Britain from 1945 to 1955 Trivia Quiz

Answer: 2

Around midnight of April 28-29 Hitler married Eva Braun. On April 30 he said farewell to Goebbels. He then shot or poisoned himself. Mussolini had died a few days before. Though he had lost power for several months already, he had refused to flee from the country.

The Allies had reached Naples in October 1843. They reached Rome in June 1944, Florence in August. The northern cities were reached in April 1945. Finally Mussolini tried to join a convoy of retiring Germans and escape to Switzerland. Near Dongo he was stopped, shot and then hanged. Together with his mistress Claretta Petacci.

His body was brought back for public display in Milan.

Answer: Clement Attlee

Clement Attlee had been party leader since 1935. He was replaced in 1955 by Hugh Gaitskell. The next Labour party leaders were: Harold Wilson (1963-1976); James Callaghan (1976-80); Michael Foot (1980-1983); Neil Kinnock (1983-1992); John Smith (1992- 1994). And, since 1994, Tony Blair.

Answer: not all the votes had been counted yet in the British elections and it was not clear who was going to be the next Prime- Minister

The General Election of July 1945 had started on 5th July but because of special war circumstances, did not finish till 26th July. There was that delay because the armed forces votes had to be counted, too. In spite of his impressive leadership during the war, Churchill lost the elections and Labour came to power with a majority of no fewer than .... 146 seats.

Answer: King David

Allenby Hotel and Jerusalem Hotel do exist. Allenby was a British General.

Answer: Jawaharlal Nehru

Tara Singh, a historic Sikh leader, was born in 1885 at Rawalpindi, Punjab, India. He died in 1967, at Chandigarh. He advocated the creation of an independent Sikh State in Punjab. Jawaharlal Nehru, born in 1889 at Allahabad, India. Died in New Delhi, 1964. Earned himself the byname Pundit or Teacher. Was the son of one of Mahatma Gandhi's most prominent 'lieutenants' Motilal Nehru.

As leader of the Congress Party he established Parliamentary Government and became noted for his 'neutralist' policies.

His daughter Indira Priyadarshini, later also became Prime Minister of India , under her married name: Indira Gandhi. Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi is 'universally' known as Mahatma Gandhi, Mahatma meaning Great Soul. Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was born in 1869 at Porbandar, in India and died on January the Third, 1948, in Delhi.

Answer: False

A United States of Europe speech would have made little sense in Missouri. The Fulton speech was not in 1947, but in 1946. The 'U.S.of Europe' speech was made in May, 1947 at a meeting of the United Europe Committee.

Answer: Pakistan

Burma became an independent Republic in 1948. It did not join the Commonwealth. Bengal never became a state. West-Bengal remained part of India. East Bengal after having been part of Pakistan, later became Bangla-Desh (1971). Ceylon became independent on February 4, 1948. Later the country's name was de-westernised and became Sri Lanka. Pakistan was created nearly on the same day as India, but prefers to celebrate its independence on 14th of August. Which date is historically correct remains a matter of discussion. See Dr Tariq Rahman's article at www.jang.com.pk/thenews/aug2003-daily/10

Answer: David Ben Gurion

David Ben Gurion was born in Poland. His original name was David Gruen. He was the 1st Prime Minister of Israel (1948 till 1953, and again from 1955 till 1963). Died in Tel-Aviv, 1973. Golda Meir was born in 1898 in Kiev. She was a co-founder of Israel and became the country's fourth Prime Minister (1969-74).

Her original name had been Goldie Mabovitch, later changed to Goldie Myerson. Moshe Dayan was born in Deganya, now Israel (1915). He led Israel to dramatic victories over her Arab neighbours.

He died in 1981 at Tel Aviv. Emma Goldmann conducted leftist activities in the United States from 1890 till 1917. Her agitation against military conscription etc. led to her imprisonment. After two years she was released and deported to the USSR, a country which was not to her taste at all. Kept promoting her views in Sweden, Germany, England, and France. Near the end of her life she was still promoting the anti-Fascist cause in Spain.

She died in Toronto, Canada, on May 14, 1940. Her birthplace was Kaunas, Lithuania (1869).

Answer: False

The blockade of Berlin was anterior to the foundation of the FRG. The Russians wanted to cut through the links between the Western Zones and the Berlin territory. They began a blockade in July 1948, but the West replied with an airlift to supply West Berlin.

Answer: Stafford Cripps

Stafford Cripps, born in 1889 London and died in 1952 in Zurich. Chiefly remembered for his rigid austerity postwar program as Chancellor of the Exchequer. Was on the extreme left of his party. Served as ambassador in Moscow from May 1940 until January 1942. Peter Thorneycroft was Chancellor of the Exchequer, when in January 1958, he resigned from Harold Macmillan's government in protest against government spending.

Answer: Aneurin Bevan

Aneurin Bevan was born at Tredegar in Monmouthshire on Nov. 15, 1897. He died on July 6,1960 Chesham, Buckinghamshire. He was the son of a miner. His nickname: Nye. He may be considered to have been the architect of the National Health Service and as the leader of the leftist group within the Labour Party.

He was an exceptionally brilliant speaker and debater. Bevin was born on March 9, 1881, in Winford, Somerset, England. He died on April 14, 1951, London. He first was a Trade Unionist, then became Minister of Labour and National Service in WW2.

After the War he became Foreign Secretary. Harold Wilson, born on March 11, 1916, Huddersfield, Yorkshire. Son of an industrial chemist. Became Prime Minister after Labour had won the 1964 elections. Had a lot of trouble with Ian Smith's white minority government in South Rhodesia. Resigned unexpectedly on March 16, 1976.

In all he won 4 out of 5 General Elections. Died on May 24, 1995 in London.

Answer: Hugh Gaitskell

Clement Davies was the Leader of the Liberal Party. Herbert Morrison was born in London, 1888, and died at Sidcup, Kent, 1965. He first played a leading role in London local government for 25 years before he became a prominent member of the coalition government in World War II and of the postwar Labour government.

Answer: Iran

The key figure in this conflict was Dr. Mossadeq. It was Mossadeq's intention to reduce the power of the Persian Shah. He was premier of Iran from 1951 to 1953. When his attempt to depose the Shah narrowly failed he was sentenced to 3 years' imprisonment for treason. He was to remain under close surveillance for the rest of his life.

Answer: Sir Winston Churchill

Anthony Eden, 1st Earl of Avon, (June 12,1897-Jan.14, 1977) was Foreign Secretary from 1935 till 1938. Then again from 1940 till 1945, 1951 till 1955 and finally Prime Minister from 1955 to 1957. He had got into Churchill's good books by resigning in February 1938 as a protest against Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain's policy of so-called 'appeasement'. Harold Macmillan was born on Feb. 10, 1894, in London.

He died on Dec. 29, 1986, at Birch Grove, Sussex. He was the son of an American-born mother. Was educated at Balliol College, Oxford. Had been Secretary of Defence and later Chancellor of the Exchequer, under Sir Anthony Eden. Sir Alec Douglas-Home was born in London, 1903 but his true home was the Hirsel, Coldstream in Berwickshire. That's also where he died in 1995.

He was Foreign Secretary from 1960 to 1963. Oct. 19, 1963 he became the new Prime Minister of U.K., and stayed in power till the next elections. (Oct. 16, 1964.) He was again Foreign Secretary from 1970 till 1974.

Answer: Albert

George VI had been born as Prince Albert, the Duke of York. When his brother Edward VIII, resigned as King and became 'the Duke of Windsor', it was Albert who was asked to take over. A name-change was considered to be useful. Edward VIII's and George VI's father, had ruled under the name of George V.

Answer: Kenya

Tanzania was not a country yet. It was formed as a sovereign state through the union of the theretofore separate states of Tanganyika and Zanzibar. When Kenya became independent it was the Mau Mau leader Jomo Kenyatta who took power.

Answer: True

She was born on April 21, 1926. Her official title: Elizabeth II, by the Grace of God, of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and of her other realms and territories Queen, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith.

Answer: General Naguib

King Farouk had been King of Egypt from 1936 till 1952. On July 23rd of that year a group of officers staged an almost bloodless coup d' etat. Mohammed Naguib soon became Head of State instead of Farouk's infant son Fouad II. In the spring of 1954 Nasser took over.

He was Prime Minister from 1954 till 1956. Then President from 1956 till 1970. Anwar El Sadat, born Dec. 25,1918, became his successor. Was assassinated Oct. 6, 1981 at Cairo. Muftis, whether great or small, are not normally politicians.

They are legal authorities in Muslim countries.

Answer: ill-health

Churchill was born at Blenheim Palace. Statesman, orator, soldier, author. Led his country from the brink of defeat to victory. Died in 1965, London.

Answer: Giorgios Grivas

Makarios was of course not a Cardinal as he was Greek Orthodox and not a Roman Catholic. Born in 1913 at Paphos, he became President of the independent Republic of Cyprus. He died in 1977, at Nicosia. When the Turks invaded the island, he for a short while left the country but later returned to the Greek part of the island. Giorgios Grivas, also called Dighenis, was born in Trikomo, Cyprus, on May 23, 1898.

He died on June 27, 1974, at Limassol. His Ethniki Organosis Kipriakou Agonos (EOKA) wanted to obtain 'Anschluss' for the island.

They called it 'enosis'. Rauf Dentash and Glavkos Clerides are still in power as rulers of their respective parts of the island that in mythology is linked to Aphrodite, but nowadays is better known as a bone of contention between Turkey, which is at 40 miles' distance and Greece, which is at 480 miles. And by the way : Syria is at 60 miles.