Quiz: How Much Do You Know About The Century Of Warfare?
The 20th century was full of conflict and wars, which ultimately changed the balance of power worldwide. From World War I, World War II, The Cold War, and beyond, the 20th century was a century of warfare. Just how much do you know about this important and influential period in history? Well, it’s time to dive in and test your history IQ of 20th-century warfare here.
What year did World War I start?
A. 1911
B. 1912
C. 1913
D. 1914
D. 1914
The war began on July 28, 1914, and lasted for over four years, ending on Nov. 11, 1918. The war originated in Europe after the assassination of Austria’s Archduke, Franz Ferdinand.
What was the name of the plane that dropped the first atomic weapon on Hiroshima in World War II?
A. Bock’s Car
B. Spirit of St. Louis
C. Memphis Belle
D. Enola Gay
D. Enola Gay
The Enola Gay was one of the war’s most famous planes. It was a Boeing B-29 Superfortress bomber, and was named after Colonel Paul Tibbets’ mother. Tibbets was the pilot. In 1945 it became the first aircraft to drop an atomic weapon.
World War I is also known as which of the following?
A. The Last War
B. The Biggest War
C. The Deadliest War
D. The Great War
D. The Great War
The Great War. It’s also known as World War, the War to End all Wars,
and the War of the Nations. In 1914 ‘The Indianapolis Star’ reported that German philosopher Ernst Haeckel said, “there is no doubt that the course and character of the feared ‘European War’ … will become the first world war in the full sense of the word.”
The sinking of which ship by a German submarine affected the United States’ decision to enter WWI?
A. The Bismark
B. The CSS Virginia
C. The Titanic
D. The Lusitania
D: The Lusitania
A German submarine sank the Lusitania in 1915. For a time it was the largest passenger ship in the world. One hundred and twenty-eight Americans perished in the sinking, leading to mass protests. The U.S. entered the war in 1917.
Which country was not part of the Axis powers in World War II?
A. Japan
B. Italy
C. England
D. Hungary
C: England
England was not among the Axis powers, which were also known as “the Axis” and the “Rome–Berlin–Tokyo Axis.” Countries which joined the Axis included Germany, Japan, Bulgaria, Italy, and Romania. Yugoslavia was a member for two days.
Who invented the term “Cold War”?
A. Joseph Stalin
B. George Patton
C. Dwight D. Eisenhower
D. George Orwell
D: George Orwell
Orwell, who wrote the book Animal Farm satirizing Stalinism, coined the term. Others believe the phrase was first used by financier Bernard Baruch, but Orwell’s use in an essay (1945) predates Baruch’s by two years (1947).
When did President Franklin D. Roosevelt deliver the “a date which will live in infamy” speech to Congress?
A. 1939
B. 1940
C. 1941
D. 1945
C: 1941
The U.S. declared war against Japan on Dec. 8, 1941. Pearl Harbor had been attacked the day before. In his speech, the President said, “Yesterday, December 7, 1941—a date which will live in infamy—the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan.”
How many Americans died in battle in World War II?
A. 41,345
B. 80,567
C. 664,901
D. 407,300
D: 407,300
There were over 400,000 American casualties by the end of the war. This was the deadliest war in history when ranked by casualties. Estimates put the total death toll worldwide between 50 and 80 million people.
How many total people fought for the Allied and Axis nations in World War II?
A. 2 million
B. 15 million
C. 70 million
D. 150 million
C: 70 million
A tremendous number of people around the world, around 70 million, fought during World War II. This number includes about 16 million Americans. This means that roughly 11 percent of the U.S. population at the time fought.
Chairman Mao held meetings in which strange location during the Cold War?
A. A dance studio
B. A bakery
C. A boat
D. A swimming pool
D: A swimming pool
Mao held meetings in his swimming pool to embarrass Nikola Khrushchev, who couldn’t swim. The in-pool meeting was a surprise for Khrushchev. Soviet and Chinese translators had to run up and down the length of the pool to keep up with Mao as he swam and sputtered. Khrushchev stayed in the shallow end.
Which country did not declare neutrality during World War II?
A. France
B. Switzerland
C. Spain
D. Portugal
A. France
Several countries chose to remain neutral — not choosing one side or another — in an effort to avoid joining the fight. These include Ireland, Switzerland, Turkey, Portugal, Spain, and Belgium. France was an active participant in the war.
Who killed the first American serviceman in World War II?
A. A German soldier
B. A Japanese soldier
C. A Chinese soldier
D. A Russian soldier
A. A German soldier
The first American serviceman who died was killed by the Germans. The victim was Captain Robert Moffat Losey. He was a meteorologist originally from Iowa. Losey died on April 21, 1940.
An explosion on a battlefield in which country was heard in London in World War I?
A. Germany
B. Belgium
C. Spain
D. France
D. France
A mine explosion in France was heard 140 miles away by the British prime minister on Downing St. 900,000 pounds of explosives were used in the operation. This explosion demolished much of the German front line.
When did Germany make its last payment on reparations for World War I?
A. 1960
B. 1985
C. 1998
D. 2010
D: 2010
Germany signed the Treaty of Versailles only after other countries threatened to invade if they did not sign it. The treaty was signed five years after the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand. Germany made its last reparations in 2010.
The United States sent which country 20,000 Bibles during the Cold War?
A. France
B. Romania
C. Soviet Union
D. Yugoslavia
B: Romania
The U.S. sent the Bibles to Romania, where they weren’t exactly well-received. The Romanians sent the books to a paper mill, where the material was turned into toilet paper. This was because there was a shortage of tissue paper in the country.
