The History of World War II Trivia Quiz

Answer: Admin Box

The battle was fought at Sinzewa in Burma in Feb 1944. The 'Admin(istration) Box' was the administrative and base area of 7th Indian Division, which was besieged by the Japanese 55th Division 5-23 Feb 1944. The siege was lifted when the Japanese were taken in the rear by the 5th Indian Division advancing over the Ngakyedauk Pass.

Answer: Brian Horrocks

He was a British general in World War II. He spoke these words while making reference to his tactics in the battle for the Reichswald forest in 1945.

Answer: Gustav Line

It ran from the mouth of the Garigliano river through Cassino and across the Apennines to a point south of Ortona. After the US 5th Army's breakout from the Salerno beachhead and the advance of the British 8th Army from Taranto, the Germans fell back to this line and put up a stubborn defence.

The Allies landed at Anzio on 22 Jan 1944 in an attempt to outflank it, but this was quickly contained by German counterattacks and the line did not fall until the capture of Cassino in May 1944.

Answer: Battle of the Leyte Gulf

In World War II, US naval victory over Japan from 17-25 Oct 1944, to the east of the Philippines. This battle involved 216 US warships, 2 Australian vessels, and 64 Japanese warships. There were a number of separate actions as elements of these forces met and diverged, but the overall result was the destruction of the Japanese Navy.

They lost some 500 aircraft, 3 battleships, 4 carriers, 10 cruisers, 11 destroyers, and 1 submarine. Of the surviving Japanese warships, few if any had escaped damage.

In contrast, the Americans lost 3 light carriers, 2 destroyers, 1 destroyer escort, and 200 aircraft. While the naval battle was raging, General Krueger landed the 6th US Army on Leyte island, which was secured on 25 Dec 1944.

Answer: Battle of the Barents Sea

This was an important British naval victory over German forces north of Murmansk, on 30 Dec 1942. The German force, including the cruisers Lutzow and Admiral Hipper, and six destroyers, attacked a British convoy en route to Murmansk. The convoy was protected by six British destroyers and five smaller escort vessels which launched a vigorous counterattack, enabling it to turn away, but then themselves ran into part of the German force.

The Germans were unable to tell whether they were British or German vessels due to poor visibility and hesitated long enough for the destroyers to lay a smoke screen.

The British ships were severely damaged, and two were sunk, but were saved by two cruisers from Murmansk which sank one German destroyer and damaged the Admiral Hipper.

The German commander broke off the fight and retired.

Answer: HMS Cossack

Answer: Karl Doenitz

The wolf-pack submarine technique sank 15 million tonnes of Allied shipping in World War II. He succeeded Hitler in 1945, capitulated, and was imprisoned 1946-56.

Answer: Beda Fomm

The battle was fought on 7 February 1941. Elements of the British 7th Armoured Division had cut across the desert and set up a road block in which the retreating 10th Italian Army was ambushed. Over 25,000 prisoners, 100 tanks, 216 guns, and 1,500 other vehicles were captured.

Answer: Battle of Kolombangara

Kolombangara was one of the Solomon Islands. Four Japanese transports escorted by a cruiser and four destroyers were attempting to resupply the Japanese garrison on Kolombangara when they were intercepted by three US cruisers and nine destroyers. The US vessels opened fire, sinking the Japanese cruiser.

In reply the Japanese destroyers launched a torpedo attack which crippled one US cruiser. About two hours later the two forces met once more and the Japanese torpedoes crippled the two remaining US cruisers and sank one destroyer. By this time the Japanese had landed their troops and supplies and so they withdrew.

Answer: Katyn Forest

The corpses were traced in the Katyn Forest near Smolensk, SW of Moscow, Russia. These Polish officer prisoners of war were captured in the German-Soviet partition of Poland in 1940. 10,000 others were killed elsewhere. In 1989 the USSR accepted responsibility for the massacre.

Answer: Claude John Auchinleck

He commanded the British 8th Army in the first Battle of El Alamein in 1942 in North Egypt. He inflicted a crushing defeat on the German troops under Erwin Rommel. He became commander-in- chief in India. In 1946 he was promoted to field marshal and he retired the next year. He was nicknamed 'the Auk'.

Answer: Bernard Law Montgomery

'The Desert Rats' was the nickname of the 7th Armoured Division, not 8th Army under Montgomery which emerged victorious in the second Battle of El Alamein in November 1942.

Answer: Mulberry Harbour

They were actually prefabricated floating harbours which were used on D-day to assist in the assault on the German-held French coast of Normandy.

Answer: Pipe Line Under the Ocean

These pipes were used to transport fuel under the ocean and supply petrol to the invading armies.

Answer: Heil Hitler

8 refers to the eighth letter of the (Roman) alphabet 'H'. Therefore 88 means HH or Heil Hitler i.e. the Nazi salute.

Answer: Miles Christopher Dempsey

He returned to Britain in 1944 and took command of the British 2nd Army for the D-day invasion, leading them through NW Europe to the final surrender.

Answer: Battle of Savo Island

It was a surprise night attack by the Japanese on 9 August 1942 but was repusled.

Answer: Flying Tigers

This group of US pilot was recruited to fight in China by Major-General Chennault 1940-41. The group proved an effective force against the Japanese over S China and Burma in 1941-42, destroying some 300 enemy aircraft. It was absorbed into the regular US air forces as the 14th Air Force with Chennault as its commander in 1942.

Answer: USS Nevada

It was among one of the several US vessels which was scuttled in the Pacific Ocean on December 7 1941 by the Japanese.

Answer: HMS Dorsetshire

The Bismarck was launched in February 1939. After setting out with the heavy cruiser Prinz Eugen to attack convoys in the Atlantic in May 1941, the Bismarck was attacked by HMS Hood and HMS Prince of Wales on 24 May. The Hood was sunk and the Prince of Wales forced to withdraw although they inflicted some damage.

The Bismarck turned back toward Brest and was attacked by torpedo bombers from HMS Ark Royal on 26 May which damaged the steering gear. The final blow on came 27 May when HMS King George V and HMS Rodney attacked and virtually wrecked the German vessel.

The job was finished with a torpedo attack by HMS Dorsetshire which finally sank the ship. Only 107 of the 2,192 crew survived. Admiral Gunther Lutjens was among the casualties.

Answer: Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother

She said this to a policeman on 13 September 1940 following German bombing of Buckingham Palace.

Answer: Chuichi Nagumo

Nagumo entered the Indian Ocean April in 1942, attacked British naval bases in Ceylon, and sank several British warships. He was decisively defeated at the Battle of Midway in May 1942, but fared better in the Solomons and at Santa Cruz, although he lost much of his aircraft strength.

Answer: Todomichi Kuribyashi

He constructed a powerful series of defensive positions held by some 23,000 troops.

Answer: Karl Doenitz

After Hitler was reported dead Doenitz proclaimed himself as the Fuehrer on 1 May 1945. He was imprisoned for war crimes from 1946-56 during which he wrote 'Memoirs'.

Answer: 1,192,491,000,000

This was the total amount of money that was spent by the Axis and Aliied Powers from 1939-45 in various operations and offensives.