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Quiz about Britain in WWII The Early Months
Quiz about Britain in WWII The Early Months

Britain in WWII: The Early Months Quiz


This is the first of five quizzes on Britain in World War II, a topic I am currently studying. Writing this has helped my revision and allowed me to broaden my knowledge on the subject.

A multiple-choice quiz by doublemm. Estimated time: 4 mins.
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Author
doublemm
Time
4 mins
Type
Multiple Choice
Quiz #
303,044
Updated
Dec 03 21
# Qns
10
Difficulty
Average
Avg Score
6 / 10
Plays
1838
Awards
Top 20% Quiz
Last 3 plays: Guest 84 (7/10), Guest 142 (9/10), Guest 70 (7/10).
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Question 1 of 10
1. When Britain declared war on Germany in September, it was several months until they became involved in any land battles. What was this period of time known as? Hint


Question 2 of 10
2. During this period of time there were only a few small naval skirmishes. However, in October 1939, a German U-boat successfully penetrated the defences of Scapa Flow managing to sink which ship? Hint


Question 3 of 10
3. Due to a conflict which had taken place between Finland and the Soviet Union the raw materials found there, attentions turned to Scandinavia. In April 1940 Britain became involved in its first significant land battle of WWII. In which country did this take place? Hint


Question 4 of 10
4. After Britain's poor performance in this conflict there was a large debate in the Houses of Commons concerning the government's handling of it. The result was the formation of a coalition government in May 1940, with Winston Churchill as Prime Minister. Whom did he replace? Hint


Question 5 of 10
5. On the same day that Churchill was appointed Prime Minister, Germany invaded the Netherlands and Belgium. Where did the *main* attack take place? Hint


Question 6 of 10
6. After the invasion of Belgium and the Netherlands, the German army moved at an incredibly fast rate under the control of Erwin Rommel. They had moved so swiftly through France it took them only until 12th May to reach which river? Hint


Question 7 of 10
7. The German army inflicted huge losses on the French and British armies. This was due to the element of surprise in their attack. However, another factor which caused this was the incompetence of the Allied armies. Under which general did the French army serve during this conflict? Hint


Question 8 of 10
8. With almost the entire British army in France at this time, British generals began to worry that they could be wiped out by the German army. This led to the idea of the Dunkirk evacuation. Who first suggested this solution? Hint


Question 9 of 10
9. The evacuation was a success, rescuing approximately 338,000 British and French soldiers. Which of these was NOT a factor in the success of Dunkirk? Hint


Question 10 of 10
10. The success of Dunkirk was used as propaganda by the British government. How did they refer to the Dunkirk evacuation? Hint



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Most Recent Scores
Oct 13 2024 : Guest 84: 7/10
Sep 28 2024 : Guest 142: 9/10
Sep 09 2024 : Guest 70: 7/10

Score Distribution

quiz
Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. When Britain declared war on Germany in September, it was several months until they became involved in any land battles. What was this period of time known as?

Answer: The Phoney War

Although there were no major conflicts involving the British Army, the RAF was active in this period, dropping leaflets on Germany in an attempt to convince the German people that Hitler was evil; and of course the Battle of the Atlantic started with the declaration of war.
2. During this period of time there were only a few small naval skirmishes. However, in October 1939, a German U-boat successfully penetrated the defences of Scapa Flow managing to sink which ship?

Answer: HMS Royal Oak

This showed the effectiveness of the U-Boats to German naval commander Donitz. This event was also a major embarrassment to the Royal Navy as the Scapa Flow naval base was a symbol of British naval supremacy.
3. Due to a conflict which had taken place between Finland and the Soviet Union the raw materials found there, attentions turned to Scandinavia. In April 1940 Britain became involved in its first significant land battle of WWII. In which country did this take place?

Answer: Norway

Although the British navy performed well in Norway, sinking 10 German destroyers whilst keeping their own losses to a minimum, the army did not have as much success. There were many reasons for this, including the lack of preperation the British army had and the lack even of maps and skis.
4. After Britain's poor performance in this conflict there was a large debate in the Houses of Commons concerning the government's handling of it. The result was the formation of a coalition government in May 1940, with Winston Churchill as Prime Minister. Whom did he replace?

Answer: Neville Chamberlain

Opposition politicians declared that they would not serve under Chamberlain. The two candidates who looked likely to get the position as Prime Minister were Churchill and Halifax. Many politicians did not want Churchill as Prime Minister as they saw him as volatile.

However, in the end it was Halifax himself who admitted that Churchill had the qualities needed to lead Britain in the time of war. Halifax also had the disadvantage of sitting in the House of Lords and he had been heavily committed to appeasement.
5. On the same day that Churchill was appointed Prime Minister, Germany invaded the Netherlands and Belgium. Where did the *main* attack take place?

Answer: Through the forests of the Ardennes

This was an incredibly effective tactic as the Allies were taken completely by surprise. The French believed that the main attack would not come at the German-French border (due to the Maginot Line) nor through the forests of the Ardennes, which they believed to be impassable.
6. After the invasion of Belgium and the Netherlands, the German army moved at an incredibly fast rate under the control of Erwin Rommel. They had moved so swiftly through France it took them only until 12th May to reach which river?

Answer: The Meuse

The Allied generals did not realise the threat of this German invasion until the Germans reached the Meuse. However, the German army held their positions during the Allied air attacks, and then broke out across France to the coast, which they reached on 20th May.
7. The German army inflicted huge losses on the French and British armies. This was due to the element of surprise in their attack. However, another factor which caused this was the incompetence of the Allied armies. Under which general did the French army serve during this conflict?

Answer: Gamelin

An example of Gamelin's incompetence was the fact that his command quarters in Paris did not even have radio contact. He even avoided using the telephone whenever possible!
8. With almost the entire British army in France at this time, British generals began to worry that they could be wiped out by the German army. This led to the idea of the Dunkirk evacuation. Who first suggested this solution?

Answer: Lord Gort

The French disliked the Dunkirk evacuation, as they believed the British were abandoning them. After the evacuation the Germans outnumbered the French by two to one. The fight only lasted 10 days and by 18 June 1940 France had been defeated.
9. The evacuation was a success, rescuing approximately 338,000 British and French soldiers. Which of these was NOT a factor in the success of Dunkirk?

Answer: German soldiers drowned in nearby rivers

The weather was also a major factor in the success of Dunkirk. This along with the actions of the RAF meant that Goering could not keep his promise to Hitler, a promise to prevent the Dunkirk evacuation using the might of the Luftwaffe.
10. The success of Dunkirk was used as propaganda by the British government. How did they refer to the Dunkirk evacuation?

Answer: The Miracle of Dunkirk

This emphasised, perhaps even mythologized, the role of small boats in the evacuation and the fact that many boats belonged to civilians. However, in truth, most of the work was done by larger naval ships. This, however, does not diminish the part played by the small boats.
Source: Author doublemm

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor bloomsby before going online.
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