World War II： Test Your Knowledge (50 Questions)

How much do you know about the Axis and the Allies? That's right, it's time to test your knowledge of World War II. I've got 50 questions for you, and make sure you keep track of your score, so you can download one of these free certificates at the end of the quiz. All right, let's get started. Here comes question one of the Ultimate World War II Quiz. The French line of defense that proved woefully ineffective against invading German forces was known as the Gustav Line, the Alsace Line, or the Maginot Line. This British mathematician helped decipher German Enigma Codes, which provided invaluable intelligence to the Allies. Was it Alan Turing, G. H. Hardy, or Bertrand Russell? The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor occurred on what infamous day? December 7th, 1941, November 11th, 1940, or January 1st, 1942? December 7th, 1941. The figure seen here was designed to represent the millions of American women who supported the war effort at home. What was her name? Rosie the Riveter, Wendy the Welder, or Carrie the Carpenter? Rosie the Riveter. What nation suffered the highest overall death rate in World War II? Germany, Japan, or the Soviet Union? The Soviet Union. This city endured a 900-day siege while resisting German occupation. Was it Paris, Leningrad, or Kiev? Leningrad. Which of the following countries did not take place in World War II, at least officially? Ireland, Australia, or Finland? Ireland. Who led the French regime at Vichy, which openly collaborated with Nazi Germany? Jean Moulin, Philippe Pétain, or Georges Clemenceau? Philippe Pétain. This German battleship was famously sunk in May 1941 after a dramatic chase in the Atlantic. Was it the Bismarck, the Tirpitz, or the Scharnhorst? The Bismarck. At the height of its power, the German air force was known as the Wehrmacht, the Luftwaffe, or the Kriegsmarine? The Luftwaffe. In English, the Japanese word kamikaze literally translates to great storm, sacred fire, or divine wind. Divine wind. Anne Frank wrote her famous diary while hiding in what occupied city? Vienna, Paris, or Amsterdam? Amsterdam. Nazi Germany relied on a tactic known as blitzkrieg to defeat opponents in the early years of the war. But what does blitzkrieg refer to? Devastating artillery bombardment, rapid and overwhelming advances, or systematic trench warfare? Rapid and overwhelming advances. Who commanded American forces in the South Pacific and famously declared, I shall return? Douglas MacArthur, Chester Nimitz, or George S. Patton? Douglas MacArthur. Who was the emperor of Japan during World War II? Hirohito, Akihito, or Taisho? Hirohito. Almost 340,000 British and French troops were famously rescued from oncoming German forces at this site in May 1940. Was it Calais, Dunkirk, or Cherbourg? Dunkirk. D-Day, the Allied landing on the beaches of Normandy, took place on what day? June 6, 1944, July 4, 1944, or May 8, 1945. June 6, 1944. American code talkers spoke a variety of languages that were unintelligible to Axis forces, including Gaelic, Navajo, or Cantonese. Navajo. Over 700 resistance fighters took up arms against Nazi occupiers in the largest Jewish uprising of the war, which took place in this city. Was it Vienna, Prague, or Warsaw? Warsaw. American forces destroyed four Japanese carriers during this decisive battle in June 1942, which helped turn the tide of the Pacific War. Was it Okinawa, Midway, or Iwo Jima? Midway Island. Operation Barbarossa was the code name for what? The German invasion of the USSR? The Allied invasion of occupied France? Or the Russian invasion of Poland? The German invasion of the USSR. German forces launched a surprise counteroffensive in December 1944 that evolved into the deadliest single battle fought by U.S. forces. Was it the Battle of the Bulge, the Battle of Berlin, or the Battle of Kursk? The Battle of the Bulge, German officers secretly tried to assassinate Hitler with a briefcase bomb in Operation Deadlight, Stonewall, or Valkyrie. Valkyrie. Which Norwegian trader's name became synonymous with collaborator? Vidkun Quisling, Adolf Eichmann, or Ante Pavelic? Vidkun Quisling. Which of the following was the premier British fighter plane that helped defend the UK during the Battle of Britain? The Spitfire, the Mustang, or the Wildcat? The Spitfire. You're halfway through the quiz. Great work. If you've made it this far, you're clearly a global history buff. And if you've ever dreamed of learning a foreign language, Preply is the premier online platform for one-to-one language tutors. And whether you're interested in learning French, German, Japanese, or any other language, you can hire an expert tutor on Preply for as little as $10 an hour. That's a fraction of what you pay in a language school. And right now, you can even get half off your first lesson if you click the link below or use the promo code BRYAN50, all caps. So sign up today and find out where learning a new language can take you. And now, back to the quiz. The wartime US intelligence agency that preceded the CIA was called what? The Office of Strategic Services, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, or the Central Security Service? The Office of Strategic Services. Which Allied nation was responsible for storming Juno Beach during the D-Day landings? The United States, Canada, or the UK? Canada. The trials that prosecuted prominent Nazis after the war were held in what city? Berlin, Nuremberg, or Frankfurt? Nuremberg. Japanese occupation was notoriously brutal, as evidenced in the famous massacre of what Chinese city? Shanghai, Qingdao, or Nanjing? Nanjing. The 1945 conference in which Allied leaders finalized plans for post-war Germany was held where? Potsdam, Yalta, or Casablanca? Potsdam. Approximately 2.5 million soldiers from this nation volunteered to support the Allies, comprising the largest volunteer fighting force in history. Was it China, the Philippines, or India? India. Which of the following was not one of the five landing beaches on D-Day? Sword Beach, Omaha Beach, or Sabre Beach? Sabre Beach. The Tuskegee Airmen were an elite group of American pilots who made history in part because of what? They were Hollywood stunt pilots, they were largely African-American, or they were volunteers from Latin America. They were largely African-American. Which of the following was not a German tank model in World War II? The Tiger II, the Panther II, or the Lion II? The Lion II. The Winter War was fought between Soviet Russia and which other nation? Poland, Germany, or Finland? Finland. Which notorious Nazi doctor famously escaped to South America at the end of the war? Heinrich Himmler, Joseph Mengel, or Ernst Röhm? Joseph Mengel. Allied bombing devastated this German city, famous for its porcelain, in December 1945. Was it Munich, Dresden, or Stuttgart? Dresden. The secret police of Nazi Germany were known as what? The Gestapo, the Brown Shirts, or the Volkssturm? The Gestapo. This famous photo pictures American troops raising the flag after a hard-fought victory on what island? Okinawa, Guam, or Iwo Jima? Iwo Jima. The crucial battles of El Alamein, fought in the deserts of North Africa, ended in what outcome? A decisive Allied victory, a decisive Axis victory, or a stalemate? A decisive Allied victory. This man was the director of the Manhattan Project and is sometimes called the father of the atomic bomb. Was it Albert Einstein, Niels Bohr, or J. Robert Oppenheimer? J. Robert Oppenheimer. Why did the U.S. government detain approximately 120,000 people in internment camps during the war? They were alleged Nazi sympathizers, they refused military service, or they were of Japanese descent? They were of Japanese descent. In 1941, which world leader famously said, never, never, never give in? Franklin D. Roosevelt, Winston Churchill, or Bernard Montgomery? Winston Churchill. The fall of this British colony to the Japanese in February 1942 led to the largest surrender of British troops in history. Was it Singapore, Hong Kong, or Calcutta? Singapore. German submarines were commonly known as S-boats, T-boats, or U-boats. U-boats. The Gustav Line was a German line of defense designed to stop the Allies from advancing where? Western France, Central Italy, or Eastern Poland? Central Italy. French citizens who actively opposed Nazi occupation were referred to as what? The Underground, the Resistance, or the Fifth Column? The Resistance. Which German commander was nicknamed the Desert Fox? Erich von Manstein, Heinz Guderian, or Erwin Rommel? Erwin Rommel. On November 9, 1938, Nazis and sympathizers destroyed thousands of Jewish businesses and places of worship in an infamous pogrom known as what? Kristallnacht, Lebensraum, or Volkisch? Kristallnacht. What pact signed in 1939 pledged neutrality between Germany and the Soviet Union? The Warsaw Pact, the Tripartite Pact, or the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact? The Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact. Congratulations, you've now finished the quiz. Great work. Don't forget to post your score in the comments below, and here's the breakdown for your certificates. I hope you enjoyed the quiz, and until next time, keep reading, keep learning, and be well.