Quotes from World War ll Notables Quiz

Answer: Josef Stalin

In November 1941 the United States was still technically neutral. Stalin later told Churchill that Lend Lease was "a remarkable invention without which victory would have been delayed."

Answer: Joseph Goebbels

Among Goebbels' propaganda efforts was the coverage of the Dresden bombings, which took place from February 13-15, 1945. The bombings were portrayed in the German press as an inhumane and unnecessary killing of civilians. Relying on these reports, "The New York Times" published an article, claiming an exaggerated level of 70,000 casualties. Figures as high as 200,000-250,000 can also be found. (Goebbels' original figure was 200,000). Recent death toll estimates are closer to 25,000, as evidenced by a "Wall Street Journal" article on February 14, 1995.

Answer: Hideki Tojo

Tojo was born into a military family in 1884. After school he entered the Japanese army. In 1940 Tojo was appointed Army Minister and in 1941 became Prime Minister. Tojo was captured in 1945 and hanged for war crimes in 1948.

Answer: General Bernard Montgomery

In Africa Montgmery had success in both the Battle of Alam Hafia and the Second Battle of El Alamein. Montgomery was the commander of the Eighth Army during the landings in Italy. He was also the commander of all ground forces during Operation Overlord, the Normandy invasion.

At the conclusion of World War II Montgomery was appointed Commander in Chief of the British Army of Occupation.

Answer: Charles de Gaulle

When French Premier Pétain surrendered to Germany in 1940, de Gaulle fled to London and established the Free French movement. The Vichy French government sentenced de Gaulle to death for treason.

Answer: Benito Mussolini

Known as Il Duce, Mussolini was Italy's Prime Minister from 1922 to 1943. In 1943 King Victor Emmanuel III had Mussolini arrested. Mussolini was rescued by German Special Forces, but ultimately captured and hanged by Italian partisans.

Answer: General Dwight D. Eisenhower

Eisenhower drafted a statement fearing the D-Day landings might not succeed. The statement was not needed and was never delivered.

In 1952 Eisenhower was elected President of the United States, defeating Adlai Stevenson. Shortly before leaving office Eisenhower famously warned of the "military-industrial complex".

Answer: Marshal Vasilevsky

The above quote was from August 1943. Vasilevsky was the Stavka representative for the Donbass operation and Stalin was upset that he was not receiving daily reports.

In June 1942 Aleksandr Vasilevsky had been named Chief of the General Staff of the Soviet Armed Forces. Vasilevsky and Zhukov developed and implemented the counteroffensive during the Battle of Stalingrad.

Answer: Erich von Manstein

During the Battle of Stalingrad, Hitler appointed von Manstein commander of Army Group Don. Operation Winter Storm was designed to relieve Germany's Sixth Army. Von Manstein's troops were stopped about thirty miles from the Sixth Army. In February 1943 German Field Marshal Paulus surrendered in Stalingrad with 90,000 German soldiers as prisoners.

Hitler dismissed von Manstein in March 1944. He was captured by the British in 1945 and served only four years of an eighteen year sentence, due in part to efforts by Winston Churchill and others.

Answer: General Franz Halder

In September 1942 Halder was dismissed as Chief of Staff of the German army. Halder was implicated in the July plot to assassinate Hitler and was arrested.
Freed at the conclusion of the war, Halder was not tried as a war criminal and ultimately the United States awarded Halder the Meritorious Civilian Service Award.