The Second World War has a rich collection of stories of heroism, patriotism, and the power of the human spirit.  This easy and informative 10-item quiz lets you sharpen your knowledge about what happened in World War II. Get ready to exercixe what you have learned in class. Good luck and enjoy!

1. Which two countries that were already at war even before the German invasion of Poland?

A. Ethiopia and Italy

B. Japan and China

C. Japan and Britain

D, Unites Staes and Canada

2. Name the island that has been given everlasting fame through an image of the flag-raising on Mt. Suribachi.

A. Midway

B. Okinawa

C. Iwo Jima

D. Guadalcanal

3. France and United Kingdom declared war against Germany when it invaded which country?

A. Belgium

B. Austria

C. Poland

D. Italy

4. Name this short-lived battle that actually spared Britain from being invaded by Nazi Germany.

A. Battle of English Channel

B. Battle of Britain

C. Battle of the Bulge

D. Battle of Midway

5. Who was the fascist prime minister of Italy during most of World War II?

A. Ivanoe Bonomi

B. Luigi Facta

C. Giovanni Giolitti

D. Benito Mussolini

6. Name the American General who said "I shall return" when he left the Phillipines.

A. George Patton

B. Mark Clark

C. Dwight Eisenhower

D. Douglas MacArthur

7. Who said the line "Never has so much been owed by so many to so few"?

A. Winston Churchill

B. Erwin Rommel

C. Adolf Hitler

D. Neville Chamberlain

8. This operation's codename was used for the plan to conquer Britain.

A. Overlord

B. Sealion

C. Garden Market

D. Thunderclap

9. Who was the leader of the Soviet Union during World War II?

A. Nikita Krushchev

B. Vladimir Lenin

C. Joseph Stalin

D. Boris Yeltsin

10. Japan formally surrendered on what ship?

A. USS Wisconsin

B. USS Arizona

C. USS Enterprise

D. USS Missouri

Answer Guide:

1. B. Japan and China.  The Second Sino-Japanese between 1937 to 1945 is considered as the largest Asian war in the twentieth century.

2. C. Iwo Jima.  This island, officially referred by the Japanese as Ioto and located 1,200 kilometers south of mainland Japan, is where the famous "Raising the Flag on Iwo Jima" took place.

3. C. Poland.  Although the United Kingdom and France declared war upon Germany's invasion, very little direct military aid was actually given by these two countries to Poland.  The Polish called it "The Western Betrayal."

4. B. Battle of Britain.  Adolf Hitler, leader of Nazi Germany, continued to believe that United Kingdom could be forced to surrender without being invaded.

5. D. Benito Mussolini. A prime minister of Italy since 1922, he led the kingdom to World War II under the Axis movement.

6. D. Douglas MacArthur.  A field marshall to the Philippine Army, MacArthur escaped an intense manhunt by the Japanese Imperial Army in Bataan, the Philippines, and reached Australia.  He made the speech, originally as "I came out of Bataan and I shall return," while waiting to transfer trains in a small township called Terowie.

7. A. Winston Churchill.  This speech, along with so many orations Chruchill delivered during the height of the Battle of Britain, touched the hearts and morale of many Britons.

8. B. Sealion.  The plan to invade United Kingdom was postponed by Nazi Germany on September 17, 1940.

9. C. Joseph Stalin.  His rule over the Soviet Union enabled the country to achieve superpower status that would last until 1991, 38 years after his death.

10. D. USS Missouri. The Japanese Instrument of Surrender, a written agreement that established the end of World War II,  was signed by representatives of Japan and United States along with eight other countries.

Score Guide:

10 correct answers - Bravo! You're a sucker for anything about World War II.

8 to 9 correct answers - Tap your shoulder for a job well done

6 to 7 correct answers - Uhhmm..passable.

4 to 5 correct answers - Pretty bad.

0 to 3 correct answers - Were you sleeping when you tackled this in class?