To Wage War and Peace Trivia Quiz

Answer: Dwight D. Eisenhower

Prior to 1941 Eisenhower's military career had been fairly unremarkable. Although he was a colonel he had never been called upon to show any real leadership skills. The war changed all of that. His many years of military service made him ideally suited to the challenge and he rose to become Supreme Commander of the Allied Forces.

This involved concentrating as much on the political side of the Alliance as the military. After the war he became the 34th President of the United States of America, winning the 1952 election.

His presidency was conducted with the same attention to detail as his war campaigns. He had the added benefit of knowing many of the post-war leaders of other countries as personal friends.

Answer: Stalin

Josef Stalin gradually seized power in the Soviet Union in the mid 1920s. Through various purges of the party and the army he eliminated all opposition through either murder or imprisonment. By the time of World War II he was in complete control. During the war he formed an alliance with the western powers, but this did not last into peacetime. About three years after his death Nikita Krushchev made a speech denouncing his policies, and many of the people he had imprisoned were freed.

Answer: Clement Attlee

Winston Churchill was a great and inspirational war time leader, and in a way that was his undoing. He had done the job he set out to do, but had little to offer in the way of policies for post war Britain. The Labour Party, on the other hand, campaigned hard for social reform promising such things as the National Health Service and Social Security Benefits. To a country still in the grip of rationing and with massive rebuilding from bomb damage needed he was not a particularly attractive choice.

The Labour Party swept to power with a massive majority. Churchill later returned to power, winning the 1951 election. He died in 1965 and was given a state funeral, an honour normally reserved for royalty.

Answer: Japan

Emperor Hirohito was involved in wars prior to World War II. In 1937 he authorised the invasion of China, and also personally authorised the use of chemical weapons during that war. Japan entered World War II with the bombing of Pearl Harbour in 1941. Japan surrendered shortly after atomic bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

Although many historians believe he was responsible for atrocities committed by Japanese troops he was never prosecuted for any war crimes, and continued uninterrupted as Emperor until his death.

Answer: Charlemagne

Charlemagne was King of the Franks and expanded that kingdom into much of western and central Europe. He ousted the Lombards from power in Italy and was crowned Emperor by Pope Leo III in 800. He reigned for 14 years, until his death in 814, and has been called the "Father of Europe". During his reign he encouraged new interest in art and culture and was a great supporter of the Catholic Church.

Answer: Jan Smuts

At the start of September 1939 Hertzog was Prime Minister of South Africa. He and his party were opposed to supporting Britain and the Allies in the war against Germany, wanting to stay neutral. On September 4th 1939 he was deposed and Jan Smuts was elected Prime Minister.

He promptly declared war. John Vorster belonged to a pro-Nazi party, and he and many other sympathisers were jailed for the duration of the war. Smuts became the only non British general that Churchill sought advice from, and he was made a Field Marshall in the British Army.

His pro-British stance was unpopular with Afrikaaners, and he lost the 1948 election following which he retired from politics.

Answer: Haakon VII

Although Norway were officially neutral during World War I there was a great deal of anti German feeling in the country. This led to Norway giving considerable assistance to Britain during this period. Their large merchant fleet kept Britain supplied with food and other essentials, and in return Britain supplied Norway with coal.

This led to them being christened "The Neutral Ally". King Haakon VII reigned from 1905 until 1957, so he also led his country during World War II.

Answer: General Franco

The Spanish Civil War resulted from deep social and political divisions. Thousands of people died because of their political or religious views. It ended in a victory for the Nationalists with General Franco taking over as absolute dictator. Many of those who were associated with the losing side were persecuted by the new government. Thousands fled to refugee camps in Southern France. Franco continued to rule in Spain throughout World War II, during which Spain remained neutral. Franco did however allow Spaniards to enlist in the German army to fight against the USSR .

In 1969 he nominated Prince Juan Carlos as his successor. This restored the monarchy in Spain on his death in 1975.

Answer: Charles I

Oliver Cromwell was Member of Parliament for Cambridge. When armed conflict between Charles I and those supporting the reforms put forward by Parliament became inevitable he recruited a cavalry troop in Cambrigeshire. Prior to this he had no real military experience.

He quickly rose through the ranks and by the time the New Model Army was formed in 1645 he was Lieutenant-General of the Cavalry. He gave his men proper military training, and in the Battle of Naseby the New Model Army routed the opposition.

After the surrender of Charles I Cromwell strongly supported those calling for his trial and execution. He believed that killing Charles was the only way to completely end civil war in England. He was the third signatory of 59 on the death warrant for Charles I, who was executed on 30 January 1649.

Answer: Ethiopia

Hailie Selassie was from a dynasty that claimed the legendary Queen of Sheba as an ancestor. He made Ethiopia a founding member of the League of Nations, and in 1936 used a speech at the League to denounce Italy for using chemical weapons against the Ethiopians.

Italy had invaded Ethiopia in 1935. By the time he addressed the League Hailie Selassie was in exile, and he lived in Britain until 1941. In 1941 Italy was defeated by the United Kingdom, Ethiopian patriots and troops of Free French and Free Belgian soldiers and he returned to Addis Ababa.

He died in 1974, officially of complications following an operation, although many believe he was assassinated. He is worshipped as God by the Rastafari movement.