Think You Know All about World War One?
Written by Regina Munch History Expert
Last updated · 5 min play time
The First World War was one of the most destructive wars in history, featuring new technology and methods of fighting. Think you know WWI?
The First World War was one of the most destructive wars in history, featuring new technology and methods of fighting. It was also a truly global war – entangling alliances and empires pulled dozens of countries on every continent into the war. In the United States, we know World War II better, but in Europe and elsewhere the memory of World War I is immediate and alive. Think you know World War One?
This quiz was expert written by Regina Munch. Regina has a master's degree in European history and the history of American foreign policy from Boston College. She loves learning and writing about history because it's never dead – things from the past always have relevance to today, and we're discovering things about the past all the time.
Quiz written by
Regina MunchWWI Quiz Questions
20 Questions · 14.9K Plays · 2 Comments
Question 1
Before World War Two, World War One was known as what?
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AThe Serbian Conflict
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BThe Great War
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CThe Gas War
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DThe Balkan War
The Great War
The Great War, at that time the deadliest war in modern European history, eradicated populations and used new weapons of mass killing.
Question 2
Which of these military weapons was NOT used during WWI?
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AChemical weapons
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BMachine guns
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CTrench warfare
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DNuclear weapons
Nuclear weapons
The first country to develop nuclear weapons was the United States, not until 1945.
Question 3
WWI began with the assassination of which person?
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AArchduke Franz Ferdinand
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BWinston Churchill
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CCzar Nicholas II
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DDavid Lloyd George
Archduke Franz Ferdinand
Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the Austrian throne, was assassinated by Serbian nationalist organization the Black Hand on June 28, 1914.
Question 4
Many soldiers returning from war suffered from what today we call PTSD. What was the medical term used then?
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ATrench malaise
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BShell shock
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CWar fever
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DBrittle from battle
Shell shock
Shell shock was a term used to diagnose people after seeing the horrors of modern war. It was sometimes seen as a sign of cowardice.
Question 5
Which of these was not a battle that occurred during WWI?
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ACanal du Nord
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BVerdun
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CMidway
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DYpres
Midway
Midway occurred during WWII between the United States and Japan.
Question 6
What countries were part of the Central Powers alliance?
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AThe United States, Austria
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BBritain, France
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CFrance, Germany
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DGermany, Austria-Hungary
Germany, Austria-Hungary
Germany and Austria-Hungary were the Central Powers, although many other actors joined the war on their side.
Question 7
During WWI, which country endured a communist revolution that deposed its monarch?
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ARussia
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BLithuania
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COttoman Empire
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DGermany
Russia
In 1917, Czar Nicholas II of Russia was overthrown, allowing for the creation of the USSR.
Question 8
What international body was created at the end of WWI?
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AInternational Monetary Fund
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BLeague of Nations
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CUnited Nations
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DEuropean Union
League of Nations
The League of Nations was a precursor to the United Nations.
Question 9
Which empire did NOT collapse at the end of WWI?
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ABritish Empire
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BGermany
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CAustria-Hungary
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DOttoman Empire
British Empire
The British Empire was increased at the end of WWI because it claimed many of the territories lost by the Germans, Austrians, and Ottomans.
Question 10
Who was president when the United States joined the war?
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ATheodore Roosevelt
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BWoodrow Wilson
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CFranklin Delano Roosevelt
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DCalvin Coolidge
Woodrow Wilson
Woodrow Wilson was president throughout WWI and was a major player at the Paris Peace Conference.
Question 11
Many soldiers wrote poems, plays, and novels to convey the trauma of war. Which of these was about WWI?
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AAnimal Farm
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BIvanhoe
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CThe Red Badge of Courage
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DAll Quiet on the Western Front
All Quiet on the Western Front
The Red Badge of Courage was about the American Civil War; Animal Farm was about the Russian Revolution, and Ivanhoeis about 12th century Scotland.
Question 12
What year did the United States join the war?
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A1917
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B1914
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C1916
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D1919
1917
The United States joined the war on April 6, 1917.
Question 13
In a leaked telegram, Germany unsuccessfully encouraged this country to attack the United States to force them into war. Which country was it?
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ARussia
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BCanada
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CMexico
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DJapan
Mexico
In the Zimmerman telegram, Germany encouraged Mexico to try to take back land that the United States had conquered in the American Southwest.
Question 14
What countries were the core members of the Triple Entente?
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ABritain, France, the United States
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BFrance, Belgium, Italy
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CGermany, Austria, Russia
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DBritain, France, Russia
Britain, France, Russia
Britain, France, and Russia were the powers that created the Triple Entente, although many others allied with them to fight WWI.
Question 15
How many combatants fought in WWI?
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A10 million
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B70 million
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C200 million
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D50 million
70 million
70 million soldiers fought in WWI. Of these, 10 million were non-European allies or colonists.
Question 16
Throughout the globe, how many soldiers perished in WWI?
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A50 million
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B500,000
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C20 million
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D11 million
11 million
11 million soldiers died, and 7 million civilians were killed.
Question 17
Which of these countries did NOT see fighting in WWI?
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ACameroon
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BAustralia
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CPapua New Guinea
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DIndia
Australia
India was a British colony, Papua New Guinea and Cameroon were Germany colonies. Many Australian soldiers fought in WWI, but there was no fighting on Australian land.
Question 18
Which victorious country left the Paris Peace Conference because its ideas were rejected?
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AUnited States
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BJapan
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CItaly
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DFrance
Japan
The Japanese delegation submitted a "racial equality proposal" to make sure Wilson's "self-determination of all peoples" would apply to them as well, but this was rejected.
Question 19
Which of these did NOT eventually ally with the Entente powers?
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ABulgaria
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BRomania
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CJapan
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DSiam
Bulgaria
Bulgaria allied with the Central Powers.
Question 20
Approximately what percentage of fallen British soldiers were never recovered and buried?
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A30%
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B5%
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C10%
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D50%
50%
Almost 50% of British soldiers who died in WWI were harmed so badly they were unrecognizable, or lost at sea.
Comments (2)
We want to hear your feedback! Share your scores and discuss the quiz, but keep it civil.
Being old helps recalling what one learnt as a lad.
Some good questions of a terrible war.