10 Questions about World War II in Brief | For Children

Answer: Poland

Following the German use of blitzkrieg tactics, Warsaw (the capital of Poland) surrendered on 27th September. On 17 September 1939 Soviet forces invaded eastern Poland. (The Soviet Union was on Germany's side until the 22nd June 1941, when Germany invaded them).

Answer: 3rd September 1939

Two days after Germany's invasion of Poland, France and Britain declared war on Germany. Nazi Leader Adolf Hitler said that the invasion of Poland was a defensive action, but France and Britain were not convinced. Moreover, Britain was pledged to help Poland if its independence was threatened by military force.

Answer: The Atlantic

The Battle of the Atlantic (the German attempt to blockade Britain into submission) lasted from 1939 till the surrender of Germany in 1945.

Answer: Japan

On the morning of December 7, 1941, Japan bombed Pearl Harbor by air with a surprise attack. The next day the U.S. declared war on Japan.

Answer: Coral Sea

The Battle of the Coral Sea was the first aircraft carrier battle ever fought and the first naval battle in which the ships didn't shoot each other down. All attacks were from aeroplanes operating from aircraft carriers. It was fought off the coast of north east Australia between 4-8 May 1942. The Allies, especially the United States and Australia, were fighting Japan.

Answer: Operation Overlord

The landings happened on 6th June 1944. There were five Beaches that the Allies landed on: Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno and Sword. Omaha took the most casualties with 2,400 and Juno with 1,200. The landings on the other beaches were a great success with low casualties.

Answer: Soviet Union

The Soviet Union suffered about 23,400,000 people dead, followed by China with an estimated 20,000,000 and Germany with 8,680,000. (Note that the figure for China has not been checked as thoroughly as the others as historical sources vary.)

Answer: Japanese suicide pilots

Their tactic was to crash their planes, loaded with bombs, deliberately on Allied vessels. This seriously damaged and destroyed a lot of U.S., Australian and British naval vessels. But they did waste a few planes and pilots.

Answer: Erwin Rommel

He was one of the greatest German field marshals in history, winning battles in Libya, North Africa, and pushing the British back to El Alamein in Egypt. He then got sick and that's when the British started to win the war in Africa. He then got sent to Italy to fight but was wounded. Implicated in the July 1944 plot to kill Hitler, he was given the choice of taking his own life or going on trial.

In view of Rommel's popularity in Germany, a trial would have been very embarrassing for the Nazi régime. Rommel chose to commit suicide by poison.

Answer: Little Boy

Made of uranium, Little Boy killed 200,000 people and was the first of two atomic bombs that were dropped on Japan. These bombs marked the end of World War II.