World War II Trivia

December 7 marked an important date, as it was the 81st anniversary of the Pearl Harbor attack. In recognition of those who lost their lives that day and to honor the impact of World War II, I invite you to take part in this trivia quiz.

Questions

1. 1. Which nation suffered the highest number of deaths, including both military personnel and civilians, during World War II?
2. 2. What battle is recognized as the deadliest in World War II?
3. 3. What was the title of the B-29 Bomber responsible for dropping the first atomic bomb on Japan?
4. 4. Can you name the atomic bombs that were dropped on the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki?
5. 5. What was the designation of the clandestine initiative that aimed to create those atomic bombs?
6. 6. What side was Spain on in World War II?
7. 7. Apart from Germany and Italy, which other five countries in Europe were aligned with the Axis powers?
8. 8. Which battleship holds the record as the largest during World War II?
9. 9. What was the name of the battle that saw the highest number of tanks deployed during World War II?
10. 10. After Germany's defeat, how many zones was the country split into?
11. 11. What was the final significant battle that took place in World War II?
12. 12. Which phrase was displayed at the entrance gate of Auschwitz?
13. 13. What system of colored patches did Germany employ in concentration camps to classify the reasons for prisoners' internment?
14. 14. Who was the mathematician at the forefront of breaking the German secret communications code, and what was the name of that code?
15. 15. In what location was the first atomic bomb trial conducted?
16. 16. Which two states in the U.S. were subjected to bombings by Japan during World War II?
17. 17. The term 'Third Reich' referred to Germany from 1933 to 1945, implying a third empire. What were the two empires that preceded it?
18. 18. What was the name of the agreement established between Germany, Japan, and Italy?
19. 19. Excluding Franklin D. Roosevelt, which future presidents were part of the military during World War II?
20. 20. What was the first and most recognized 'war relocation center' for Japanese Americans in the United States?

Answers

1. 1. The Soviet Union, with an estimated 24 million casualties, experienced the highest loss of life. In comparison, the United States ranks 18th with 418,500 fatalities. Source: statistica.com
2. 2. The Battle of Stalingrad is noted for being the bloodiest, claiming around two million lives. Source: Wikipedia .
3. 3. The Enola Gay.
4. 4. Fat Man and Little Boy.
5. 5. The Manhattan Project.
6. 6. Spain maintained an official stance of neutrality; however, it supported Germany in various capacities, including sending troops known as the Blue Division to aid in the invasion of the Soviet Union. Source: Wikipedia .
7. 7. The countries of Bulgaria, Croatia, Hungary, Romania, and Slovakia were also part of the Axis alliance. Source: United States Holocaust Museum
8. 8. Japan’s Yamato. Source: Useful Trivia
9. 9. The Battle of Kursk holds the record for involving the greatest number of tanks, estimated at around 6,000. Source: Useful Trivia
10. 10. Germany was initially divided into four zones: those controlled by the United States, the United Kingdom, France, and the Soviet Union. The first three zones eventually combined to form what is now West Germany.
11. 11. The Battle of Okinawa. Source: Useful Trivia.
12. 12. The well-known slogan at Auschwitz was 'Arbeit macht frei', which translates to 'Work makes you free.' Source: Wikipedia
13. 13. Germany utilized a color-coded triangle system to categorize the reasons for imprisonment at concentration camps; for specific classifications, please visit the relevant Wikipedia page. Nazi concentration camp badges .
14. 14. Alan Turing was the mathematician who led the efforts to decode the German Enigma code. Source: Imperial War Museums
15. 15. The first atomic bomb was tested at the Alamogordo Bombing and Gunnery Range in New Mexico on July 16, 1945. I am thrilled to possess a fragment of trinitite, a glassy substance formed from sand due to atomic detonation. Source: Wikipedia
16. 16. Japan carried out bombings in the U.S. states of Oregon and Hawaii. While Pearl Harbor is widely recognized, Japan also aimed to incite forest fires in Oregon through incendiary bombings using both planes and balloons. Source: Oregon Secretary of State
17. 17. The previous two Reichs were known as the Holy Roman Empire and the German Empire (1871-1918). Source: Wikipedia
18. 18. The Tripartite Pact. Source: Useful Trivia
19. 19. Those who served in the military during World War II, excluding FDR, include Eisenhower (Army), Kennedy (Navy), Johnson (Navy), Nixon (Navy), Ford (Navy), Reagan (Army), and George H.W. Bush (Navy). In other words, every president from Eisenhower to George H.W. Bush had military experience during the war, with the exception of Carter, who served in the Navy after the conflict ended. Source: Desert Sun
20. 20. The first significant Japanese American internment camp established in the U.S. was Manzanar, situated between Lone Pine and Independence, California. Source: Wikipedia

Written by: Michael Shackleford