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Quiz about World War 2 in General
Quiz about World War 2 in General

World War 2 in General Trivia Quiz


General World War II knowledge that shouldn't be too difficult for most.

A multiple-choice quiz by bertho. Estimated time: 6 mins.
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Author
bertho
Time
6 mins
Type
Multiple Choice
Quiz #
7,697
Updated
Dec 03 21
# Qns
25
Difficulty
Average
Avg Score
18 / 25
Plays
43568
Awards
Top 5% quiz!
Last 3 plays: Soxy71 (22/25), Looking4IQ (19/25), Guest 206 (9/25).
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Question 1 of 25
1. At the start of the European theatre in 1939, there were already two countries at war elsewhere. What were the two countries? Hint


Question 2 of 25
2. The offensives in Poland and France taught the English-speaking world a new word called "Blitzkrieg." What does it mean? Hint


Question 3 of 25
3. Which country denied much needed border access to the Soviets, thus finding itself at war against the Red Army? Hint


Question 4 of 25
4. Germany turned its aggression on its old foe France. Even with Allied help, France fell easily, leaving Britain to be the next target. A massive air battle soon followed. What was this battle called? Hint


Question 5 of 25
5. Italy decided to join Hitler's march of conquest in June 1940. Which Italian dictator was calling the shots? Hint


Question 6 of 25
6. German U-boat attacks threatened Britain's fragile economy by concentrating on shipping tonnage along which vital supply route? Hint


Question 7 of 25
7. Japan's day of infamy came with the attack on the American naval base at Pearl Harbor. In which year did this attack take place? Hint


Question 8 of 25
8. Which German general was sent to Tripoli ahead of his army to stem considerable Italian losses? Hint


Question 9 of 25
9. Which two British ships (one a battleship, the other a battlecruiser) were sent to Singapore to provide artillery support and to help prevent the Japanese invasion of Malaya (now Malaysia)? Hint


Question 10 of 25
10. Who was the British commander of the Allied forces in Malaya and Singapore? Hint


Question 11 of 25
11. In a surprise attack, three miniature Japanese submarines sneaked into which harbor sinking the HMAS Kuttabul? Hint


Question 12 of 25
12. British Admiralty knew the havoc the new German battleship Bismarck could inflict on allied shipping if it were to escape into the open sea. They therefore threw every available ship and plane into the hunt. The first engagement with the Bismarck would prove devastating to the Royal Navy when she sent which capital ship to the bottom? Hint


Question 13 of 25
13. Guadalcanal was the scene of some of the fiercest fighting in the Pacific. In which group of islands is Guadalcanal found? Hint


Question 14 of 25
14. Which of the following was NOT a Nazi concentration camp or extermination camp? Hint


Question 15 of 25
15. June 6, 1944, D-Day: The longest day in WWII. What was the code name for the invasion of France, which started with the Allied landings in Normandy? Hint


Question 16 of 25
16. On which beach did the Americans run into a firestorm of resistance during the D-Day landings? Hint


Question 17 of 25
17. Which significant 1942 naval battle thwarted Japanese attempts to land troops in New Guinea, sunk one carrier and badly damaged another? Hint


Question 18 of 25
18. It was the largest battleship class ever built. It was a symbol of Japanese supremacy, not only on the sea but also as a race. The characteristics of this super battleship brought naval power to a new level. What was it named? Hint


Question 19 of 25
19. Military deaths in World War II: What country suffered the most military deaths in the war? Hint


Question 20 of 25
20. Civilian deaths in World War II: Which country suffered the largest number of civilian deaths? Hint


Question 21 of 25
21. For hundreds of years of naval warfare, large battleships dominated the seas. In one single battle these giants of the sea were to become largely redundant and a new style of naval warfare was unveiled. What was the location of the first naval battle ever fought where opposing fleets never actually came in contact with each other? Hint


Question 22 of 25
22. Two nations were able to bring fully operational jet fighters into the war before it ended. Britain's Gloster Meteor showed promise when it shot down a V1 Flying Bomb in July 1944. On the other side of the English Channel, Germany were about to mass-produce 1400 of which infamous jet aircraft? Hint


Question 23 of 25
23. Which American general was nicknamed "Blood and Guts"? Hint


Question 24 of 25
24. The scale of loss sustained in the invasion of Okinawa was so high that it lent weight for which action to bring the war to a speedy conclusion? Hint


Question 25 of 25
25. Where did the signing of the Japanese surrender take place, bringing the close to the long and costly war? Hint



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quiz
Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. At the start of the European theatre in 1939, there were already two countries at war elsewhere. What were the two countries?

Answer: Japan and China

Japan and China had been at war since 1937. Germany invaded Poland on September 1, 1939.
2. The offensives in Poland and France taught the English-speaking world a new word called "Blitzkrieg." What does it mean?

Answer: Lightning War

"Lightning war" summed up what seemed to be a new way of warfare, combining the mobility, speed and strength of tank divisions with the mortal and physical power of air attacks and artillery, and of course infantry. It wasn't a new tactic. Sir John Monash, an Australian engineer in peacetime, and WWI general, combined these elements to smash German defences in Hamel to put the allies back on the front foot.

A certain soldier looked on with interest. It was Heinz Guderian.
3. Which country denied much needed border access to the Soviets, thus finding itself at war against the Red Army?

Answer: Finland

The brave Finns beat back the early Soviet attacks, but the Soviets' numerical advantage and the superior resources eventually forced the Finns to make peace and concede border territory.
4. Germany turned its aggression on its old foe France. Even with Allied help, France fell easily, leaving Britain to be the next target. A massive air battle soon followed. What was this battle called?

Answer: Battle of Britain

The British victory in the Battle of Britain ensured not only that they would survive for the moment, but also that Germany would have to fight a long war that its economy was ill-prepared for.
5. Italy decided to join Hitler's march of conquest in June 1940. Which Italian dictator was calling the shots?

Answer: Mussolini

Like Hitler, Mussolini was intent on expanding Italy into an empire, but invasion attempts into Greece and North Africa both failed. Time and time again the Germans had to divert resources to prop up the Italians, in Africa, Sicily and on the Italian mainland, resources they could not afford to spare.
6. German U-boat attacks threatened Britain's fragile economy by concentrating on shipping tonnage along which vital supply route?

Answer: Atlantic

The Atlantic routes were close to being shut down which could have been the end of Britain. By the end of 1941 the tide slowly turned on the U-Boat as allied radar became more sophisticated. It was the U-Boat that became the hunted, not the hunter.
7. Japan's day of infamy came with the attack on the American naval base at Pearl Harbor. In which year did this attack take place?

Answer: 1941

In 1941, the war became a truly global conflict. The Soviet Union was invaded by Germany and the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbour. An act of cold aggression that brought the United States into the war.
8. Which German general was sent to Tripoli ahead of his army to stem considerable Italian losses?

Answer: Rommel

Allied forces, never stronger than two divisions, destroyed 10 divisions, smashing the Italian lines and taking 130,000 prisoners. Hitler could not allow his ally to be so easily defeated and sent the up-and-coming General, Erwin Rommel, with his Afrika-Korps to stem the tide.
9. Which two British ships (one a battleship, the other a battlecruiser) were sent to Singapore to provide artillery support and to help prevent the Japanese invasion of Malaya (now Malaysia)?

Answer: HMS Prince of Wales and HMS Repulse

Three days after Pearl Harbor, the Japanese demonstrated to the Royal Navy exactly what happens to surface craft that stick their necks out without friendly aircover. Britain's Force Z, centered on the battleship HMS Prince of Wales and the battlecruiser HMS Repulse, attempted to intercept the Japanese amphibious forces off Malaya.

They were located by planes of several IJN air groups off the eastern coast of the peninsula and were subjected to multiple attacks, the third of which left both capital ships sinking. With their demise, the road to Singapore lay open.
10. Who was the British commander of the Allied forces in Malaya and Singapore?

Answer: General Percival

To some extent Percival was blamed for the fall of Singapore. Only in recent times have historians managed to shift the blame to Churchill and the Admiralty for grossly underestimating Japanese tactics and fighting ability.
11. In a surprise attack, three miniature Japanese submarines sneaked into which harbor sinking the HMAS Kuttabul?

Answer: Sydney

Australia was not untouched by the war. As well as the Sydney Harbour attack, Darwin, the site of US and Aussie naval bases, was brutally bombed by the Japanese for over a year. At the time these attacks were not made public for fear of a national panic (that the Japanese were so close to mainland Australia).
12. British Admiralty knew the havoc the new German battleship Bismarck could inflict on allied shipping if it were to escape into the open sea. They therefore threw every available ship and plane into the hunt. The first engagement with the Bismarck would prove devastating to the Royal Navy when she sent which capital ship to the bottom?

Answer: HMS Hood

The loss of the Hood was a tragedy that's difficult to measure. From a crew of 1418 men, only three survived. The Hood was also seen as unsinkable, the pride of the British fleet. It was a huge knock to morale not only to Britain, but also for all allied navies.

The story of the Bismarck is well documented, and I won't give the ending away for those that haven't read the story as it's fascinating. There are many resources online.
13. Guadalcanal was the scene of some of the fiercest fighting in the Pacific. In which group of islands is Guadalcanal found?

Answer: Solomon Islands

Guadalcanal was a strategic but costly victory.
14. Which of the following was NOT a Nazi concentration camp or extermination camp?

Answer: Berchtesgaden - Germany

Berchtesgaden was the town located close to Obersalzberg, a retreat for top Nazis. The large complex was created and run by Nazi Reichsleiter Martin Bormann. Hitler's Berghof, Goering and Bormann's homes were prominent in the complex. Many other Nazi staff that required constant access to Hitler, such as then architect Albert Speer, also had small homes built in Obersalzberg.

The whole complex was linked with massive underground bunkers and defensive machine gun and AA positions. Much of Obersalzberg was destroyed by allied air attacks in 1945.
15. June 6, 1944, D-Day: The longest day in WWII. What was the code name for the invasion of France, which started with the Allied landings in Normandy?

Answer: Operation Overlord

The Allied invasion of France (code-named Operation Overlord) on June 6, 1944 was one of the largest military operations in history. The purpose was to drive the German army back to Berlin and finish the war in Europe.
[ the code name for the Allied landings was Operation Neptune ]
16. On which beach did the Americans run into a firestorm of resistance during the D-Day landings?

Answer: Omaha

The British and Canadians quickly took their landing beaches of Gold, Juno, and Sword, as the Americans did with Utah Beach. Americans on Omaha Beach, however, ran into a firestorm of German resistance. Failure to hold Omaha Beach would have doomed the whole invasion.
17. Which significant 1942 naval battle thwarted Japanese attempts to land troops in New Guinea, sunk one carrier and badly damaged another?

Answer: Battle of the Coral Sea

The Battle of the Coral Sea was not considered a victory for the Allied fleet because the carrier Lexington sank and the Yorktown was damaged. However, important supply lines between the US and Australia remained open. Importantly, the Japanese fleet were denied the services of two of her newest carriers in the upcoming Battle of Midway.
18. It was the largest battleship class ever built. It was a symbol of Japanese supremacy, not only on the sea but also as a race. The characteristics of this super battleship brought naval power to a new level. What was it named?

Answer: Yamato

The awesome Yamato was sent on a suicide mission (fueled for a one way journey) to draw fire and "do whatever it could" during the battle for Okinawa. Fighter planes from the USS Bennington and Hornet bombed and torpedoed the Yamato until she finally listed and sank, taking with her nearly 2,500 Japanese seamen.

The two Yamato class battleships were the Yamato and her sister ship the Musashi.
19. Military deaths in World War II: What country suffered the most military deaths in the war?

Answer: USSR

USSR suffered a staggering 13.6 million military deaths; Germany 3.2 million; Japan 2 million; USA 416,800; Britain 326,000; France 340,000, and Italy 330,000.
(these figures were derived from a range of sources)
20. Civilian deaths in World War II: Which country suffered the largest number of civilian deaths?

Answer: USSR

Over 15 million Soviet civilians perished; 6 million Poles; 2.5 million German civilians; 500,000-1 million Japanese civilians; 470,000 Frenchmen; 155,000 Italians and 65,000 British civilians. I've taken China out of the question as records were poorly kept. Various sources estimate the civilian death toll in China to be anywhere between 7 and 16 million.
21. For hundreds of years of naval warfare, large battleships dominated the seas. In one single battle these giants of the sea were to become largely redundant and a new style of naval warfare was unveiled. What was the location of the first naval battle ever fought where opposing fleets never actually came in contact with each other?

Answer: Coral Sea

The Battle of the Coral Sea was the first naval battle to be fought entirely by aircraft. The Japanese and the American fleets never actually came in contact with each other. Lucky for Lord Nelson the French didn't own a squadron of low level torpedo bombers!
22. Two nations were able to bring fully operational jet fighters into the war before it ended. Britain's Gloster Meteor showed promise when it shot down a V1 Flying Bomb in July 1944. On the other side of the English Channel, Germany were about to mass-produce 1400 of which infamous jet aircraft?

Answer: Messerschmitt Me 262

With the Messerschmitt Me 262 Germany finally had their 'secret weapon' capable of turning the war. It was designed as a fighter plane, and at top speed (870kph) nothing could touch it. German industry at the time was having a hard time with Allied bombing and it was thought that the ME262 could harass and destroy enough bombers for allied air command to pull out of the bombing war.

However, it was never to be. Against all argument from Luftwaffe experts, Hitler refused to allow the plane to be built as a fighter.

He thought the terror and morale aspect of a light bomber that could strike London greater than a fighter which could possibly save German industry.
23. Which American general was nicknamed "Blood and Guts"?

Answer: Patton

The ultimate fighting general, Patton, fought in Africa, Sicily and Europe. He was perhaps the most animated and outspoken of all the allied generals. His Third Army assignment during the liberation of Europe saw him sweep through Southern France at great speed.

His greatest moments in Europe came during the Ardennes Offensive in December 1944 when he swept his army group north to choke the German attack and relieve stranded airborne troops in Bastogne.
24. The scale of loss sustained in the invasion of Okinawa was so high that it lent weight for which action to bring the war to a speedy conclusion?

Answer: The use of the atomic bomb

The Japanese, although well and truly defeated by this stage of the war refused to surrender. It was estimated the US would suffer a further 500,000 casualties if they had to invade the Japanese mainland and force their way to Tokyo. After the Hiroshima bomb, the Japanese still would not surrender which led to the bombing of Nagasaki three days later. The Japanese finally then capitulated.
25. Where did the signing of the Japanese surrender take place, bringing the close to the long and costly war?

Answer: Aboard the USS Missouri

After the second nuclear bomb had destroyed Nagasaki and the Soviet forces had smashed through their army defenses at Manchuria, the Japanese capitulated. World War II finally ended with the signing of the Japanese surrender in Tokyo Bay, September 2, 1945.
Source: Author bertho

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