finals of seek under porus 2014, the 6th edition of kqa history quiz

Seek Under PorusThe Finals of KQA History Quiz

Rules of Engagement• Each Question carries 10 points• Infinite Pounce (+15/-10)• Infinite Bounce

• A clockwise round of 20 questions• Written Round of 6 questions• An anti-clockwise round of 20 questions

CLOCKWISE

1.

The picture shows a structure built in 1823 in Krakow, Poland. In 1840, a Pole named Paul Edmund Strzelecki discovered something and noticed it’s similarity with the structure in Krakow. He decided to name it in honor of the structure. What name?

• Answer…

Mount Kosciuszko, the tallest mountain in Australia, was named after the Kosciuszko Mound, a memorial for the Polish national hero Tadeusz Kościuszko.

2.Jean-Léon Gérôme's painting "The Snake Charmer" depicts a nude person standing on a Turkish carpet with a snake wrapped around, as onlookers watch on. The image was used as the cover of a 1978 book, considered to be one of the most influential books in it's field. The image was used as a metaphor for the views of the European intellectuals of the 19th century, who regarded the East as "exotic".Which seminal work?

• Answer…

3.

Bruce MacKenzie was a Minister of Agriculture in the government of Kenyan President Jomo Kenyatta. The Scottish born MacKnzie was assassinated in May 1978, when a time bomb attached to his plane exploded. This assassination was believed to have been in retaliation for his role in convincing Kenyatta to take a crucial decision in July 1976. A small forest is said to have been planted in an Asian country in memory of MacKenzie and his contribution.

What did he convince Kenyatta to do?

• Answer…

• He convinced Kenyatta to open up Kenyan airspace to Israeli commandos on their way to rescue hostages at Entebbe.

• A furious Idi Amin is said to have ordered Bruce Mackenzie’s death.

4.

This image of a head scarf is painted into the ground of the main town square in a Latin American capital city. It commemorates a group of people who have been marching in the square every Thursday for the last 37 years. Name the group which has won the Sakharov Prize and has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize multiple times.

Answer…

Mothers of Plaza de Mayo have been marching every Thursday in white headscarves since 1977, demanding information about their lost sons (Argentine Dirty Wars).

5.The Nowrojee family owned the oldest general store in the town. In 1905, a devastating earthquake destroyed much of the town and effectively ended the town’s prosperity. The upper society soon moved out and it became a ghost town. In 1960, Nauzer Nowrojee, a descendant of the family was wondering how to make ends meet. He invited various businesses and government agencies to use the abandoned buildings and revive the place. Finally he wrote to the GOI and proposed a new use for the town. This proposal was taken up, resulting in a major revival of the town’s prospects. What resulted?

• Answer…

The Government of India decided to allow Dalai Lama and his followers to settle in McLeodganj (Dharamsala), based on Nowrojee’s invitation.

6.

The stamp pays tribute to a journalist who was murdered while covering the Greek elections of 1948. A correspondent for CBS, he disappeared in Northern Greece and was found a few days later in the Salonika bay with a bullet in the back of his head. A series of awards in American journalism are named after him. Who?

• Answer…

George Polk, after whom the George Polk Awards are named.

7.

The May Fourth Movement is an anti-imperialist movement that preceded the Communist revolution in China. It is named after the incidents of May 4, 1919, when approximately 3,000 students from 13 Beijing universities assembled at Tiananmen Square to protest against the Versailles Peace Conference. The Versailles Treaty of April 1919 had awarded German rights in Shandong Province to Japan. China had originally entered World War I on the side of the Allied Triple Entente in 1917 with the condition that all German spheres of influence, such as Shandong, would be returned to China. The Treaty of Versailles broke this agreement, leading to mass protests and the awakening of Chinese nationalism. Shandong had a special place in Chinese psyche. What was emotionally important about this province?

• Answer…

Shandong was the birthplace of Confucius

8.

The man shown on Time magazine's cover was a coal miner who became a Soviet celebrity in 1935. He was reported to have set a new record by mining 227 tons of coal in a single shift. His example was held up in newspapers and posters as a model for others to follow. This resulted in a movement named after him, where workers tried to break production targets. The man was made a deputy of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR. He was also awarded two Orders of Lenin, Order of the Red Banner, and numerous medals. The last Sunday of August was designated "Coal Miner's Day", also apparently in his honor. Name the man/movement.

• Answer…

• Stakhanov who started the Stakhanovite movement.

9

In March 1986, this comedy film received an unexpected burst of publicity due to a tragic incident at the Grand Cinema. What happened?

• Answer…

Olaf Palme, the Swedish PM, was assassinated when he was walking home after watching the movie.

10.The 19th and early 20th century saw the emergence of a controversial school of thinkers, led by the philosopher Nikolai Fedorov. They believed humanity was entering a new stage of evolution in which it must assume a new active role in the cosmos. Their ideas included the adapting humans to enable to live beyond earth; the regulation and control of nature; the transition of our biosphere into a "noosphere" with a sheath of mental activity surrounding the planet etc. The movement was later suppressed and little noticed in the West. Probably the most significant result of the movement was a 1924 decision, taken under the influence of an engineer and politician named Leonid Krasin. What movement and decision?

Russian Cosmism. Krasin believed in this ideology and convinced the Soviet authorities to embalm Lenin’s body.

11.

Pictured here are Chuma and Susi, two men who, in 1873, made a 1600 km journey from Chitambo’s village in Zambia to Bagamayo on the Tanzanian coast. They carried a load on their shoulders and braved diseases, floods and rival tribes to complete their mission. They were later invited to England out of gratitude for their epic mission, but were mostly ignored afterwardsWhat were they carrying on their shoulders?

• Answer…

The dead body of David Livingstone.The explorer died in Africa and was buried in Westminister Abbey, thanks to the efforts of James Chuma and Abdullah Susi.

12.When this magazine was launched in 1995, it's first or second issue had a scoop that focused on the salacious bits of a novel that was still unpublished. The hero of the novel was Niranjan, a politician who became the chief minister of his state. The magazine published excerpts from the book about Niranjan's steamy romance with Aruna, a fellow politician. The story was rumored to have been based on the alleged affair of the author with a lady who became a Member of Parliament. The scandal led to the author editing out the spicy bits and delaying the publishing of the novel by several years.Identify the magazine and the two protagonists of this alleged affair.(10 points for getting 3 out of 3)

• Answer…

• Outlook Magazine.• P V Narasimha Rao and Lakhsmikanthamma.

13

The first dinosaur <pic> in India was discovered from the Bara Simla and Chhota Simla region in Jabalpur in 1828. This Indian dinosaur specimen went missing after 1877 once its plaster cast was sent to the Natural History Museum in London. The specimen was re-discovered last year, the missing fossil was lying hidden in cupboards of the Geological Survey (GSI) of India in Kolkata. The fossils were originally excavated by a Captain when he noticed several basaltic formations and decided to dig around the place. Who was this man whose deeds in another area were supposed to immortalize the British Rule in India?

• Answer…

This was William Henry Sleeman, the British administrator who demolished the

in India.

14

It was the first Indian Army regiment sent overseas during the Boxer Rebellion and participated in the Battle of Peking. During this campaign the regiment clashed with Tartar cavalry and served alongside United States units - the first occasion where British Indian and US troops served together. In the World War 2 it saw extensive action in many parts of France. They wore yellow uniforms the "yellow" was actually close to mustard in shade but led to the regiment being nicknamed "Canaries" or "Yellow Boys". This yellow uniform was unique in the British Empire, why was it chosen? Take a look at the pic.

• Answer…

• The Skinner’s Horse chose this color as a tribute to a martial tradition of the Rajput, the “Saka”, in which fighting men of a defeated state rode out for a final, suicidal battle dressed in yellow

15

Historically the term referred to the knee-breeches commonly worn by gentlemen of the European upper-classes from the late Middle Ages or Renaissance through the early nineteenth century. This style of tight trousers ending just below the knee were normally closed and fastened about the leg. In the late 18th century this apparel was rejected by working class people of a certain country as it was a symbol of aristocracy. As a result these people received a name. What name?The pic on the next slide shows the US President James Monroe wearing them, while his secretaries are wearing long trousers

• Answer…

In the French Revolution Sans-Culottes were the radical left-wing partisans of the lower classes; typically urban labourers, which dominated France. Though ill-clad and ill-equipped, they made up the bulk of the Revolutionary army during the early years of the French Revolutionary Wars

16

The structure stood in its original place only for a few days. It was constructed in only four days out of foam and papier-mâché over a metal armature and was 10m tall. It was created to invigorate a movement which was fast losing steam. Even though it had a striking resemblance to the Statue of Liberty according to it's creators the design was influenced by the Russian revolutionary realist sculptor Vera Mukhina. Her piece Worker and Kolkhoz Woman <Pic> was especially influential for their statue's head and facial features. Today you can see the re-creations of the statue in a few US and Canadian cities. Please identify the statue and it’s original location.

• Answer…

The Goddess of Democracy, also known as the Goddess of Democracy and Freedom, the Spirit of Democracy, and the Goddess of Liberty statue created during the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989. The original statue has become an icon of liberty and a symbol of the free speech and democracy movements.

17

He formulated the US doctrine of the containment of USSR in a 1946 cable when asked to explain why the Soviets were not supporting the newly created World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. The first major initiative that he proposed was the Marshall Plan, providing American aid for the recovery of Western Europe so that Europe would not despair and feel it had to look to the Soviet Union as an alternative. His doctrine led to the founding of NATO, the post-war arms-race, the huge growth of CIA and the Vietnam War. Who?

• Answer…

This is George F Kennan whose cable came to known as the Long Telegram. He had a deep understanding of the Soviet system and Russian culture and predicted the downfall of USSR from it’s internal consistencies. He advised the US to contain USSR and not to fight a war with it.

18

He is one of the primary figures associated with philosophy of pragmatism and is considered one of the founders of functional psychology. In his 1916 work, "Democracy and Education" he argued that individual and society and mutually dependent entities. According to him democracy was a “associated life” which went beyond electing a government at regular intervals. One of his students at Columbia used these ideas critique a particular religion and it's society. Who was this student who used his favorite teachers ideas in shaping the constitution of his country? Also name the American philosopher as well.

• Answer…

• Bhim Rao Ambedkar• John Dewey

19

This hoard came into existence during the 18th century when the Mughal Empire was breaking up. These groups was usually attached to one or other of the Maratha leaders and came to be known as the Shindeshahi or the Holkarshahi. They were accustomed to assemble every year at the beginning of November, and sally forth into British occupied territory in search of plunder. By 1814 they had become a force of 30,000 horsemen and the British could see that there could not be peace or security in India until this predatory hoard were extinguished. The British decision to crush these horsemen led to the third and final Anglo-Maratha War. Who were these horsemen?

• Answer…

The Pindaris. Salman Khan played a Pindari in Veer

20

It was perhaps India’s earliest organized anti-colonial conspiracy. In 1787 a group of priests resentful at seeing whites climb over them in the church hierarchy met with sympathizers to plot the overthrow of the Portuguese. They even sent emissaries to Tipu Sultan for help. But revolt couldn't succeed as someone had leaked the plans to the authorities. The leaders of the plot were priests from the village of Candolim in the concelho of Bardez, Goa. Abbe Faria who later became a celebrity in Paris was one among them. They belonged to a particular clan and the rebellion was named after them.

• Answer…

• Conspiracy of the Pinto’s

The Write Wing6 questions on National Heroes10 points each

1

Shown here is a memorial service for Januarius MacGahan, “the Liberator of ____”. Born to an Irish family in Ohio, USA, he became an unlikely hero in another country. Although he never fought in a war or held public office, his contributions were vital to the country securing its independence. Which country? What did MacGahan do?

2.

From the 2006 Economist obituary of _____, who was nicknamed "Gandhi of the Balkans“

“He often seemed more excited by his mineral collection than by humdrum daily politics. Visiting diplomats and foreign dignitaries could work out their relative importance to him and to Kosovo by the size of the rock he would give them as a gift.“

Name this gentleman who was the first President of the Republic of Kosovo.

3.“_____ riding a dead horse”, is an artwork that pays tribute to the equestrian statue of a King and Saint, that stands in the main square in a European capital city. Although he was just a Duke during his lifetime, his stories of piety and kindness to the poor saw him posthumously getting elevated to the status of a King and Saint by the Catholic Church. “Good King ____” also became a popular Christmas Carol.

Name.

4.The socialist government of Michael Manley came to power in 1972 and was severely opposed by the conservative party headed by Edward Seaga. The two politicians hired gangsters in their bid for power and violence erupted. Interestingly, two such gangsters ended up in the same jail cell together and both wanted to alleviate the violence. These guys decided that the best means to bring the country together was to use music as a uniting factor and organize a major concert. ______, who was living in exile in London, accepted their request and organized an event dubbed as the "Third World Woodstock". The event did not end the violence in the country. The event's two organizers, were both killed within two years after the concert. Ironically, the next time that the two leaders met and shook hands was at ____’s funeral.

Id the national icon.

5.

Gjergj Kastrioti was born to a noble family in Albania in the 15th century, but was offered as a hostage to the Ottoman Emperor. He served as a military leader under the Ottoman rule for 20 years. He then deserted and raised an army which defended Albania against the Turks for the next 25 years. Sultan Mehmet II, the conqueror of Constantinople, personally marched against him many times, but did not succeed. His symbol still adorns the Albanian national flag. Gjergj Kastrioti is today known by a more popular name derived from his Turkish name "Iskender Bey". What popular name is he known by?

6.• This statue in an Asian capital city depicts the execution of the

country’s foremost national hero. He was a novelist, poet, ophthalmologist, journalist, and revolutionary, who was arrested and condemned to death on the charges of rebellion and sedition. His execution accelerated the revolution against the colonial rule. The revolution eventually established the nation as a republic.

• Who?

• Exchange Sheets!!

Answers

1

Shown here is a memorial service for Januarius MacGahan, “the Liberator of ____”. Born to an Irish family in Ohio, USA, he became an unlikely hero in another country. Although he never fought in a war or held public office, his contributions were vital to the country securing its independence. Which country? What did MacGahan do?

• Answer…

• Liberator of Bulgaria.• Macgahan was a journalist whose dispatches about the

Turkish atrocities in Bulgaria turned British public opinion against the Turks. When Russia took up the Slavic cause and launched a war against the Turks, Britain refused to come to the aid of its traditional ally because of the public sentiment.• Bulgaria won its independence and MacGahan’s name

adorns many streets and squares in the country.

2.

From the 2006 Economist obituary of _____, who was nicknamed "Gandhi of the Balkans“

“He often seemed more excited by his mineral collection than by humdrum daily politics. Visiting diplomats and foreign dignitaries could work out their relative importance to him and to Kosovo by the size of the rock he would give them as a gift.“

Name this gentleman who was the first President of the Republic of Kosovo.

• Answer…

Ibrahim Rugova

3.“_____ riding a dead horse”, is an artwork that pays tribute to the equestrian statue of a King and Saint, that stands in the main square in a European capital city. Although he was just a Duke during his lifetime, his stories of piety and kindness to the poor saw him posthumously getting elevated to the status of a King and Saint by the Catholic Church. “Good King ____” also became a popular Christmas Carol.

Name.

• Answer…

• Wenceslas, or “Good King Wenceslas”, who’s statue stands in the Wenceslas square in Prague.

4.The socialist government of Michael Manley came to power in 1972 and was severely opposed by the conservative party headed by Edward Seaga. The two politicians hired gangsters in their bid for power and violence erupted. Interestingly, two such gangsters ended up in the same jail cell together and both wanted to alleviate the violence. They decided that the best means to bring the country together was to use music as a uniting factor and organize a major concert. X who was living in exile in London, accepted their request and organized an event dubbed as the "Third World Woodstock".

The event did not end the violence in the country. The event's two organizers were both killed within two years after the concert. Ironically, the next time that the two leaders met and shook hands was at X’s funeral.

Id the national icon.

• Answer…

Bob Marley who tried to bring peace to Jamaica.

5.

Gjergj Kastrioti was born to a noble family in Albania in the 15th century, but was offered as a hostage to the Ottoman Emperor. He served as a military leader under the Ottoman rule for 20 years. He then deserted and raised an army which defended Albania against the Turks for the next 25 years. Sultan Mehmet II, the conqueror of Constantinople, personally marched against him many times, but did not succeed. Gjergj Kastrioti is today known by a more popular name derived from his Turkish name "Iskender Bey". Identify this Albanian hero, who's symbol still adorns the national flag.

• Answer…

• Skanderbeg.

6.

This statue in an Asian capital city depicts the execution of the country’s foremost national hero. He was a novelist, poet, ophthalmologist, journalist, and revolutionary, who was arrested and condemned to death on the charges of rebellion and sedition. His execution accelerated the revolution against the colonial rule. The revolution eventually established the nation as a republic. Who?

• Answer…

Jose Rizal, the national hero of Philippines.

ANTI CLOCK

1

This unique institution is perhaps the oldest of it's kind in India and is still operating . Rudyard Kipling as reporter for The Pioneer visited it in January 1888 and wrote: "For convenience sake, it may well be said that, unless distinctly stated to the contrary, every single thing in ____ is locked, and every operation is conducted under police supervision. No one trusts anyone in _____. They are always weighing, testing and assaying. And this yields such a splendid income to the Indian Government. " This product made here gave immense profits to EIC and made up to almost 17% of its revenue in 1852. What are we talking about? Need a precise answer here.

• Answer…

The Ghazipur Opium FactoryThe pic shown here is of the factory which used to exist in Patna, the building there now house a government printing press.

2

George Antonious was a Lebanese-Egyptian diplomat and historian. His book "The Arab Awakening" argued for Arab Independence and went on to become the Bible of Arab nationalism. According to him Protestant missionaries from United States had a specific role in the renewal and awakening of the Arabic as a national language. He saw a particular Protestant establishment as central to this development. This facility began operation in 1866 and is the first of it's kind outside of the USA. However the facility started giving importance to English starting from 1920 and the focal point Arab Nationalist fervor slowly shifted to the Arab officers in the Ottoman army. What facility?

• Answer…

• The American University of Beirut

3

The Schwerer Gustav and Dora were railway guns developed by Krupp. It was the heaviest mobile artillery piece ever built in terms of overall weight, and fired the heaviest shells of any artillery piece. The guns saw action for the first time in the Soviet Union at the siege of Sevastopol during Operation Barbarossa. However they were built explicitly for another purpose and were designed to punch through 7m of reinforced concrete or one full metre of steel armour plate, from beyond the range of enemy artillery. What was this target and why were these guns not used on it?

• Answer…

• These were the railway guns designed especially to bombard the Maginot Line. Since the German Army adopted the Blitzkrieg strategy the French defences at Maginot Line was bypassed through Belgium and these guns were never used at their intended target.

4It was the title given to certain light infantry regiments in the French Army. Originally the troops of these regiments were derived from the Kabyli tribe of Algeria and Morocco and the regiment was named after them. The Crimean War of 1854-55 confirmed their fighting reputation and their exploits were widely publicized Western journals. Soon similar regiments were raised in the U.S. for service in the American Civil War. The chief distinguishing characteristics of such units were their uniform, which included short open-fronted jackets, baggy trousers and often sashes and oriental headgear. What title? A French phrase meaning "to act wildly" is said to have originated from them. This phrase appears in a Tintin comic wherein Capt. Haddock uses this phrase against Prof Calculus causing him much distress. What phrase?

• Answer…

The name used for these regiments is Zouaves. In French vernacular speech, the phrase "faire le Zouave" can be translated as "to act the goat" i.e. to behave wildly.

5

Within the next couple of years of this event economic depression engulfed many of the trade centers of Europe. The crisis was felt most in Venice. The Venician Senate passed a resolution on 15th January 1506 to take some action to provide the citizens with every facility for sailing the seas. They immediately formed a committee to advise the city government on how to handle the large number of business failures and bankruptcies. Venice also appealed to the Sultan of Cairo to reduce the rates of taxation. What event considered to be the start of decline of Venice triggered such frantic reactions from the Venetians?

• Answer…

• Vasco Da Gama’s discovery of a sea route to Calicut

6The production of the manuscript started in 1649 and was completed in 1653. It features intricate and miniature paintings of gods, battles, landscapes and animals and text in Sanskrit. The seven volumes corresponding to the seven books of the epic was split when books 2,4,6 and 7 was given to an Englishman who later took it to England. What?This Englishman was the first British Political Agent in the region and was keen on projecting Rajputs as a noble race who can be aligned to British interests. He was impressed by the history of Rajputs and saw parallels with the Medieval feudal system of Europe and wrote a romantic interpretation of their history. He even suggested granting independence to them. His romantic nationalist perspective was used by Indian writers, especially those from the 1850s to whip up nationalistic fervor. Who?

• Answer…

• Mewar Ramayana• James Tod, who wrote the Annals of Rajasthan

7

L'Ordre des Chevaliers du Saint-Esprit was the senior most chivalric order of France by precedence. The symbol of the order is known as the Cross of the Holy Spirit. The knights of this order got a nick name due to the manner in which the they hung the Cross. Since this order was created exclusively for princes and nobles their nickname became synonymous with excellence and prestige. This nickname has been famously used in two instances to denote these qualities. And with respect to one of them it has been suggested that the term was derived from the splendor of feasts held by the Knights. Give me the two examples.

• Answer…

Cordon Bleu in cooking and the Blue Riband sport events

8

The Tokugawa Shogunate ruled Japan with an iron fist. Their reign of terror was imposed by the three special agencies: the spy network, the assassins and finally by the royal executioner . These jobs were traditionally assigned to members of three respective clans, for e.g. the assassins came from the Yagyu clan and the spies came from the Kurakawa clan. In 1655 the clan of the royal executioner vanished completely and the job was taken by the Yagyu clan. Then in the 1681 the Yagyu clan also came to an end. In 1970 something was started as a possible explanation to the mysterious disappearance of these clans and took 28 installments to do it. What?

• Answer…

The Lone wolf and the Cub

9

He wanted to become a submariner but ended up joining the Waffen SS. He was trained as a tank gunner and fought with the 10th SS Panzer Division Frundsberg until its surrender to U.S. forces at Marienbad. His recollection of a boy named Joseph, with whom he spent time in a prisoner-of-war camp went like this: "He became my friend and we played dice together. I had managed to smuggle my dice shaker into the camp. (…) I wanted to be an artist and he was interested in a career in the church. He seemed a little shy, but he was a nice guy." Who talking about whom?

• Answer…

Gunther Grass talking about the former Pope Joseph Ratzinger

10

These devices were used by armies from mid-World War I to the early years of World War II after which they became obsolete. The ones seen here were used by the Japanese army and got it's nickname because it resembled a music instrument. What nickname? Also tell me why they became obsolete.

• Answer…

• Radar • Japanese War Tubas

11.

An employee of the British East India Company, he was a polymath who became a member of the Royal Society. He established the Zoological Society of London and was the founder and President of the London Zoo. At the age of 30 while working in East Indies, he heard of a lost mountain covered with sculptures, centuries old and buried under volcanic ash and jungle vegetation. He sent out an expedition and discovered Borobudur in Central Java. He also published a two-volume history which introduced Java to the world. He also campaigned against the practice of slavery and forced labor. Name this gentleman who is more famous for another achievement.

• Answer…

• Sir Stamford Raffles, founder of Singapore.

12.• Question on next slide…

• Considered by some to be the American equivalent of the Dreyfus Affair, this trial led to mass protests in six continents and a lot of flag burning. The accused were given the death sentence and executed. Fifty years later, the governor of Massachusetts signed a proclamation where he stated that the high standards of justice had failed the two men. The picture shows a memorial to the accused, designed by Gutzon Borglum. Name the two.

• Answer…

Sacco and Vanzetti, Italian born Anarchists who were sentenced to death.

13

They are a subgrouping of Brahmins found throughout Bengal. Their name historically carried a stigmatized and pejorative connotation. It is derived from the name of an official who had converted to Islam. The orthodox Hindu society at that time shunned this man's family who remained Hindus. It is believed this background ultimately led a famous Bengali family to dispense with many of the customs followed by orthodox Brahmins and subsequently they embraced the Brahmo sect of Hinduism. What was this sub-group called? Which family?

• Answer…

• The Pirali Brahmins who take their name from Mohammad Tahir Pir Ali, who served under a governor of Jessore

• The Tagores were Pirali Brahmins

14This group of 54 people used a schooner called "Ayesha" for their escape. Over the next six months, they enacted one of the longest escapes recorded - over 11,000 km by sea and land - losing only one man to disease and three to enemy action, a remarkable achievement for the times. They first reached a Dutch port in Sumatra. Then they traveled by freighter to the Ottoman port city of Hodeida, Yemen. When financial support from the Turks was delayed, they traveled to Jeddah and from there to Medina. Near Jeddah they fought off a Bedouin army. They were eventually relieved by the Emir of Mecca. While being guests of the Emir, their leader grew uneasy and feared being held as a hostage for political bartering. So they sneaked off in a dhow and reached the Hejaz railway. From there, they reached Constantinople and eventually their homeland.

This remarkable tale of adventure came after another more famous adventure, which had already made them part of military folklore. Who were these people?

• Answer…

• Survivors from SMS Emden, which had ran aground in the Keeling islands.

• This group led by Hellmuth von Mucke had landed on Cocos islands to attack British facilities when the submarine was destroyed.

15.

They were one of the last units to see action in World War II and held the Führerbunker against the onslaught of Soviet infantry. The unit was comprised of foreign volunteers and was named for an ancient king. They were hoping that Hitler will unify their country with Germany as the ancient king did. The unit's crest was a representation of the dual empire of the ancient king. What was the unit's name?

• Answer

• The 33rd Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS Charlemagne (1st French)

16

He was an American poet who served in the French Foreign Legion, he did during the Battle of the Somme. He was a classmate of T.S. Eliot at Harvard. He is most well known for having authored the poem, “I Have a Rendezvous with Death”, a favorite of JFK . A statue modeled after him is found on the monument honoring fallen Americans who volunteered for France during the war, located at the Place des États-Unis, Paris. His nephew who passed away recently was a prominent figure who supported the causes of international disarmament, civil rights, counterculture and environment. What surname does he share with his nephew?

Answer

Alan Seeger, he was the uncle of Pete Seeger

17

This ship was built between 1973 and 1974 for more than US$350 million at the direction of Howard Hughes. The ship hadprecision stability equipment to keep the ship nearly stationary over a point on the sea floor. Hughes told the media that ship's purpose was to extract manganese nodules from the ocean floor. This innovative idea became surprisingly influential, spurring many others to examine the idea. But in later people associated the project unanimously maintained that the ship could not be used in any economically viable ocean mineral operation. Then what was the ship used for?

• Answer…

This was Hughes Glomar Explorer it was used to recover the sunken Soviet submarine K-129 from the Pacific Ocean floor

18On January 21, 1988, a procession of thousands of people started from Peshawar in Pakistan to Jalalabad in Afghanistan. The mass of people surged across the border without passports or visas – as authorities on both sides stood by making no effort to enforce the usual controls. It was described by one commentator as a “caravan of peace, carrying a message of love from Pashtuns east of the Khyber to those on the west”, marching through the historic Khyber Pass from Peshawar to Jalalabad. Both the Soviet army and the Mujahideen – the then warring parties – both declared a ceasefire for the day. Yet, two bomb explosions killed 15 people during the event.

What was the occasion for this unusual truce between the Afghan government, Pakistan government and the Mujahideen?

• Answer…

• The funeral of Khan Abdul Gaffar Khan, the Frontier Gandhi.

19It was one of the few Christian victories of the Second Crusade. The captured city eventually became the capital city of an empire in 1255. The victory was a turning-point in the history of the country and the wider Reconquista, which would be completed in 1492. In 1989 a Nobel laureate wrote a novel in which a proofreader decides to alter the meaning of a crucial sentence by inserting the word "not" in the text, so that the book now claims that the Crusaders did not come to the aid of the besiegers. It is said living in a city and a country created by the conquest and dispossession of Muslims might have shaped the author's views on Israeli policies towards the Palestinians.

What battle? Which author?

• Answer…

• The Siege of Lisbon• Jose Saramago

20.The monument commemorates an 1822 meeting between two liberators X and Y. Both had liberated countries from a colonial power and were marching to liberate another country. The two leaders exchanged letters and it was agreed, that the two of them must join forces if the struggle for independence was to succeed. The two met at _______. After the meeting, X became the sole commander of the revolutionary forces. Y left his troops under the command of X and soon retired from active service.What was this meeting called? Who were the leaders?

• Answer…

• Guayaquil Conference• X = Simon Bolivar, liberator of Venezuela, Colombia (including

Panama at the time), Ecuador, Bolivia etc.• Y = San Martin, liberator of Argentina and Chile.• The two agreed to join forces to liberate Peru.

The EndQuestions and Research: Manjith K and Praveen VR SMTP: kmanjith@gmail.com , praveen.vr@gmail.com