Image: Wiki Commons by Army Signal Corps Collection in the U.S. National Archives
About This Quiz
When you think about the Second World War, what are the things that come to mind? The nations who split themselves between the Allied and Axis powers, new developments in warfare and the battles where those developments were put into action or the devastation that resulted?
Of course, none of those battles would have happened without the actions of the political actors who forced them upon the world. These are the people who led nations, formulated plans and agreed to treaties that led to the start of the war as well as the end of it. Some of these political figures were given power, like kings and emperors, while others captured that power for themselves, becoming dictators in developing countries suffering from the after-effects of WWI and the depression of the 1930s.
Are you an expert when it comes to the significant political figures who defined WWII? Sure, you might recognize the big names like Adolf Hitler, Joseph Stalin and Winston Churchill. What role did they play in the war, though, and for which country?
When you're ready to test the limitations of your political knowledge from WWII, gear up and battle it out with this political figure identification quiz.
Mikhail Kalinin
Vyacheslav Molotov
Georgy Zhukov
Joseph Stalin
Joseph Stalin played a key role in transforming the Soviet Union from an agrarian society into an industrial powerhouse through collective ownership of production. However, the transition resulted in millions of deaths across Russia.
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Harry S. Truman
Harry S. Truman served as vice president of the United States for less than three months before the death of his predecessor in 1945. With little knowledge of the atomic bomb, Truman had to quickly make a decision on its use when seeking an end to the war with Japan.
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Dwight D. Eisenhower
Herbert Hoover
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Simeon II
Bogdan Filov
Boris III
Boris III came to power in Bulgaria after his father, Ferdinand I, abdicated the throne following loses during World War I. Even after being named Tsar, he only held so much power until he outlawed political parties in 1934.
Kimon Georgiev
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Wu Zetian
Soong Mei-ling
With a life spanning three centuries, Soong Mei-ling was one of the most influential figures of the 20th century. During WWII, she played a particularly important role inspiring the Chinese people to resist the Japanese invasion.
Lin Siniang
Dowager Cixi
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Benito Mussolini
Even at an early age, Benito Mussolini was fond of revolutionary forces in Europe, identifying himself with the Socialist cause that was on the rise. His views swung to the extreme, however, as he positioned himself as an editor within newspapers that he could use to incite violence.
Pietro Badoglio
Italo Gariboldi
Rodolfo Graziani
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Dudley Pound
Clement Attlee
Winston Churchill
Neville Chamberlain
Neville Chamberlain is often placed under the microscope when scholars analyze how the German war machine was able to rise without much opposition. His decision to appease the Germans was the main reason he was forced out of office in 1940.
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Joseph Goebbels
Herman Goring
Adolf Hitler
Economic problems following WWI crippled Germany and left the citizens of the country dissatisfied with their ability to change their circumstances. Promising a better future for his people, Adolf Hitler was able to eliminate any political opposition within the country as he seized full power for himself.
Heinrich Himmler
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A.K. Fazlul Huq
Muhammad Ali Jinnah
Muhammad Ali Jinnah spent much of his later life fighting for the rights of Indian Muslims in a largely Hindu country. Eventually realizing that Muslims and Hindus could not cooperate peacefully, Jinnah pushed for the creation of a new Muslim state, which became Pakistan.
Aga Khan III
Khwaja Nazimuddin
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Albert I
Philippe I
Leopold III
Hoping to remain neutral, Leopold III refused to enter into a peace agreement with Great Britain and France in the early stages of German aggression. When the German advancement began in 1939, Belgian forces were quickly defeated, but Leopold decided to remain in his country under German rule.
Charles II
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Taisho
Hirohito
Hirohito became the first Japanese crown prince to travel abroad when he went to Western Europe in 1921. He returned to Japan to find that his father had grown ill, leaving Hirohito in charge as regent until his father's death in 1926.
Akihito
Meiji
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Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin D. Roosevelt was the only president in U.S. history to serve more than two terms in office. In total, he was elected to the presidency four times between 1932 and 1944, though he died shortly into his fourth term.
Herbert Hoover
Theodore Roosevelt
Dwight D. Eisenhower
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Chen Cheng
Wei Lihuang
Xue Yue
Mao Zedong
After WWII, Mao Zedong became the first leader of a single-party state established under the Communist Party of China. In an effort to transform China's economy to rely on industry, Mao initiated the Great Leap Forward, which led to a massive famine that killed millions.
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Ugo Cavallero
Pietro Badoglio
Pietro Badoglio was central in bringing about an end to Italy's involvement in WWII. Realizing that the Italians were fighting a lost cause, Badoglio signed an armistice agreement with the Allied powers and became the prime minister of Italy in 1943.
Italo Gariboldi
Angelo Iachino
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Hideki Tojo
When the war concluded, Hideki Tojo received much of the blame for Japan's role in WWII, particularly for the bombing of Pearl Harbor and for crimes against prisoners of war. Due to his involvement, Tojo was sentenced to death.
Fumimaro Konoe
Sadao Araki
Kotohito Kanin
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Robert Menzies
Arthur Fadden
John Curtin
John Curtin took office as the 14th prime minister of Australia in 1941, serving until his death in 1945. As prime minister, Curtin helped organize the Australian military, which he left under the leadership of U.S. General Douglas MacArthur.
Frank Forde
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George I
William IV
Edward VIII
George VI
George VI was never supposed to inherit the throne of England, as his older brother Edward VIII was the rightful heir. However, Edward gave up the throne to marry a twice-divorced American woman named Wallis Simpson.
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William Lyon Mackenzie King
A member of the Liberal Party, William Lyon Mackenzie King served over 21 years as the prime minister of Canada, though not as a single tenure. His reign is the longest in Canadian history.
Harry Crerar
Guy Simonds
Andrew McNaughton
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Napoleon I
Umberto I
Victor Emmanuel III
Victor Emmanuel III helped Benito Mussolini gain power in Italy by supporting his march on Rome in 1922, which put the National Fascist Party in control. A few years into WWII, Emmanuel turned on Mussolini, leading to his removal from power.
Umberto II
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Ermil Gheorghiu
Nicolae Radescu
Constantin Sanatescu
Ion Antonescu
After the First World War, Ion Antonescu worked his way through the ranks of the Romanian government, eventually becoming the defense minister in 1937 and the prime minister in 1940. As prime minister, he was able to replace King Carol II with his son, who served more of a puppet role in Romania.
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Sun Fo
Chiang Kai-shek
A member of the Chinese Nationalist Party, Chiang Kai-shek spent much of his political career battling communists forces throughout China. He eventually lost that battle following WWII and was forced into exile in Taiwan.
T.V. Soong
Lin Sen
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Phin Choonhavan
Pridi Banomyong
Ananda Mahidol
Ananda Mahidol remained a neutral figure throughout WWII by taking up residence in Switzerland. He returned to Thailand following the war but was assassinated in his bed under strange circumstances that were never fully revealed.
Khuang Aphaiwong
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Paul Reynaud
Maurice Gamelin
Maxime Weygand
Albert Lebrun
Albert Lebrun gained the French presidency by holding a central position within French politics. He gave up that power to the new French State as Germany advanced upon France in 1940, though Lebrun would later claim that he didn't formally give up his power.
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Elizabeth
Elizabeth gained the throne of England following the death of her father in 1952. Under her reign, Britain's overseas empire began to dissolve as countries like South Africa, Pakistan and Sri Lanka gained their independence.
Anne
Mary
Margaret
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Carol I
Michael I
As the Soviet Union advanced across Romania, destroying the Nazi front stationed there, King Michael I brought an end to the fighting in his country by ordering a ceasefire. The decision allowed the Allies to advance towards Germany at a much quicker pace.
Ferdinand I
Carol II
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Kuniaki Koiso
Nobuyuki Abe
Hiranuma Kiichiro
Fumimaro Konoe
Fumimaro Konoe served as the prime minister of Japan when the Second Sino-Japanese War broke out in 1937 after the Marco Polo Bridge Incident. Following the incident, he was an encouraging voice behind the Japanese invasion of China that led to the Battle of Shanghai.
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Fuad I
Farouk I
After reigning for 16 years, King Farouk was forced to give up his throne on July 26, 1952 after a successful military coup. He was replaced by his infant son, Ahmed Fuad, who became the final ruler of the Muhammad Ali dynasty.
Fuad II
Abbas I
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Philippe Petain
Philippe Petain's decision to surrender France to Nazi Germany lost him favor both in his country and among Allied forces. Following WWII, he was tried and convicted for treason, though he was allowed to live his life out in prison rather than being executed.
Rene Bousquet
Jean Decoux
Pierre Laval
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Clement Attlee
Dudley Pound
Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill's greatest quality as a leader might have been the ability to inspire his people with his powerful words. One of his famous quotes from WWII was "If we win, nobody will care. If we lose, there will be nobody to care."
Alan Brooke
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Faisal I
Faisal II
Faisal II was in power in Iraq when the 14 July Revolution took place in the country that ended with his death and the fall of the Hashemite monarchy. After the revolution, the Iraqi Republic was established.
Ghazi I
Abdullah
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Mikhail Kalinin
Leonid Govorov
Vyacheslav Molotov
Serving as the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Vyacheslav Molotov sought peace with Germany when WWII first broke out, eventually agreeing on a non-aggression pact. Germany, of course, did not plan on sticking to the pact and launched an invasion into Russia in 1941.
Ivan Konev
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Albert Speer
Rudolf Hess
Hermann Goring
Joseph Goebbels
Joseph Goebbels played an instrumental role in the growth of the Nazi Party by suppressing opposing voices throughout Germany when the Nazi's seized power in 1933. He accomplished this by taking control of all media outlets across the country, using them to spread Nazi propaganda.
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Dwight D. Eisenhower
Following WWII, Dwight D. Eisenhower was pressured into seeking the presidency, as he was easily one of the most popular men in America. He ran for election in 1952, earning a dominant victory over Adlai Stevenson.
Omar Bradley
Mark W. Clark
George S. Patton
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Geza Lakatos
Dome Sztojay
Laszlo Bardossy
Miklos Horthy
Following WWI, Hungary was forced to give up large portions of land to surrounding countries. Ceding this land along with internal rebellions from communist forces, ultimately brought Miklos Horthy to power as regent when the Kingdom of Hungary was reestablished in 1920.
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Hermann Goring
Karl Donitz
Rudolf Hess
Prior to the German invasion of Russia, Rudolf Hess secretly took a German plane across the North Sea to negotiate terms with Great Britain. He hoped his plan would prevent a two-front war for the Germans, but he was instead arrested and imprisoned.
Reinhard Heydrich
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Rexford Tugwell
Having obtained a graduate degree from Columbia University, Rexford Tugwell was one of the most educated men in the Roosevelt administration. He served as part of a team of advisors for the president known as the "brain trust."
Virgil R. Miller
Chester W. Nimitz
Joseph Stilwell
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Leonid Govorov
Mikhail Kalinin
The Soviet Union arrested thousands of Polish citizens who they deemed dangerous after they invaded Poland in 1939. In 1940, the Soviets began the Katyn massacre, killing off these prisoners they held. Mikhail Kalinin was one of the men who signed off on the massacre.
Ivan Konev
Georgy Zhukov
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Yoshijiro Umezu
Otozo Yamada
Mitsumasa Yonai
Mitsumasa Yonai served as prime minister of Japan for less than a year, where he maintained support for an alliance with the United States and Great Britain. However, this put him in opposition with the Imperial Japanese Army, who were pro-German and hoped to join the Axis powers.
Osami Nagano
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Wladyslaw Raczkiewicz
After the German invasion of Poland, Wladyslaw Raczkiewicz left the country to take residence in London. While in London, he formed a government in exile with him as the president, but he never returned to Poland, as control was given to the Soviet Union following the war.
Stanislaw Mikolajczyk
Tomasz Arciszewski
Marian Kukiel
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Alfred Jodi
Joachim von Ribbentrop
One of the key figures in starting WWII, the Nuremberg trials were harsh on Joachim von Ribbentrop. He was convicted of not only influencing the start of the war but also of crimes against humanity and sentenced to death.
Franz Halder
Kurt Zeitzler
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Joseph Stilwell
Holland Smith
Chester W. Nimitz
Douglas MacArthur
Following the end of WWII, Douglas MacArthur was given the title of Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers. While holding this position, MacArthur oversaw the occupation of Japan as it recovered from the devastation of the war.
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