Challenge Your Inner Historian With Our Quiz On The History of World War II
Written by Vasilii Kulev
Last updated · 15 min play time
One of the most consequential wars in human history, World War II was a global military conflict that lasted from 1939 to 1945. Some estimate that the number of people killed by the war is around 80 million. But how much do you really know about this dark time in history? Take our quiz to find out!
World War II went down in history for its pivotal moments during the 1930s and 1940s. It was one of the deadliest conflicts in human history, ending with around 80 million people dead. The allied forces eventually emerged as victors after 6 years of bloodshed and many casualties on both sides.
How well do you know about this dark time in world history? Take our World War II history quiz to find out! We'll cover topics such as significant battles, some of the key figures on both sides, and munitions used during this harrowing conflict. So dust off your favorite history book and put your military knowledge to the test.
Quiz written by
Vasilii KulevVasilii Kulev is a digital marketing specialist during business hours and a trivia writer in his spare time. His areas of interest range from cars and music to science, history, and food. Whenever he's not busy writing quizzes, you can catch him at the local used records store or the newest craft beer bar. He also wrote this entire bio himself in third person.
History of World War II Quiz Questions
35 Questions · 1.3K Plays · No comments
Question 1
In December, 1941, which Axis power attacked the U.S. Naval base in Hawaii known as Pearl Harbor?
-
AJapan
-
BGermany
-
CItaly
-
DSoviet Union
Japan
Pearl Harbor is a U.S. Naval base situated in Hawaii. On the morning of Sunday, December 7, 1941, about 350 Japanese warplanes attacked Pearl Harbor without warning. It continues to be one of the most important events in history because it was the main factor in America becoming involved in World War II.
Question 2
Which commander addressed his nation with the following line: "We shall go on to the end, we shall fight in France, we shall fight on the seas and oceans, we shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air, we shall defend our island, whatever the cost may be"?
-
AJoseph Stalin
-
BBenito Mussolini
-
CWinston Churchill
-
DAdolf Hitler
Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill's words continue to provide inspiration and motivation to many people around the world. His famed "We Shall Fight on the Beaches" speech was delivered on June 4 after the many military disasters the United Kingdom had recently suffered.
Question 3
What European dictator founded the Italian Fascist movement after World War I to combat socialism and communism?
-
AOswald Mosley
-
BGiovanni Gentile
-
CEngelbert Dollfuss
-
DBenito Mussolini
Benito Mussolini
Benito Mussolini was born in 1883, and was an Italian politician who served as the leader of the National Fascist Party, Deputy Prime Minister of Italy, and First Dictator of Italy. His key political ideas included nationalism, anti-communism, totalitarianism, and anti-liberalism.
Question 4
What thirteen-year-old girl who lived in Amsterdam during World War II wrote a famed diary about the war, a book still studied to this day?
-
AEdith Frank
-
BMiep Gies
-
CMargot Frank
-
DAnne Frank
Anne Frank
Written by Anne Frank, <i>The Diary of a Young Girl</i> is a widely read and well-known piece of literature. It was authored by a young Jewish girl who went into hiding with her family from the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands during World War II. Her diary has been printed in more than 30 million copies, making it one of the most popular books of all-time.
Question 5
Name the World War II conference between the leaders of the United States, the United Kingdom, and the Soviet Union during which the post-war reorganization of Europe was discussed.
-
APostdam Conference
-
BThe Yalta Conference
-
CTehran Conference
-
DBretton Woods Conference
The Yalta Conference
The Yalta Conference was organized and attended by three Allied leaders: U.S. President Franklin Roosevelt, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, and Soviet leader Joseph Stalin. The leaders met to discuss plans for the end of the war in Europe, the surrender of Germany, Poland's postwar government, the issue of free elections in countries that were occupied by the Soviet Union, and France's desire for a new front.
Question 6
What general formed the Free French Forces, which fought to liberate France from German occupation?
-
AAlfonse Juin
-
BMaxime Weygand
-
CMaurice Gamelin
-
DCharles de Gaulle
Charles de Gaulle
Charles de Gaulle is revered by many French people today as a great war leader who had the spirit, intelligence, and foresight to recognize France's true potential in the Second World War. He formed the Free French Forces, which fought to liberate France from German occupation. It is generally accepted by military historians that this was one of the most important factors leading to Allied victory in Europe later in the war.
Question 7
What series of military tribunals took place between November 1945 and October 1946, in which numerous top-ranking Nazis were accused and convicted?
-
AHamburg Trials
-
BBerlin Trials
-
CNuremberg Trials
-
DBavaria Trials
Nuremberg Trials
The Nuremberg Trials consisted of a series of military tribunals convened by the Allies following victory over Nazi Germany in World War II. The trials took place between November 1945 and October 1946, attempting to hold to account surviving senior leaders from among those most responsible for atrocities committed by Nazi Germany during the years 1939-1945.
Question 8
What U.S President delivered the "Day of Infamy" speech in 1941 after the attack on Pearl Harbor?
-
AHenry A. Wallace
-
BFranklin D. Roosevelt
-
CHarry S. Truman
-
DDwight D. Eisenhower
Franklin D. Roosevelt
After the attack on Pearl Harbor, President Roosevelt delivered a famous speech over the radio to the American people and our allies around the world. This speech would later be known as "Day of Infamy," and was a reaction to the attack on Pearl Harbor. His speech brought together all Americans with a renewed sense of patriotism and called for unity and love for one another. He urged Americans to keep fighting no matter what, seeming optimistic about America's chances of victory. This speech had a powerful effect on its listeners and helped unite all Americans in their fight against Japan.
Question 9
From what port were the British forces and other Allied troops evacuated to England in 1940 as German forces closed in on them?
-
ACalais
-
BPearl Harbour
-
CArras
-
DDunkirk
Dunkirk
Dunkirk is a tiny town on the French coast that was the scene of a major military operation during World War II. Approximately 338,000 British Expeditionary Force and other Allied soldiers were evacuated from Dunkirk to England during the Battle of Dunkirk, which lasted from May 26 to June 4, 1940. The enormous operation was dubbed the "Miracle of Dunkirk" and proved to be a watershed moment for the Allied war efforts.
Question 10
Name the very first concentration camp started by the Nazis, which opened in 1933 near Munich, Germany.
-
AHinzert
-
BGross-Rosen
-
CBuchenwald
-
DDachau
Dachau
Dachau was the first Nazi concentration camp, opened in 1933. It is located on the east side of town near the Munich suburb of Dachau. It was once an open-air prisoner-of-war camp that could hold up to 43,000 prisoners at one time. Today it houses a memorial museum for victims of National Socialism with exhibitions covering the history of Nazi Germany.
Question 11
One of the most important figures of World War II, Winston Churchill became Prime Minister of the United Kingdom in 1940. Which PM did he replace?
-
ARamsay MacDonald
-
BAnthony Eden
-
CStanley Baldwin
-
DNeville Chamberlain
Neville Chamberlain
Winston Churchill was one of the great war leaders, rising to Prime Minister of the United Kingdom in May 1940 and replacing Neville Chamberlain. Upon leaving office in 1955, he returned to a life of private honor and service. In his later years, he became a highly praised historian, essayist, painter, and author of memoirs.
Question 12
What was the name of this World War II icon who became a cultural symbol for women who worked in factories throughout the war?
-
AWillie Girls
-
BBetty Boop
-
CRosie the Riveter
-
DAunt Jemima
Rosie the Riveter
Rosie the Riveter was a cultural figure of World War II, symbolic of the women who worked in factories and shipyards throughout the war, many of whom manufactured weapons and war supplies. Rosie the Riveter was also used as a symbol for American feminism and women's economic empowerment.
Question 13
What was the name of the largest Nazi concentration and death camp, which opened in 1940?
-
AGross-Rosen
-
BDachau
-
CMauthausen
-
DAuschwitz
Auschwitz
Auschwitz was the biggest of the Nazi concentration and extermination camps. Located in southern Poland, it was founded as a holding facility for political prisoners. However, it developed into a network of concentration camps where Jews and other perceived enemies of the Nazi regime were murdered, often in gas chambers or forced to work as slaves.
Question 14
On December 16, 1944, Hitler ordered a surprise attack against Allied forces in order to recapture Antwerp before they could withdraw across the Rhine River. What was this battle called?
-
ABattle of Midway
-
BBattle of the Bulge
-
CBattle of Stalingrad
-
DOperation Overlord
Battle of the Bulge
The famed Battle of the Bulge took place from December 26, 1944 to January 25, 1945, and involved about 610,000 U.S., British and French troops near the Belgium-German border. It's generally regarded as the last major German offensive on the Western front.
Question 15
What was the name of the last major battle of World War II between Japan and the United States?
-
ABattle of Iwo Jima
-
BBattle of Okinawa
-
CBattle of Le Gulf
-
DBattle of Saipan
Battle of Okinawa
The Battle of Okinawa was World War II's last major battle and one of the bloodiest. On April 1, 1945, the United States Navy, Army, and Marine Corps soldiers landed on the Pacific island of Okinawa for the last drive against Japan. Although the Allies had essentially won the war already, kamikaze fighters, inclement weather, and intense combat on land, sea, and air resulted in a high death toll on all sides.
Question 16
Fought from August 1942 to February 1943, the Battle of Guadalcanal was a struggle for the control of what islands in the South Pacific?
-
AHawaii
-
BSolomon Islands
-
CSamoa
-
DMaldives
Solomon Islands
Fought from August 1942 to February 1943, the Battle for Guadalcanal was a struggle for control of the Solomon Islands in the South Pacific between Allied forces and Japanese troops. The Allies, primarily an American force comprised of Australians and Americans under General Alexander Vandegrift, defeated the Japanese led by Rear Admiral Gunichi Mikawa. Guadalcanal is now a major tourist destination in the Solomon Islands.
Question 17
What Japanese city became the first ever to be attacked with a deployed atomic bomb on August 6, 1945?
-
ATokyo
-
BOsaka
-
CNagasaki
-
DHiroshima
Hiroshima
On August 6, 1945, an American B-29 bomber delivered the world's first deployed atomic bomb over Hiroshima. Approximately 80,000 people died instantly in the explosion while tens of thousands more died from radioactive exposure. Three days later, another A-bomb detonated over Nagasaki, killing an estimated 40,000 people.
Question 18
What major battle between Commonwealth and Axis forces took place in Egypt, Libya, and Tunisia?
-
ABattle of the Coral Sea
-
BSecond Battle of El Alamein
-
CSecond Battle of Kharkov
-
DBattle of Okinawa
Second Battle of El Alamein
The Second Battle of El Alamein took place between Commonwealth and Axis forces in Egypt, Libya, Tunisia over 17 days from October 23 to November 4, 1942. It was the first time the Allies had defeated Rommel in a head-on offensive and is widely regarded as a turning point of the war in North Africa.
Question 19
Which U.S. President created the Japanese internment camps during World War II through Executive Order 9066?
-
AFranklin D. Roosevelt
-
BHarry S. Truman
-
CDwight D. Eisenhower
-
DJ. Edgar Hoover
Franklin D. Roosevelt
President Franklin D. Roosevelt created Japanese internment camps during World War II through Executive Order 9066. From 1942 through 1945, the U.S. government's goal was to confine individuals of Japanese ancestry, including American citizens in separate camps.
Question 20
What country undertook Operation Drumbeat as a response to a campaign of German U-Boat attacks in 1942?
-
AUnited Kingdom
-
BUnited States
-
CItaly
-
DFrance
United States
Operation Drumbeat was an operation undertaken by the United States Navy during World War II. The goal of Operation Drumbeat was to cut off German naval resupply routes in the North Atlantic Ocean, especially U-boat bases on the coast of France that were used to refuel submarines or surface vessels. During its seven-month duration, it consisted of 28 convoy battles, in which over 200 ships were sunk for a total loss of 619 ships. 3,077 soldiers were killed.
Question 21
What country built the so-called Maginot Line, a network of concrete fortifications and barriers to prevent German invasion?
-
AThe Netherlands
-
BBelgium
-
CFrance
-
DEngland
France
The Maginot Line, named after French Minister of War Andre Maginot, is a network of concrete barriers and armament installations constructed by France in the 1930s to prevent a German invasion and compel them to maneuver around the defenses. The Maginot Line was impenetrable to the majority of attacks. As a result, the Germans invaded France in 1940 through Belgium and the Netherlands.
Question 22
What group of African-American military aviators served in World War II, and became the first all-black flying formation in the United States Armed Forces?
-
AThe Flying Tigers
-
BThe Tuskegee Airmen
-
CThe Red Tails
-
D761st Tank Battalion Airmen
The Tuskegee Airmen
The Tuskegee Airmen 477th Bombardment Group was the first all-black flying formation in the United States Armed Forces. The unit was activated in 1941, where it served as part of the air defense network protecting America's heartland from attacks by Nazi Germany.
Question 23
Which of these battles is to this day one of the bloodiest in history, with over 2 million casualties?
-
ABattle of Midway
-
BBattle of the Bulge
-
CAttack on Pearl Harbor
-
DBattle of Stalingrad
Battle of Stalingrad
The Battle of Stalingrad was a major battle on the Eastern Front during World War II, in which Nazi Germany and its allies fought the Soviet Union for control of Stalingrad (now Volgograd). It was one of the largest battles in history with upwards of two million people killed, captured, or missing. Although it ultimately ended in German defeat, it dealt an enormous blow to Hitler's ambitions and cost him much prestige.
Question 24
Name the U.S. economic plan designed to help Europe recover from World War II, initiated by President Truman in 1948.
-
AMarshall Plan
-
BDulles Plan
-
CTruman Doctrine
-
DLend-Lease Act
Marshall Plan
The Marshall Plan was initiated by President Truman in 1948 and invested just under $13 billion (equivalent to $114 billion in 2020) to aid in the recovery of Western European economies over four years. It was an ambitious investment that helped improve people's lives and jumpstart industries which had been destroyed by the war.
Question 25
What term is most often used with reference to World War II — specifically to the uneventful early months, in which no substantial military gains were made by either side?
-
AProxy War
-
BPhoney War
-
CSpurious War
-
DFraudulent War
Phoney War
A phoney war is a period of time after the outbreak of hostilities in which no outright military gains are made by either side. This can happen as a result of either one or both sides waiting for an opportunity to strike. The term is most often used with reference to World War II and refers specifically to the relatively uneventful early months, compared with later years when the global conflict escalated dramatically.
Question 26
Forever a watershed moment, in what year did Hitler's reign as chancellor of Germany begin?
-
A1930
-
B1939
-
C1933
-
D1941
1933
Hitler was appointed chancellor in 1933 and would, in a short time, make sweeping changes to the government of Germany. While the rest of the world still struggled with economic woes and limited liberties, Hitler's Nazi Party took Germany on a path to destruction that would take years to correct. His appointment marked an eventful period that threatened all of Europe.
Question 27
What was the code name for the invasion of the Soviet Union by Nazi Germany?
-
AOperation Moscow
-
BOperation Uranus
-
COperation Blitzkrieg
-
DOperation Barbarossa
Operation Barbarossa
Barbarossa was the codename for Nazi Germany's invasion of the Soviet Union. Their ultimate aim was the annihilation, enslavement, and Germanization of Slavic people, as well as the expansion of Germany's Lebensraum (living area).
Question 28
During what post-WWII conflict did white and African American troops operate in integrated units for the first time?
-
ASpanish-American War
-
BVietnam War
-
CAfghanistan War
-
DKorean War
Korean War
Signed by Harry Truman in 1948, Executive Order 9981 was a landmark for civil rights. The executive order finally put an end to segregation of the military and allowed African Americans to serve with dignity alongside their fellow white soldiers in the Korean War.
Question 29
The Tripartite Pact was a mutual defense agreement signed in 1940 by what three countries?
-
ASpain, Portugal and France
-
BGermany, Japan and Italy
-
CSoviet Union, China and Yugoslavia
-
DFrance, United Kingdom and the Soviet Union
Germany, Japan and Italy
The Tripartite Pact was a mutual defense agreement signed in Berlin on September 27, 1940 by Germany, Japan, and Italy. In the first section of the agreement, all three countries pledged not to align "themselves with any power" and not to participate in "any war whatsoever." In the second section of the agreement, they agreed that if any one country was attacked, it would automatically be considered an attack on all three. And finally, in the third section of the pact, they declared that they would come to each other's assistance with all their military might. They further agreed that any disputes between among the three should be discussed exclusively among themselves.
Question 30
V-J Day, also known as Victory over Japan Day marked the conclusive end of World War II. On what date did Japan surrender?
-
ASeptember 25th
-
BAugust 14th
-
CJuly 21st
-
DSeptember 9th
August 14th
V-J Day is one of the most memorable days in history because at 5 p.m. on August 14th, 1945, Japanese emperor Hirohito announced to his people that World War II has ended. Japan formally surrendered one hour later.
Question 31
At what conference did the leaders of the United States, Great Britain, and the Soviet Union meet to define the post-1945 balance of power?
-
AYalta Conference
-
BCasablanca Conference
-
CPotsdam Conference
-
DWannsee Conference
Potsdam Conference
From July 17 to August 2, 1945, the leaders of the United States, Great Britain, and the Soviet Union met at the Potsdam Conference in Berlin in what was a watershed event in defining the post-1945 balance of power. The meeting also foreshadowed the tensions that would emerge between the United States and the Soviet Union resulting in a Cold War that lasted more than four decades.
Question 32
What plot was devised by top German military officials to assassinate Adolf Hitler and subsequently seize control of his government?
-
AJuly Plot
-
BNovember Plot
-
CMarch Plot
-
DBeer Hall Putsch
July Plot
During World War II, a conspiracy by top German military officials to assassinate Adolf Hitler failed when a bomb placed in a briefcase exploded but did not kill the Nazi leader. The attempted assassination occurred in Wolf's Lair, present-day Poland. Hitler's assassins were put to death when their identities were established.
Question 33
What was the code name of the allied invasion of Sicily that took place in 1943?
-
AOperation Husky
-
BOperation Alphabet
-
COperation Jupiter
-
DOperation Musketoon
Operation Husky
The allied invasion of Sicily started in 1943 and was known as Operation Husky. Tens of thousands of troops lifted off from 26 British and American bases across the Mediterranean, deployed across Sicily to take advantage of the invasion period to make camp before they moved on to mainland Italy. The invasion force included 79,000 United States Army Rangers and 50,000 U.S. Army soldiers from the 50th Infantry Division, in addition to British commandos.
Question 34
The American Women's War effort during WW II certainly played an instrumental role in helping our nation succeed. Approximately how many women joined the military?
-
A100,000
-
B1 million
-
C350,000
-
D750,000
350,000
Around 350,000 American women joined the military during World War II, many of whom served in the Army Air Forces, which comprised one-third of our air power. Some of them flew bombing missions over Japan, while others checked parachutes and clothing for evidence of sabotage.
Question 35
What Nazi forced labor concentration camp located in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany was liberated by the U.S. Army on April 25, 1945?
-
AGross-Rosen
-
BDachau
-
CBergen-Belsen
-
DArbeitsdorf
Arbeitsdorf
Arbeitsdorf concentration camp was liberated in 1945 by the Seventh Division of the U.S. Army and was one of the camps established to house prisoners of wars and civilians from Czechoslovakia, Poland, and France.
Comments (0)
We want to hear your feedback! Share your scores and discuss the quiz, but keep it civil.