Quizology.Online

Tag: Second World War

  • Today—Answers

    Here are the answers to the questions from my earlier post.

    Robert Altman.
    Image Wikipedia

    One

    M*A*S*H debuted on television on 17 September 1972. It was based on the 1970 film of the same name, which was directed by whom?

    Answer: Robert Altman

    M*A*S*H*, an American war comedy-drama TV series, aired from 1972 to 1983. It follows a team of doctors and support staff at a Mobile Army Surgical Hospital (MASH) during the Korean War. Renowned for its blend of comedy and drama, the show is considered one of the greatest TV series of all time. It was based on Robert Altman’s film, which in turn was adapted from a 1968 novel by Richard Hooker.

    Two

    The opening paragraph of Encyclopædia Britannica‘s article on Wenceslas II is quoted below. What word is missing after ‘king of’?

    Wenceslas II (born Sept. 17, 1271—died June 21, 1305) was the king of Bohemia from 1278 and of Poland from 1300 who ably ruled his Bohemian kingdom and spread his influence not only into Poland but also into Hungary.

    Answer: Bohemia

    Wenceslas II, King of Bohemia from 1278 and Poland from 1300, ruled successfully after overcoming early challenges. He expanded his influence into Hungary and increased his kingdom’s wealth. He is not the Good King Wenceslas of Christmas carol fame who was St Wenceslaus I, Duke of Bohemia (907–935).

    Anwar Sadat, Jimmy Carter and Menachem Begin (left to right), at Camp David, 1978.
    Image Wikipedia

    Three

    In 1978, the Nobel Prize for Peace was awarded to two leaders who signed the Camp David Accords on 17 September of that year. Name these two leaders?

    Answers: Menachem Begin and Anwar Sadat

    The Camp David Accords, signed in 1978, were agreements between Israel and Egypt brokered by U.S. President Jimmy Carter. The accords, officially titled the ‘Framework for Peace in the Middle East’, led to a peace treaty between the two countries.

    Four

    On 17 September 1940, Adolf Hitler postponed Operation Sea Lion. What was the purpose of this operation?

    Answer: The invasion of Great Britain (or United Kingdom)

    Operation Sea Lion was Nazi Germany’s planned invasion of the United Kingdom during World War II. Despite preparations, the invasion was indefinitely postponed due to the German Luftwaffe’s losses in the Battle of Britain.

    Brian Mulroney, Prime Minister of Canada, 1993.
    Image Wikipedia

    Five

    Martin Brian Mulroney became prime minister of what nation on this date in 1984?

    Answer: Canada

    Brian Mulroney, a Canadian lawyer and businessman, served as the 18th Prime Minister of Canada from 1984 to 1993. He led the Progressive Conservative Party to a landslide victory in the 1984 federal election and later secured a second majority government in 1988.

  • Today

    Five questions which are all related to today’s date, September 17.

    M*A*S*H (From left) Actors McLean Stevenson, Wayne Rogers, Gary Burghoff, and Alan Alda in a scene from the television series M*A*S*H. 
    Image Encyclopædia Britannica

    One

    M*A*S*H debuted on television on 17 September 1972. It was based on the 1970 film of the same name, which was directed by whom?

    Two

    The opening paragraph of Encyclopædia Britannica‘s article on Wenceslas II, who was born on this date, is quoted below. What word is missing after ‘king of’?

    Wenceslas II (born Sept. 17, 1271—died June 21, 1305) was the king of … from 1278 and of Poland from 1300 who ably ruled his …n kingdom and spread his influence not only into Poland but also into Hungary.

    Three

    In 1978, the Nobel Prize for Peace was awarded to two leaders who signed the Camp David Accords on 17 September of that year. Name these two leaders?

    Four

    On 17 September 1940, Adolf Hitler postponed Operation Sea Lion. What was the purpose of this operation?

    Five

    Martin Brian Mulroney became prime minister of what nation on this date in 1984?

    Good luck! I’ll post the answers later today.

  • Big Stick Diplomacy, Among Other Things—Answers

    The answers to my earlier post are shown below.

    Japanese surrender on USS Missouri, 2 September 1945.
    Image Wikipedia

    One

    On 2 September 1945, the Japanese formally surrendered, ending World War II. The following quote is from the US National Archives:

    That morning, on the deck of the USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay, the Japanese envoys, Foreign Minister Mamoru Shigemitsu and General Yoshijiro Umezu, signed their names on the Instrument of Surrender.

    Please provide the names of the ship and the body of water that are missing from the quote above?

    Answer: USS Missouri and Tokyo Bay

    Japan surrendered unconditionally to the Allies on 15 August 1945, following the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and the Soviet Union’s declaration of war and invasion of Manchukuo. The formal surrender ceremony took place on 2 September aboard the USS Missouri. The Treaty of San Francisco, effective 28 April 1952, formally ended the state of war.

    Two

    Tom Bombadil and his wife Goldberry were characters created by what 81-year-old author, who died on 2 September 1973?

    Answer: JRR Tolkien

    Tom Bombadil and his wife Goldberry are supporting characters in JRR Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings. They feature in the novel The Fellowship of the Rings but are omitted from various adaptations, including Peter Jackson’s film trilogy, due to their non-essential role.


    William Allen Rogers‘s 1904 cartoon recreates an episode in Gulliver’s Travels    ,
    Image Wikipedia

    Three

    On 2 September 1901, future US president Theodore Roosevelt said…

    Speak softly and carry a big stick

    …he claimed he was paraphrasing a proverb which originated from what continent?

    Answer: Africa (specifically West Africa)

    The phrase was supposed to come from West Africa but there is little evidence of that. Theodore Roosevelt’s ‘big stick’ diplomacy, characterised by a powerful military and a willingness to negotiate peacefully, emphasised intelligent forethought and decisive action. This approach, rooted in Realpolitik, involved possessing a strong navy, acting justly and striking decisively when necessary.

    “This painting shows the great fire of London as seen from a boat in vicinity of Tower Wharf. The painting depicts Old London Bridge, various houses, a drawbridge and wooden parapet, the churches of St Dunstan-in-the-West and St Bride’s, All Hallow’s the Great, Old St Paul’s, St Magnus the Martyr, St Lawrence Pountney, St Mary-le-Bow, St Dunstan-in-the East and Tower of London. The painting is in the [style] of the Dutch School and is not dated or signed.
    Image Wikipedia

    Four

    What city was largely destroyed by a great fire which began on 2 September 1666?

    Answer: London, England

    The Great Fire of London in 1666 destroyed much of the medieval city, including St. Paul’s Cathedral. The fire, which started in a bakery, spread rapidly due to strong winds and indecisive firefighting efforts. The city was rebuilt on the same medieval street plan.

    The Battle of Actium, 2 September 31 BC, oil on canvas by Lorenzo A. Castro, 1672. Image Encyclopædia Britannica

    Five

    On 2 September 31 BCE, Octavian, the future Roman emperor Augustus, won the Battle of Actium. Which historical figure, who appeared in two Shakespearean tragedies, was defeated in this battle?

    Answer: Mark Antony

    The Battle of Actium, fought on 2 September 31 BC, was a decisive naval battle between Octavian’s fleet and the combined forces of Mark Antony and Cleopatra. Octavian’s victory led to the end of the Roman Republic and the beginning of the Roman Empire, with Octavian becoming Augustus.

  • Big Stick Diplomacy, Among Other Things

    Five questions which all are connected to today, September 2nd.

    One

    On 2 September 1945, the Japanese formally surrendered, ending World War II. The following quote is from the US National Archives:

    That morning, on the deck of the (ship) in (body of water), the Japanese envoys, Foreign Minister Mamoru Shigemitsu and General Yoshijiro Umezu, signed their names on the Instrument of Surrender.

    Please provide the names of the ship and the body of water that are missing from the quote above?

    Two

    Tom Bombadil and his wife Goldberry were characters created by what 81-year-old author, who died on 2 September 1973?

    Three

    On 2 September 1901, future US president Theodore Roosevelt said…

    Speak softly and carry a big stick

    …he claimed he was paraphrasing a proverb which originated from what continent?

    Four

    What city was largely destroyed by a great fire which began on 2 September 1666?

    Five

    On 2 September 31 BCE, Octavian, the future Roman emperor Augustus, won the Battle of Actium. Which historical figure, who appeared in two Shakespearean tragedies, was defeated in this battle?

    Good luck! I will post the answers later today.

  • Fly Me to the Moon | Answers

    Jim Lovell, Gemini 7, Gemini 12, Apollo 8 and Apollo 13.
    (March 25, 1928—August 7, 2025).
    Image Wikipedia

    One

    In 1968, what became the first crewed spacecraft to reach the Moon, orbit it and return?

    Answer: Apollo 8

    Apollo 8, launched on 21 December 1968, became the first human spaceflight to reach the Moon. During its mission, the crew orbited the Moon ten times, conducting various tasks such as photography and navigation, while also transmitting telecasts worldwide. The spacecraft safely splashed down in the Pacific Ocean on 27 December, 147 hours after launch.
    This question was prompted by the death of Jim Lovell, aged 97, on 7 August 2025. He flew to the Moon and back twice but never landed.

    Two

    The 1999 Open Championship was decided in a play-off between Jean Van de Velde and which two other players?

    Answer: Justin Leonard and Paul Lawrie

    Jean Van de Velde, ranked 152nd, nearly won the 1999 Open Championship but famously collapsed on the 18th hole. His triple-bogey seven led to a playoff, which he lost to Paul Lawrie.

    Three

    The two great European narcotics, alcohol and…

    — Friedrich Nietzsche: Twilight of the Idols

    — Encyclopædia Britannica

    What word is missing from the end of the above quote?

    Answer: Christianity

    Nietzsche’s quote suggests that he viewed both Christianity and alcohol as ‘narcotics’, substances or influences that dull the senses and provide an escape from reality.

    Four

    Which Canadian province is named after the fourth daughter of Queen Victoria, born in 1848?

    Answer: Alberta

    Alberta was named after Princess Louise Caroline Alberta, the wife of John Campbell, Marquess of Lorne, who served as Governor General of Canada from 1878 to 1883. The name was originally given to the District of Alberta in 1882. The Princess also gave her name to Mount Alberta and Lake Louise.

    Five 

    What passing-bells for these who die as cattle?

    — Wilfred Owen

    The above quote is the opening line of which poem?

    Answer: Anthem for Doomed Youth

    Wilfred Owen’s poem Anthem for Doomed Youth, written in 1917, vividly captures the horrors of war. Enlisting in the British army in 1915, Owen was sent to France with the Lancashire Fusiliers to fight in the trenches during World War I. In 1917, during his first six months of battle, his troop was gassed and forced to sleep in an open field of snow. One incident involved Owen spending several days huddled in a foxhole near the body of a fallen soldier. These experiences profoundly impacted Owen as a poet, leading to rapid maturity. The poems written after January 1917 are characterised by anger at war’s brutality, and pity for those who ‘die as cattle’.

    Anthem for Doomed Youth

    BY WILFRED OWEN

    What passing-bells for these who die as cattle?

          — Only the monstrous anger of the guns.

          Only the stuttering rifles’ rapid rattle

    Can patter out their hasty orisons.

    No mockeries now for them; no prayers nor bells; 

          Nor any voice of mourning save the choirs,—

    The shrill, demented choirs of wailing shells;

          And bugles calling for them from sad shires.

    What candles may be held to speed them all?

          Not in the hands of boys, but in their eyes

    Shall shine the holy glimmers of goodbyes.

          The pallor of girls’ brows shall be their pall;

    Their flowers the tenderness of patient minds,

    And each slow dusk a drawing-down of blinds.

    — Wilfred Owen

    — Poetry Foundation

  • Fly Me to the Moon

    Earthrise.
    Image NASA

    One

    In 1968, what became the first crewed spacecraft to reach the Moon, orbit it and return?

    Two

    The 1999 Open Championship was decided in a play-off between Jean Van de Velde and which two other players?

    Three

    The two great European narcotics, alcohol and…

    — Friedrich Nietzsche: Twilight of the Idols

    What word is missing from the end of the above quote?

    Four

    Which Canadian province is named after the fourth daughter of Queen Victoria, born 1848?

    Five 

    What passing-bells for these who die as cattle?

    — Wilfred Owen

    The above quote is the opening line of which poem?

    Good luck! I will post the answers later today.

  • A Spoonful of Sugar | Answers

    The answers to my earlier post are shown below.

    One

    On 9 August 1942, Dmitri Shostakovich’s 7th symphony premiered in a besieged city. Can you name that city?

    Answer: Leningrad

    Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 7 was premiered in Leningrad on 9 August 1942 during the Nazi siege. Despite the musicians’ starvation and the orchestra’s limited rehearsal time, the performance was a success, bolstered by a Soviet military offensive and broadcast to German lines.

    Two

    Construction of the campanile of the Cathedral of Pisa, also known as the Leaning Tower of Pisa, began on this day. In which century did this construction commence, and approximately how long did it take to complete?

    Answer: 12th Century and 199 years (two centuries) to complete

    The Leaning Tower of Pisa, a freestanding bell tower in Pisa, Italy, is known for its nearly four-degree lean due to an unstable foundation. It is one of the most visited tourist attractions in the world, receiving over 5 million visitors annually.

    Three

    Answer: Jesse Owens and long jump

    Jesse Owens, an exceptionally gifted athlete, won four gold medals at the 1936 Berlin Olympics, defying Adolf Hitler’s hopes of showcasing Aryan supremacy. Owens’ achievements, which also include setting three world records in one hour in 1935, remain unparalleled.

    Four

    Born in Maryborough, Queensland, on 9 August 1899, this writer is best known for her Mary Poppins books. Who is she?

    Answer: P.L. Travers

    P.L. Travers, an Australian-English writer, authored the Mary Poppins books, a series of eight children’s books illustrated by Mary Shepard. The books follow the magical nanny Mary Poppins and her adventures with the Banks children. Walt Disney adapted the books into two musical films: Mary Poppins (1964) and its sequel, Mary Poppins Returns (2018). A stage musical, created by Disney Theatrical and Sir Cameron Mackintosh, ran on Broadway from 2006 to 2013.

    Five

    On this day in 1945, Bockscar sealed a place in history. Who or what was Bockscar?

    Answer: Boeing B-29 Superfortress

    Bockscar, a Boeing B-29 Superfortress bomber, dropped the second nuclear weapon on Nagasaki during WWII. It was one of 15 Silverplate B-29s used by the 509th Composite Group.

  • A Spoonful of Sugar

    A few questions related to events connected to today, August 9th.

    One

    On 9 August 1942, Dmitri Shostakovich’s 7th symphony premiered in a besieged city. Can you name that city?

    Two

    Construction of the campanile of the Cathedral of Pisa, also known as the Leaning Tower of Pisa, began on this day. In which century did this construction commence, and approximately how long did it take to complete?

    Three

    On 9 August 1936, at the Summer Olympics in Berlin, Germany, Jesse Owens of the USA won his fourth gold medal of the games in the 4 x 100m sprint relay. He also won gold medals in the 100m dash and 200m sprint. In what other event did he win gold at these games?

    Four

    Born in Maryborough, Queensland, on 9 August 1899, this writer is best known for her Mary Poppins books. Who is she?

    Five

    On this day in 1945, Bockscar sealed a place in history. Who or what was Bockscar?

    Good luck! I will post the answers later today.

  • We Have All the Time in the World | Answers

    The answers to my earlier post are shown below.

    One

    Burkina Faso, an African country, changed to that name on August 4, 1984. What was its name prior to that?

    Answer: Republic of Upper Volta

    This landlocked West African country, which had been a French colony, gained full independence in 1960 and changed its name to Burkina Faso on this day in 1984.

    Two

    On this day in 1944, following a tip from an informer the Gestapo search a warehouse and find and arrest Jewish diarist Anne Frank, her family, and four others. In what city was the warehouse located?

    Answer: Amsterdam

    Diarist Anne Frank (Annelies Marie Frank), a German-born Jewish girl, documented her life in hiding during the German occupation of the Netherlands in a diary. After being arrested by the Gestapo and transported to concentration camps, Anne and her sister Margot died in Bergen-Belsen, likely from typhus. Her diary, published posthumously by her father Otto, became a global bestseller and a powerful testament to the Holocaust. The warehouse, offices and secret annex are now a museum, Anne Frank House.

    Three

    An actor born today in 1955, played Dan Truman, a NASA executive, in Armageddon (1998) and Davy Crockett in The Alamo (2004). Who is he?

    Answer: Billy Bob Thornton

    Billy Bob Thornton is an American actor, filmmaker, singer, and songwriter. He gained international attention for his work in Sling Blade and has since appeared in numerous films and television series, winning several awards including an Academy Award and Golden Globes. Thornton is also a musician, having released four solo albums and performing with the Boxmasters.

    Four

    The last Empress of India was born 4 August 1900 in England. What was here name, and her primary title between December 1936 and February 1952?

    Answer: Elizabeth and Her Majesty the Queen

    Elizabeth Angela Marguerite Bowes-Lyon, born on 4 August 1900, reigned as Queen of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 to 6 February 1952, as the wife of King George VI.  She held the title of Empress of India from 1936 until the dissolution of the British Raj on 15 August 1947. Following her husband’s passing, she was officially known as Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother to distinguish her from her daughter, Queen Elizabeth II.

    Five

    A man described by Encyclopædia Britannica as…

    a prolifically gifted natural musician and the leading trumpeter in jazz history

    …was born 4 august 1901. Almost seven decades later he sang We Have All the Time in the World in a Bond film. Who was he?

    Answer: Louis Armstrong

    Louis Armstrong, a highly influential American jazz trumpeter and vocalist, was born in New Orleans and rose to prominence in the 1920s. He shifted jazz’s focus from collective improvisation to solo performance and became an international icon by the 1950s. We Have All the Time in the World” was featured on the soundtrack of the James Bondfilm _On Her Majesty’s Secret Service.

  • We Have All the Time in the World

    These are all linked by today’s date, August 4th.

    One

    Burkina Faso, an African country, changed to that name on August 4, 1984. What was its name prior to that?

    Two

    On this day in 1944, following a tip from an informer the Gestapo search a warehouse and find and arrest Jewish diarist Anne Frank, her family, and four others. In what city was the warehouse located?

    Three

    An actor born today in 1955, played Dan Truman, a NASA executive, in Armageddon (1998) and Davy Crockett in The Alamo (2004). Who is he?

    Four

    The last Empress of India was born 4 August 1900 in England. What was her name, and her primary title between December 1936 and February 1952?

    Five

    A man described by Encyclopædia Britannica as…

    a prolifically gifted natural musician and the leading trumpeter in jazz history

    …was born 4 August 1901. Almost seven decades later he sang We Have All the Time in the World in a Bond film. Who was he?

    Good luck! I will post the answers later today.