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The Red Army in WWII Trivia Quiz

The Red Army in WWII bore the brunt of the fighting on the Eastern Front. Some of their accomplishments are remarkable.

A multiple-choice quiz by beterave. Estimated time: 4 mins.

Author
beterave

Time
4 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
334,849

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Average

Avg Score
7 / 10

Plays
589

Last 3 plays: Guest 1 (5/10), Guest 86 (6/10), Guest 170 (6/10).

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. What advantage did the Finns NOT have over the Russians in the Winter War of 1939-40? Hint

superior numbers

unfavorable weather

knowledge of the terrain

long hours of darkness

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Question 2 of 10

2. The Red Army was humiliated by a smaller Finnish army. What was the primary reason for this? Hint

the cold weather

the purges of 1937-38

political commissars meddling

no clear objectives

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Question 3 of 10

3. What was the main function of a political commissar in the Red Army? Hint

to indoctrinate the men

to weed out undesirables

to insure orders were carried out

to teach peasants to read

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Question 4 of 10

4. What did the German soldiers call the Russian infantrymen? Hint

Igors

Ivans

Nicks

Joes

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Question 5 of 10

5. What actually happened after the Red Army learned of Hitler's Commissar Order?
Hint

they never learned of the order

it caused mass surrenders

it boosted morale

the commissar system was abolished

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Question 6 of 10

6. Why were Russian soldiers given boots a size too large? Hint

to insure foot problems

commissary was terrible

no good reason

for winter warfare

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Question 7 of 10

7. Ludmila Pavlyuchenko (1916-74) was a female sniper in the 54th Rifle Regiment. What sniping record did she hold during WWII? Hint

panzer tank crewmen killed

most enemy officers killed

enemy snipers killed

strong points eliminated

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Question 8 of 10

8. When did the Red Army soldier wear a 'telogreika'? Hint

in the summer

in the winter

in the rain

almost never

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Question 9 of 10

9. Rations in the Red Army were terrible. What did the soldiers call 'tushonka'? Hint

monkey meat

mystery meat

horrible hash

pickled paddies

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Question 10 of 10

10. What award is the Russian partisan Zoya Kosmodemyanskaya (1923-41) best remembered for? Hint

Order of the October Revolution

Order of Lenin

Hero of the Soviet Union

Order of the Red Star

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Most Recent Scores

Dec 05 2024 : Guest 1: 5/10
Dec 01 2024 : Guest 86: 6/10
Nov 19 2024 : Guest 170: 6/10
Nov 10 2024 : gibbysgab: 7/10
Nov 08 2024 : hellobion: 10/10
Nov 08 2024 : Guest 141: 7/10

Score Distribution

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. What advantage did the Finns NOT have over the Russians in the Winter War of 1939-40?

Answer: superior numbers

During the Winter War, the Russians had superior numbers in men, tanks and aircraft. The Finns compensated for this disadvantage by utilizing knowledge of familiar terrain, bad weather, and attacking at night while the winter nights were the longest.

2. The Red Army was humiliated by a smaller Finnish army. What was the primary reason for this?

Answer: the purges of 1937-38

The Purges of 1937-38 is the primary reason the Red Army performed so poorly in the Winter War. The Purges deprived the Red Army of almost all of its best senior officers.

3. What was the main function of a political commissar in the Red Army?

Answer: to indoctrinate the men

The main function of the political commissar was to indoctrinate the men in the tenets of Communism. His secondary function was to insure orders were carried out. This dualistic command created nothing but problems because the men were unsure who to obey and who to trust.

4. What did the German soldiers call the Russian infantrymen?

Answer: Ivans

During WWII, German 'landsers' called Russian infantrymen 'Ivans'.

5. What actually happened after the Red Army learned of Hitler's Commissar Order?

Answer: it boosted morale

When the Commissar Order became known throughout the Red Army, morale rose. It became a clear cut fight of ideologies: Communism versus Fascism. The system was later abolished by the Red Army in order to increase efficiency in the field.

6. Why were Russian soldiers given boots a size too large?

Answer: for winter warfare

Russian soldiers were given boots a size too large in order to be able to insulate them during the winter months. He was able to stuff the boots with straw or newspaper to help ward off the cold.

7. Ludmila Pavlyuchenko (1916-74) was a female sniper in the 54th Rifle Regiment. What sniping record did she hold during WWII?

Answer: enemy snipers killed

Ludmila Pavlyuchenko killed 36 enemy snipers during WWII (among a total of 309 kills). This remains a record in the Russian Army as well as a remarkable feat. She was the first Soviet citizen to visit the White House - in August 1942, invited by Eleanor Roosevelt.

8. When did the Red Army soldier wear a 'telogreika'?

Answer: in the winter

Red Army soldiers wore the quilted jacket known as a telogreika in the winter months. This jacket, along with a ushanka and a white winter cape, made them both invisible and able to withstand the cold during combat on the Eastern Front.

9. Rations in the Red Army were terrible. What did the soldiers call 'tushonka'?

Answer: mystery meat

The canned greasy meat ration tushonka could have been pork, beef, or even horse. The soldiers called it mystery meat.

10. What award is the Russian partisan Zoya Kosmodemyanskaya (1923-41) best remembered for?

Answer: Hero of the Soviet Union

Zoya Kosmodemyansky is best remembered as the first woman partisan to receive Russia's highest award, Hero of the Soviet Union. She is the most famous Russian partisan to have received the award posthumously. (She was captured by the Germans and hanged). Her brother, Alexander Kosmodemyansky (1925-45) was also made a Hero of the Soviet Union.

Source: Author beterave

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