease-racked... According to a reliable coastwatcher on northeastern Bougainville, some 3000 evacuees in bad shape were set ashore there from destroyers and told to shift for themselves. Probably Jack Read. fiveby(zero) 20:12, 21 March 2023 (UTC)
 * Please, can you find his birthdate or military photos if exist, so it's closed? Thank you very much. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 193.207.140.135 (talk) 06:00, 22 March 2023 (UTC)

Origin of villain in volcano/mountain
Hi friends, in Agatha Christie's weirdest book, written in 1926, she situates a (super)villain's lair in a hollowed out mountain. I wondered if she had originated this image, but google is defeating me with a flood of later references to comic books and James Bond, and google scholar isn't turning up anything either. Fine if no one's ever researched it, but just in case thought I'd try you and see if you can turn up anything that would put my wondering to rest. Thanks in advance.70.67.193.176 (talk) 20:50, 20 March 2023 (UTC)
 * I'm guessing "Agatha Christie's weirdest book" is The Big Four. You would have saved me some time by simply giving that little irrelevant detail... --Wrongfilter (talk) 21:10, 20 March 2023 (UTC)
 * According to Legends of Mount Shasta, stories of a city hidden in the mountain go back to the late 19th century. In the spirit of full disclosure, I climbed Mount Shasta which is a volcano in 2007, and did not find a hidden city. Cullen328 (talk) 20:55, 20 March 2023 (UTC)
 * It's well hidden. DuncanHill (talk) 22:33, 20 March 2023 (UTC)
 * The Mysterious Island, but Nemo is hardly villainous. fiveby(zero) 21:59, 20 March 2023 (UTC)
 * Traditionally it's the goodie who one finds under a mountain. DuncanHill (talk) 22:37, 20 March 2023 (UTC)


 * It could go back to Greek mythology where vanquished monsters were said to be buried under volcanoes; e.g.: Enceladus_(giant) & Typhon. —136.56.52.157 (talk) 00:36, 21 March 2023 (UTC)
 * And the Monkey King was buried under a mountain. 12.116.29.106 (talk) 11:22, 21 March 2023 (UTC)
 * I always thought César Manrique's Mirador del Río on Lanzarote was the perfect Bond-Villain's lair... --Stephan Schulz (talk) 20:57, 21 March 2023 (UTC)

Thanks everybody for your effort! 70.67.193.176 (talk) 16:09, 22 March 2023 (UTC)


 * Fiveby is close but got the wrong book. It's Jules Verne's Face au drapeau (translated to English as “Facing the Flag” or “For the Flag” apparently) that tells about how the pirate Ker Karraje hides his small fleet in a hollow island mountain in the Atlantic called “Back-Cup”.  I can't tell of course whether this is what inspired Agatha Christie.  – b_jonas 17:24, 22 March 2023 (UTC)
 * That book (along with a couple other works by Verne) was the basis for Karel Zeman's film Invention for Destruction. A remarkable combination of animation and live action and worth a look for those that might be interested. MarnetteD&#124;Talk 20:03, 26 March 2023 (UTC)