World history quiz thread

[Sinitrena]

Evolution?

[josiah1221]

common sense?

[Mandle]

Evolution?

That's the one!

"If I were to give an award for the single best idea anyone ever had, I'd give it to Darwin." So wrote philosopher Daniel Dennett in his 1995 book Darwin's Dangerous Idea.

(I actually thought the quote was by a more historical figure, but Darwin is historical so all good, pip-pip, carry-on!)

[Sinitrena]

Ah, getting it by pure guessing is always great...

Next:

Chocolate dropped from the sky, literally. While this just sounds sweet, we are actually talking about a humanitarian effort that kept a city alive for a year. I'm looking for the colloquial term referenced in the first sentence (mainly because it is more fun).

[Mandle]

ã‚®ãÆ'â€"ãÆ'ŸãÆ'¼ãÆ'ãÆ'§ã‚³ãÆ'‹Æ'¼ãÆ'ˆï¼Ÿ

[milkanannan]

Ah, getting it by pure guessing is always great...

Next:

Chocolate dropped from the sky, literally. While this just sounds sweet, we are actually talking about a humanitarian effort that kept a city alive for a year. I'm looking for the colloquial term referenced in the first sentence (mainly because it is more fun).

In the spirit of random guessing: Not sure what the colloquial term is, but is the historical significance a period of time when Allies dropped chocolate over areas of recently occupied and demolished France?

[Mandle]

Operation Willy Wonka?

[Sinitrena]

ã‚®ãÆ'â€"ãÆ'ŸãÆ'¼ãÆ'ãÆ'§ã‚³ãÆ'‹Æ'¼ãÆ'ˆï¼Ÿ

Sorry, I don't have any right now. (In the hope that google translated this correctly, so that my answer actually makes sense.)

In the spirit of random guessing: Not sure what the colloquial term is, but is the historical significance a period of time when Allies dropped chocolate over areas of recently occupied and demolished France?

Allies is correct, you're on the right continent, but a bit too early in history. Also, the word 'city' in the description is not a random choice.

Operation Willy Wonka?

Never heard of that one, so no.

[milkanannan]

Hmmmmmm...Fudge Town?

[Mandle]

ã‚®ãÆ'â€"ãÆ'ŸãÆ'¼ãÆ'ãÆ'§ã‚³ãÆ'‹Æ'¼ãÆ'ˆï¼Ÿ

"ã‚®ãÆ'â€"ãÆ'ŸãÆ'¼ãÆ'ãÆ'§ã‚³ãÆ'‹Æ'¼ãÆ'ˆ" or "Give me chocolate" was a term that Japanese people, mostly children, learnt during the occupation of their country after WW2.

A dear friend of mine grew up during this time and has vivid memories of running along behind the trains of G.I.s and collecting chocolates for himself and cigarettes for his dad that they would throw.

He told me that he paused, stunned, when he saw a pack on Lucky Strikes, wondering why it had the "Japanese flag" on it, and someone else snatched it up before he could.

You asked for the "colloquial term referenced in the first sentence" so I thought it might be this famous (in Japan) Japanese term.

But now I'm thinking it might just be simply "Chocolate drops"?

[Sinitrena]

Interesting. I know little about japanese history, but running after trains and cars of soldiers after WW2 is probably not significantly different in Japan and Europe.

But, as I said above, for this event we are talking about Europe and it is a more specific event. Also, the chocolate dropped from a higher place than trains or cars (though other stuff didn't). 

[Mandle]

So... "Chocolate Drops"?

[Sinitrena]

Nope.

[Ponch]

Operation: Vittles (the Berlin Airlift)?

[Sinitrena]

You've got the right event, but not the colloquial term I was looking for. The term refers to objects used in the airlift.

[milkanannan]

Operation Choco-Dump?
Operation Hands Off the Chocolate, Commie Scum?

[Mandle]

Hershey Squirt?

[CaptainD]

I keep coming back to "Brown Rain" but that doesn't sound very pleasant...

[Mandle]

Death By Chocolate From Above?

[Sinitrena]

You are all on the wrong track.

Last hint, if nobody gets it, this round will go to Ponch:
We are looking for a name the locals gave to the planes used in the airlift, that came about because of the chocolate and other sweets the planes dropped. (I'm pretty sure if you know the answer you would have given it by now and if you don't you probably won't find it by guessing.)