1. pearl diving
2. joyriding
3. commercial

Many modern amphibious vehicles are meant for military attacks. But the first incarnations were meant for commerical enterprises, in logging operations, pushing masses of lumber through water and over land.

1. World War II
2. American Revolution
3. Spanish-American War

In the First World War, amphibious vehicles weren't a major factor. But in WWII these vehicles weren't just important -- they may have altered the course of human history. For the better, we might add.

1. to attack inland capitals
2. to take troops and gear to shore
3. to facilitate rapid retreats at sea

AAVs are amphibious assault vehicles. Their number one job is to whisk troops and gear ashore so that they can begin the mission.

1. Belgian elite troops
2. Soviet spies
3. American Marines

U.S. Marines don't mess around when it comes to innovation. Modern AAVs have their roots in the vehicles first imagined by the Marines 100 years ago.

1. The French said it was a stupid idea.
2. German spies caught on to the plan.
3. The equipment was too primitive.

British leaders wanted to liberate Belgian islands using a WWI amphibious attack. But the equipment was still in rough stages, too simplistic to handle the demands of landing heavy tanks under fire.

1. Libya
2. Britain
3. Mexico

Near the end of the Great War, British engineers were finally making progress with amphibious tanks. Using caissons attached to the vehicle, they managed to float a Mark V tank across the Thames.

1. They were building up to aircraft carriers.
2. They'd suffered many water casualties in WWI.
3. They knew there might be war with Japan.

Even in the 1930s, U.S. military types knew there might be a war with Japan … and in the many islands of the Pacific, they also knew they'd need new types of attack vehicles.

1. Spanish-American War
2. Gulf War
3. World War II

The DUKW, or duck boat, was an incredible tool for the Allies during WWII. This amphibious truck moved men and materiel onshore in many war zones around the world.

1. 12 feet
2. 31 feet
3. 82 feet

Duck boats were no children's bathtub toys. These WWII stars were 31 feet long and featured six wheels, two in the front and four in the back.

1. Landing Vehicle Tracked
2. Loaded Variable Tanks
3. Loving the Versaille Treaty

The Allies used LVTs (Landing Vehicle Tracked) for missions like D-Day, the biggest amphibious assault in the history of the world. Without LVTs, the battle may have gone very differently.

1. Mexican-American War
2. WWI
3. Vietnam War

Starting in the 1970s during Vietnam, U.S. troops rode Gama Goats gallantly into battle. These six-wheel-drive monsters weighed more than 7,000 pounds.

1. It got caught in a riptide and was never seen again.
2. It successfully crossed the water.
3. It sank.

As WWI reached its climax, British engineers attempted to float a 15-ton Medium D tank. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the tank sprung a leak … and sank to the bottom.

1. They sank by the hundreds.
2. They featured five .50-caliber machine guns.
3. They had no armor.

The first LVTs didn't have armor. But it did not take long for the Allies to incorporate armor onto these vehicles, which would make vital beach landings in June 1941.

1. very good on rugged terrain
2. totally unreliable
3. ate too much grass

Gama Goats look rather unwieldy -- like topless Jeeps dragging trailers. But they were extremely capable at tackling hard terrain in Southeast Asia.

1. "Duck Imitator"
2. "Destroy All Nazis"
3. "Designed in 1942"

In the boring military nomenclature of the day, the "D" stood for "Designed in 1942." Some duck boats that survived the war are still used as tourist rides, sometimes with tragic results.

1. 5
2. 18
3. 64

The LVT-1 was a staple of the Marines in WWI. It could carry as many as 18 troops and their associated gear and weapons.

1. massive automated oars
2. four propellers
3. using its huge tires

Yes, you really can make a huge earth mover float. The M520 Goer used its massive tire tread for forward motion.

1. almost none
2. 1 inch of steel
3. tank-like armor

Duck boats were never meant for the throes of real combat. They were meant to get troops moving in watery areas. They had almost no armor, in large part to maximize buoyancy.

1. a floating bomber
2. a tank inside a rubber ducky
3. an amphibious tractor

The Landwasserschlepper was a massive amphibious tank, originally meant to help the Third Reich invade Britain. It was obviously never used for that task, but it was deployed successfully in other theaters of the war.

1. 2 tons
2. 30 tons
3. 200 tons

In 1918, British engineers waterproofed a Mark V tank -- a 30-ton monster -- and successfully crossed an English river. The race to develop effective amphibious assault vehicles was on.

1. European Theater
2. Pacific Theater
3. both

LVTs were literaly indispensable for the Allies in WWII. They breached the beaches of Normandy and helped American Marines slog through the lagoons of the Pacific.

1. fighter planes
2. trucks
3. tanks

German leaders once envisioned putting snorkels on tanks. The idea was to drop tanks in shallow water near Britain and then -- like armored sharks -- emerge from the waters and start blasting. It never happened.

1. It used tires 8 feet in diameter.
2. It could carry huge tanks.
3. It could swim and also fly.

The LVT(U)X2 Goliath was the biggest LVT ever used by the American Navy. It was so big, in fact, it could carry a tank weighing 60 tons.

1. USSR
2. Australia
3. France

In 1958, Australian Ben Carlin finally completed a decade-long quest to drive around the world in an amphibious vehicle. His struggles undoubtedly sparked ideas in the minds of military engineers.

1. The tires rolled right over the coral.
2. Most boats became lodged in the coral.
3. The boats' thin armor was punctured by coral.

Coral reefs are known for their sharp edges. But equipped with tough tires, the duck boats were able to roll right over them and into ferocious battle with the Japanese.

1. true
2. false

LVTs helped to win WWII. Then, they were vital components of the Korean War, too. They were especially critical during 1950s Inchon landing.

1. about 800
2. about 4,000
3. about 20,000

DUKW boats were exceptionally capable at attacking and traversing beaches in WWII. The Allies built and used more than 20,000 of these marvels to beat the Axis.

1. propellers
2. paddles
3. cute little duck flippers

Duck boats had just a single propeller to push the craft through water. Once ashore, the trucks zoomed away on tires, complete with a boat around its waist.

1. articulated suspension
2. made of tin cans
3. capable of deep-sea fishing

Gama Goats have an ungainly appearance, in part because they use an articulated suspension. It's a hardcore system that can traverse deep mud or boulders with ease.

1. Digger
2. LVT
3. Terrapin

In the 1930s, the Alligator was a civilian vehicle meant to tackle swamps. It was adapted by the Allies as the LVT … and Hitler's minions felt its wrath.