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About This Quiz
With millions of people dead, both soldiers and civilians, and half the world ravaged by bombs and tanks, World War II left a tremendous impact on the future direction of the world for countries involved, countries that sat on the sideline, and countries that didn't even exist at the time. Are you a WWII expert, with knowledge on the war and the ramifications? Could you pass a quiz with some of the most difficult questions about the war? Here's your chance to find out!Â
After witnessing the violence of World War I, or the Great War, countries all over the world thought a similar conflict was not possible. They were wrong, and only two decades later, another global conflict arose with many of the same actors involved. However, with World War II, the weapons only got deadlier and the casualties grew higher as the Axis Powers were pitted against the Allied Forces. With powerful, vocal leaders on both sides, the countries involved rallied behind cries for nationalism and patriotism. The future for these countries would never be the same.Â
Do you have what it takes to pass an expert-level quiz on this violent global war? Do you know the leaders, the agreements between countries, and the major battles? Take this quiz and find out!Â
Who was President of the United States when WWII started?
George Washington
Woodrow Wilson
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin D. Roosevelt guided the United States through both the Great Depression and the initial years of World War II. He's the only president to be elected four times.
Dwight Eisenhower
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Why did Japan want to expand?
Slaves
Prove its military might
Kill all non-Asians
Natural resources
Japan was a small island nation and knew the industrial powers around the world relied on natural resources for their rise to power. With few natural resources in Japan, the country decided to look elsewhere.
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Which country was NOT an Axis Power?
Russia
Russia initially had a non-aggression pact with Germany. However, Germany broke the agreement by invading Russia, which many believed to be inevitable.
Germany
Italy
Japan
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Which country attacked the United States in an attempt to cripple its Pacific Navy?
China
Japan
Japan's expansion in Southeast Asia surely caught the attention of the United States, which was also involved in the region. Before the U.S. could gather its forces and enter the war, Japan decided to attack first.
Russia
Germany
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Where did Japan first attack the United States?
Los Angeles
Honolulu
Anchorage​
Pearl Harbor
The attack took place on December 7, 1941. It lasted for just under two hours, killing over 2,000 U.S. servicemen.
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The mass execution of millions of Jews by the Germans was called what?
The Holocaust
Adolph Hitler believed the Jewish people were largely responsible for Germany's inability to recover after World War I. His hatred and belief that Germans were a superior race caused him to order the imprisonment and execution of Jews all over Europe.
Nanking Massacre
Third Reich
Blitzkrieg
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Who led Germany into WWII?
Joseph Stalin
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler became Chancellor of Germany in 1933. In 1934, Hitler merged his power as chancellor with that of the President of Germany, becoming the sole ruler of Germany.
Harry Truman
Benito Mussolini
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Which agreement was signed by the Axis Powers?
Treaty of Versailles
Treaty of Utrecht
Tripartite Pact
Signed in 1940, the Tripartite Pact was aimed at the United States, should they decide to enter the war. At that time, most people in the United States wanted to stay isolated from the struggle.
Warsaw Pact
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Which battle gave the United States the advantage in the Pacific?
Battle of Iwo Jima
Battle of Midway
In 1942, Japan planned an attack on what was left of the United States Pacific Fleet. However, the United States learned of the attack and launched a counter-strike that crippled the Japanese Navy.
Battle of Stalingrad
Battle of the Bulge
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What was it called when a Japanese plane would crash purposely into an enemy target?
Blitzkrieg​
Genocide
Kamikaze
When Japanese planes were out of ammo and bombs, the planes would crash into enemy targets. These Japanese planes were loaded with explosives to make the attacks more damaging.
Nisei
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What political party helped Adolf Hitler rise to power?
Nazi Party
The Nazi Party rose to power by promoting the superiority of the German people. It was heavily influential in the development of German nationalism.
German Republican Party
German Democratic Party
Social Democratic Party
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Who was the Prime Minister of Japan during the attack on Pearl Harbor?
Fumumaro Kanoe
Koki Hirota
Seishiro Itagaki
Hideki Tojo
The Empire of Japan went from a pre-modern nation to a world power in less than a century. They even secured a victory over Russia, the first Asian country to defeat a European power.
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What year did Japan invade China?
1930
1937
Japan's invasion of China was both bloody and brutal. One incident, the Rape of Nanking, saw some of the most atrocious acts from the war.
1940
1945
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What year did Germany invade Poland?
1935
1936
1939
The German invasion of Poland is considered the start of World War II. However, many countries were already fighting by this point, particularly​ in Asia.
1941
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What was early-German military strategy during the war called?
Appeasement
Genocide
Nisei
Blitzkrieg
Blitzkrieg can be translated to mean "lightning war." It was just that, as the strategy involved striking with as much force as possible to avoid drawn-out​ conflicts.
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What was a major reason for Adolf Hilter's rise to power?
British occupation
Economic disaster in Germany
The Great Depression in the United States had ripple effects around the world. Germany, which was already suffering from an economic crisis since the end of WWI, was hit even harder and desperately needed an answer.
Russian aggression
French support
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Heading into WWII, what type of government did Italy have?
Fascist​
Italy was ruled by Benito Mussolini, who was the founder of fascism in Italy. Mussolini was a loud and dominant personality, which helped in his rise to power.
Democratic
Socialist
Monarchy
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What policy did Britain and France initially take toward Germany's growing military?
Aggression
Tariff war
Appeasement
No one wanted a second world war, nor did they think it was possible. However, Hitler took every inch that was given and much more.
Neutrality
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What year did Winston Churchill become Prime Minister of Britain?
1938
1940
Winston Churchill did not support the policy of appeasement. He was one of the first British subjects to demand that Britain prepare itself for war.
1941
1943
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Who led Russia through WWII?
Vladamir Lenin
Joseph Stalin
Joseph Stalin rose to power through the Communist Party started by Vladimir Lenin. However, Stalin's policies turned the Soviet Union into a dictatorship with him at the helm.
Karl Marx
Friedrich Engels
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What is the annexation of Austria into Germany called?
Nisei
Manhattan Project
Totalitarian
Anschluss
Prior to the Anschluss, most Austrians believed they should be part of Germany anyway. When Germany invaded, the Austrians were more than happy to receive them.
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How was the Battle of Britain fought?
Air warfare
After Hitler conquered France, he set his eyes on Britain. For his campaign to be successful, he had to first win in the air.
Navy warfare
Land warfare
Cold war
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What was the German air force called?
Heer
Luftwaffe
In the Battle of Britain, the Luftwaffe went up against the Royal Air Force. Despite being outnumbered, the RAF managed to hold off the German threat.
Kriegsmarine
Balkengreuz
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Who was the Supreme Allied Commander for the South West Pacific Area during WWII?
Dwight Eisenhower
George Patton
Douglas MacArthur
Douglas MacArthur received the Medal of Honor for his efforts in the war. He was also promoted to a five-star General of the Army.
Omar Bradley
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Who was the Supreme Commander for the Allied Expeditionary Force?
Dwight Eisenhower
Dwight Eisenhower was instrumental in the success of the European campaign. After the war, he became the 34th president of the United States.
Bernard Montgomery
Omar Bradley
Gerald Ford
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What was the name of the German armed forces?
Reichswehr
Heer
Wehrmacht
The Wehrmacht came into existence in 1935. Its primary purpose was to reconquer lands lost by Germany.
Kriegsmarine
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The Wehrmacht fell apart on the Eastern Front when Hilter failed to capture which city?
London
Paris
Vienna
Stalingrad
Russian winters can be very cruel, particularly to those who aren't used to them. For that reason, military strategists have developed a rule that you don't march on Russia in the winter.
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Where did the Allies land on D-Day?
France
Normandy
D-Day was one of the bloodiest fights of the war. The invasion force consisted of 150,000 men. 10,000 of those died during the attack.
Spain
Italy
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Who became president when Franklin D. Roosevelt died?
Lyndon Johnson
John F. Kennedy
Herbert Hoover
Harry Truman
Franklin D. Roosevelt died in 1945 shortly before the war ended. He was elected to his fourth term only a few months prior.
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The United States dropped the first atomic bomb on which Japanese city?
Hiroshima
After dropping the atomic bomb on Hiroshima, the United States demanded that the Japanese Empire surrender. When they still refused, the U.S. dropped another bomb on Nagasaki. Japan surrendered shortly after.
Tokyo
Kyoto
Nagasaki
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What was the first of three strategic conferences between Franklin Roosevelt, Joseph Stalin, and Winston Churchill called?
Yalta Conference
Tehran Conference
The Tehran Conference was held in Iran at the Soviet embassy. It was the first time during the war that the leaders of the Soviet Union, the United States and Britain met.
Potsdam Conference
Casablanca Conference
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What was the name of the project to construct the atomic bomb?
Project Desert Storm
A.B. Project
Manhattan Project
The Manhattan Project was led by Lt. Gen. Leslie Groves. The lead designer of the bomb was Julius Oppenheimer.
Project 51
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Which treaty ended the war in Europe?
Treaty of Versailles
Paris Peace Treaty
The treaties signed at the Paris Peace Conference reset boundaries for countries in Europe. They also ensured racial discrimination would no longer be allowed.
Treaty of Ghent
Treaty of Utrecht
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Which document set up the terms for Japan's surrender?
Potsdam Declaration
After the war, Japan was occupied by the United States. The occupation set Japan up for tremendous economic growth for the next few decades.
Treaty of Utrecht
Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
The Truman Doctrine
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Which global conflict followed WWII?
Enlightenment
Cold War
The Cold War pitted the democratic values of the United States with the communist ideology of the USSR. The era was defined by proxy wars and the fear of a nuclear holocaust.
Civil War
French Revolution
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You Got:
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