World War I Quiz

1. In which year did World War I begin?

1. 1912
2. 1914
3. 1916
4. 1918

2. What event is widely considered the immediate trigger of World War I?

1. Austria declaring war on Russia
2. Germany invading Belgium
3. The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand
4. The sinking of the Lusitania

3. Which nations formed the 'Triple Entente' (the main Allied powers) at the start of WWI?

1. Britain, France, Germany
2. Britain, France, Russia
3. Russia, Austria-Hungary, Italy
4. USA, Britain, France

4. What was 'trench warfare' and why was it so deadly?

1. A type of naval warfare
2. Dug-in defensive positions creating a stalemate with massive casualties
3. Fighting in dense forests
4. Underground tunnel warfare

5. Which country remained neutral in WWI until 1917, then joined the Allied side?

1. Italy
2. Japan
3. Spain
4. USA

6. The Battle of the Somme (1916) was one of the bloodiest battles in history. How many casualties occurred on the first day?

1. Around 10,000
2. Around 100,000 total
3. Around 30,000
4. Around 57,000 British casualties alone

7. What was the Treaty of Versailles (1919)?

1. A peace treaty between the USA and UK
2. A post-war trade agreement
3. A treaty forming the League of Nations only
4. The peace treaty ending WWI that imposed harsh terms on Germany

8. Which new military technology was used for the first time in WWI?

1. Nuclear weapons
2. Rockets
3. Submarines only
4. Tanks, poison gas, aircraft, and submarines

9. When did the USA enter WWI?

1. 1914
2. 1915
3. 1917
4. 1918

10. The Zimmermann Telegram was a secret proposal from Germany to which country?

1. Austria-Hungary
2. Japan
3. Mexico
4. The Ottoman Empire

11. What was the Western Front?

1. The Atlantic Ocean battle zone
2. The border between France and Germany before the war
3. The front between Italy and Austria-Hungary
4. The line of trenches stretching from the English Channel to Switzerland

12. Which battle was the largest naval battle of WWI?

1. The Battle of Dogger Bank
2. The Battle of Heligoland Bight
3. The Battle of Jutland
4. The Battle of the Atlantic

13. Which country left the war after a revolution in 1917?

1. Austria-Hungary
2. Bulgaria
3. Russia
4. Turkey

14. When did WWI officially end?

1. 1 January 1920
2. 11 November 1918
3. 11 October 1918
4. 28 June 1919

15. How many people died as a result of WWI (military and civilian)?

1. Around 10 million
2. Around 20 million
3. Around 40 million
4. Around 5 million

16. What was the 'Gallipoli Campaign' of 1915?

1. A British naval campaign against Germany
2. A German invasion of Russia through Turkey
3. An Allied attempt to knock Ottoman Turkey out of the war by capturing Constantinople
4. An Italian offensive against Austria-Hungary

17. Who was the British Commander-in-Chief on the Western Front from 1915-1918?

1. Field Marshal French
2. Field Marshal Haig
3. General Allenby
4. Lord Kitchener

18. The League of Nations was formed after WWI. What was its purpose?

1. A trade organisation for Allied nations
2. An international peacekeeping organisation to prevent future wars
3. To govern former German colonies
4. To manage Germany's war reparations

19. What was the 'Schlieffen Plan' used by Germany at the start of WWI?

1. A defensive strategy for Germany's eastern borders
2. A naval strategy to blockade Britain
3. A plan to attack France quickly via Belgium, then turn east to defeat Russia
4. A plan to keep Italy neutral

20. The ANZAC troops who fought at Gallipoli came from which countries?

1. Africa and New Zealand
2. America and New Zealand
3. Australia and Canada
4. Australia and New Zealand