20th Century History in General Quiz

Answer: Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand

The heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, Archduke Franz Ferdinand, and his wife, Duchess Sophie, were shot dead by a Bosnian Serb nationalist named Gavrillo Princip in Sarajevo. This event triggered World War I. After three weeks of apparent inaction, on 23rd July 1914 Austria-Hungary sent an ultimatum (list of demands) to Serbia, threatening war if these were not met. The Serbian government came close to wrong-footing Austria-Hungary by accepting most of the demands. However, Austria-Hungary insisted that all its demands be met in full and declared war on Serbia on 28th July 1914.

The last answer was just made up from a much older event in Prague.

Answer: Germany invaded Belgium

After Germany declared war on France, they sought to invade it through neutral Belgium. Both Britain and Germany were bound by an international treaty to respect Belgian neutrality. Britain, keen to avoid the Channel and North Sea coasts (opposite its own coast) falling under German control, declared war on Germany.

Answer: Britain, France and Russia

These alliances formed between 1879 and 1907. Italy had joined the alliance between Germany and Austria-Hungary (the Triple Alliance) rashly in 1882, because of clashes between France and Italy in North Africa. On the outbreak of war in 1914 Italy at first remained neutral, but in 1915 joined the side of the Entente, hoping to gain territory from Austria-Hungary.

Germany and Austria gained Bulgaria and Ottoman Turkey as allies and in the war these were called the Central Powers.

Answer: The USA declared war on Germany

Both sides tried to starve the other into submission. Britain and France blockaded Germany, and Germany blockaded Britain. Germany used submarines to sink ships in the Atlantic transporting food and other good) to Britain. The Germans tried to avoid sinking American ships, but in early 1917, in a desperate move, they declared "unrestricted submarine warfare": in other words, they began to try to sink all ships transporting good to Britain, including American ships.

Not surprisingly, this brought the U.S. into the war in 1917 as an ally of the Entente.

Answer: Versailles Treaty

The Versailles Treaty was signed on the 28th June 1919 without any negotiation with the German delegation. The Locarno Treaties date from 1925. The Treaty of Sevres was signed for the dissolution of the Ottoman Empire in Turkey. However, Turkey resumed fighting and the treaty was replaced by a new treaty in 1923.

Answer: League of Nations

The League of Nations, formed in 1920, is generally regarded as a forerunner to the United Nations Organization. The USA didn't join the League because they wanted to keep out of another conflict in Europe. The League was also weakened by the fact that Germany was not allowed to join till after the Locarno Treaties (1925) and the Soviet Union did not join till 1935.

Answer: Adolf Hitler

Adolf Hitler (born 20th April 1889, died 30th April 1945) rose to become Germany's leader in January 1933. The party he led was the National Socialist German Workers' Party, usually referred as the Nazis. The rise of the Nazis was very sudden. In 1928 they had only 12 memebers in the Reichstag (German parliament) but in 1932 they emerged as the strongest single party. Hitler was appointed chancellor on 30th January 1933.

Answer: Union of Soviet Socialist Republics

The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR or the Soviet Union) was formed after the victorious Communist Red Army defeated their anti-Communist enemies, the White Army. It was founded and led by Vladimir Lenin. Later, after Lenin's death, Josef Stalin became leader after an internal power struggle.

Answer: Abyssinia (Ethiopia)

Abyssinia (present-day Ethiopia and Eritrea) was invaded by Italy in 1935, overthrowing King Halie Selassie I. It was liberated from Italian rule in 1941. Somalia and Libya were already under occupation by Italy before the invasion of Abyssinia in 1936.

Answer: To free countries under occupation by the West

Many people in Asian countries during World War II, especially here in Malaysia, were convinced that the Japanese were their "saviours" and that they would free them from British, Dutch, French and American colonial forces. Eventually, they didn't really find them so heroic later on.

Please note that the question stated, "What was their EXCUSE...", so for those who answered "build an empire...", read questions carefully.

Answer: German invasion of Poland

On 1st September 1939, Hitler ordered the invasion of Poland. Britain and France declared war on Germany two days later. The Soviets invaded Poland from the east on 17th September 1939. The invasion of France took place in May-June 1940 and the German bombing of Britain was at its most intense in July 1940 to May 1941.

Answer: Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor

The Japanese launched an unprovoked attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii in December 1941. America entered WWII a day later after declaring war on Japan. Soon afterwards Germany and Italy declared war on America in support of Japan.

Answer: Britain, China, USSR and USA

Britain and France had beeen the main belligerents of the Allies at the beginning of the war. The USSR joined the Allies after Germany invaded Russia in June 1941. The USA joined after the Pearl Harbor attack in December 1941. China, India, Canada, Australia and New Zealand were also part of the Allies. Turkey and Spain were neutral.

Italy and Romania were part of in the Axis but changed sides during the war. The main Axis powers consisted of Germany, Italy and Japan.

Answer: Atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki

On 6th August 1945, the USA dropped its first atomic bomb, 'Little Boy' on Hiroshima. Three days later, 'Fat Man' was dropped on Nagasaki. This was to spare American lives and to end the war much faster.

Answer: United Nations

The United Nations was formed in October 1945. It was to serve the same function as the League of Nations, but this time America definitely joined in, along with Britain, France, China and the Soviet Union, and several other nations.

Answer: Because there was no armed conflict between the USA and the Soviet Union

The Cold War lasted from about 1947 until 1989. It was so called because there was not a single armed conflict between America and the Soviet Union, although there were the Korean and Vietnam wars.

Answer: Nuclear arms race between USSR and USA

When the Soviets detonated their first atomic bomb, America quickly reacted by developing more nuclear weapons to keep ahead of the Soviet Union. By now, both nations still have so many because of the Cold War.

Answer: South-East Asian Treaty Organization (SEATO)

SEATO was formed on the 8th of September, 1954. Like NATO, it also prevented the spreading of communism in South-East Asia. It was joined by Australia, France, New Zealand, Pakistan, the Philippines, Thailand, the United Kingdom and the United States. However, it was put out of service on 30th June 1977.

Answer: Capitalist and communist

The Western countries, such as America, the UK and France, were part of the capitalist bloc, while the Soviet Union and other Eastern European countries were part of the communist bloc.

Answer: Independent countries that did not support either side in the Cold War

The Third World countries were countries that had gained independence and would not support either the capitalist or the Communist blocs.

(Note that the term was sometimes used to denote poor, non-aligned countries).