World War II Test | War History

Answer: Hirohito

Hirohito was disgraced by being forced to announce the unconditional surrender of the Japanese people to the Allies on August 15, 1945. After this, he kept a very low profile until his death in 1989 at the age of 87 years old.

Answer: December 11, 1941

Although the attack on Pearl Harbor occurred on December 7, 1941, President Roosevelt didn't ask Congress to declare war against Japan until the next day, on December 8. Congress declared war against Germany three days later on December 11, 1941.

Answer: General Dwight D. Eisenhower

General Eisenhower would later become the Military Governor of the U.S. Occupation Zone in Germany, President of Columbia University, NATO Supreme Commander, and 34th president of the United States.

Answer: Barbarossa

The ill-fated invasion was named after the famous German emperor Frederick Barbarossa (1122-1190, reigned 1152-1190). Many argue that this overly ambitious and unnecessary invasion of Russia brought about the end of the Third Reich sooner, rather than later.

Answer: September 1, 1939

The invasion was over in about a month with Germany and the Soviet Union dividing the nation between them. Later in 1939, the Soviet Union went to war against Finland (but without much success) and in 1940, the Soviet Union annexed the Baltic Republics - Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania as well as Bessarabia (from Romania). These annexations were carried out with the approval of Germany.

Answer: Australia

Australia played an invaluable role in defeating Japan in the Pacific Theater. Australia joined Britain, the United States, the USSR, China, Canada, and over eighteen other nations in the fight against the Axis during World War II.

Answer: Harry S Truman

Harry S. Truman was made president after the death of Roosevelt on April 12, 1945 and was immediately charged with the decision to end the war by utilizing the newly developed atomic bomb. This controversial action was taken, as Truman would later disclose, in order to save an estimated one million Allied lives if the war had continued its then current course.

Answer: The Enigma

The British were able to break the Enigma code with the help of Polish mathematicians, giving the Allies a tactical advantage for most of the war. Churchill realized the importance of breaking this code and supported the tremendous round-the-clock effort to decipher the machine at the Bletchley Park secret facility.

Answer: Native Americans

Native American tribes such as the Navajo, Choctaw, Cherokee, and Comanche, successfully contributed to the success of the Allies by relaying military orders to each other in their unencrypted native tongues.

Answer: VJ Day

Although the Japanese surrender on August 15, 1945, the official surrender does not take place until September 2, 1945 which was celebrated as "VJ Day" (Victory Japan) in the United States, much like "VE Day" (Victory Europe) on May 8, 1945 after the surrender of Germany.