A to J - General Quiz on WWI - #1

Answer: Armistice

The Armistice came into effect at 11 o'clock on the 11th day and 11th month of the year - November. The Germans who negotiated the armistice were politicians, and the most senior army officer was a major-general. None of the senior of commanders negotiated directly or publicly and this set the stage for the 'stab-in-the-back' legend, despite the fact that Hindenburg was issuing order by phone to the German team.

Answer: Beatty

Admirals David Beatty and John Jellicoe were the British commanders the German commanders were Admirals: Scheer and Hipper.
The British sailed into a trap prepared by the German commanders in the North sea which was to send out a few ships under the command of Hipper to lure the British after them into Beatty's cruisers into the main German naval force under Admiral Scheer. But the British heard that a big fleet was stationed nearby, so they sent Jellicoe to rendezvous with Beatty.

Beatty arrived before the Germans had expected and he led them into the path of Jellicoe's fleet and the real battle commenced.
Then the Germans retreated but the British didn't follow them and so neither side won, although both claimed to have won.
The German navy never sailed out in strength again.

Answer: Chlorine

Chlorine was the first lethal gas used in the war. Both the French and Germans had used other gases before 1915 but they weren't as powerful and generally didn't seriously harm the recipients.

Answer: Dreadnought

When Britain built the first Dreadnought in 1906 it was part of an arms race between them and Germany, where both of them made as many Dreadnoughts' and other ships as possible. The key aim in building Dreadnoughts was to make almost all other surface naval vessels obsolete.

Answer: Entente

The major powers in the 'Entente' alliance were: Britain, France and Russia. (The US, though allied to the Entente from 1917, was not actually a member of it).

Answer: Fokker

Anton "Anthony" Fokker was a Dutch pilot and pioneer of aircraft.
Some of the most famous aircraft he produced were: the Fokker triplane and Fokker DVII.

Answer: Garros, Roland

Roland Garros (d. 1918) was an early French fighter ace and had a tennis tournament named after him.

Answer: Hindenburg

Paul von Hindenburg was probably the most famous German general of WWI. He later went on to be the president of Germany from 1925-1934. He is well known for appointing Hitler as Chancellor in Janauary 1933.

Answer: Iron Cross

The Iron Cross was the symbol of the German army from 1871 till the end of WWI. It was awarded in two classes, and the first class was a high honour. The second class, however, was awarded to over five million soldiers in the First World War.

Answer: Josef, Franz

Franz Josef I reigned from 1848-1916. He was succeeded by Emperor Charles I, who reigned from 1916-1918, when Austria-Hungary disintegrated.