My WW1 trivia will find out how much information you know about this period and possibly teach you some new facts, too!
While many saw it as their duty to fight, defend and protect, most today have a similar obligation to at least understand this war; and what our veterans and citizens went through as a result of it.
You may celebrate remembrance day and wear poppies of pride, but how much WW1 trivia do you really know?
WW1 resulted in tens of millions of casualties and was a major global conflict involving all the world’s superpowers.
America was involved in this war for a year and a half, with millions of military persons serving overseas and supporting the war effort at home.
The contribution of our bravest Americans helped to win the war and shaped our country, and the rest of the world, for generations.
But what actually happened in this war? Why did it start? When did we become involved? Find out all you need to know, and cross-check the facts you know already in round 1 of my WW1 trivia.
1: What date did WW1 begin?
July 28, 1914.
2: On what date did America officially enter WW1?
April 6, 1917.
3: Before WW1, tensions had been growing for decades between countries in which continent?
Europe.
4: The assassination of the heir to the throne in which country set off a sequence of events that drew most of Europe into full-scale war?
Austria-Hungary.
5: On which side was America initially?
America remained neutral.
6: Who was the President of America at this time?
Woodrow Wilson.
7: How do contemporaries often refer to WW1?
The Great War.
8: Globally, how many soldiers are estimated to have died in combat?
9 million.
9: What caused Great Britain to join WW1?
German troops marched through Belgium.
10: What pattern were trenches dug in on the Western front?
Zig zags.
11: Which WW1 battle was the longest battle in modern warfare?
The Battle of Verdun.
12: How many military deaths did America suffer due to its involvement?
116,000.
13: Which animal was often used to carry messages during WW1?
Pigeons.
14: What pandemic was debilitating and killing people between 1918 and 1919?
Influenza (Known as Spanish Flu).
15: The Zimmermann Telegram revealed that Germany was trying to encourage another country to join it against the U.S. Which country was this?
Mexico.
16: Alvin York won the Congressional Medal of Honor, the highest U.S. military decoration, for doing what?
Killing or capturing more than 150 Germans.
17: What is the nationally recognized symbol of sacrifice to honor those who served and died in all wars?
Red Poppy.
18: What were ‘Dog Fights’?
Aerial battles between fighter aircraft.
19: In what year was the Knox–Porter Resolution signed by the U.S. officially ending its involvement in WW1?
1921.
Important Dates During WW1 Trivia Questions and Answers
European students are taught much more intensely about WW1 than students in the U.S., which means that as a nation, we don’t have such close associations and more of a limited knowledge in comparison.
In America, WW1 was somewhat of a brief event, with a relatively small percentage of Americans seeing any sustained military action.
Our country was never attacked, and our suffering as a nation wasn’t on par with many other countries.
This WW1 trivia round will look at the timeline of American implications in WW1, and if you were paying attention in history class, you should do well with the following 10 questions.
Good luck!
1: Although volunteering to assist in France, Belgium and Britain before official involvement in WW1, what date was the American Ambulance Field Service actually recognized within the French Army?
April 15, 1915.
2: On what date was The ocean liner RMS Lusitania sunk by the German Navy, causing the death of 1200 passengers, including 128 Americans?
May 7, 1915.
3: The Lafayette Escadrille French aviation unit largely made up of pilots from the United States. On what date was this established?
April 16, 1916.
4: In which month of 1917 did president Wilson demand the U.S. Senate approve the Declaration of War against Germany?
April.
5: The Selective Service Act allowed the conscription of American men for military service. On what date was this Act enacted?
May 18, 1917.
6: On what date did the first American units land in France?
June 15, 1917.
7: On what date did the first American Expeditionary Forces (AEF) soldiers lose their lives in combat?
September 4, 1917.
8: When did the segregated soldiers of color from the 369th Infantry Regiment, Harlem Hellfighters, begin to serve on the front lines with the French Army?
April 8, 1918.
9: In what month of 1918 did the U.S. Navy start to lay the ‘North Sea Mine Barrage’ - which included 56,000 sea mines in a 300-mile long minefield?
June.
10: On what date did the U.S, Germany, and the Allied Powers sign the peace Treaty of Versailles to end WW1?
June 28, 1919.
Notable People From WW1 Trivia Questions and Answers
Similarly to the previous WW1 trivia round, there will likely be some notable people you will know about in this section.
Additionally, there may be a couple of brand new names that – once learned about – you’ll be glad to know.
From courageous young men to fearless African-American men and some highly adventurous American women, this WW1 trivia round is a patriotic one for sure!
Let’s find out about some truly amazing Americans!
1: Can you name the 21-year-old Arizona-born pilot to achieve 18 aerial victories in 18 days and became the first ever pilot to receive the Medal of Honor?
Frank Luke.
2: Name the most famous member of the ‘Harlem Hellfighters,’ an all-black National Guard, who fought unarmed and achieved 12 enemy fatalities; despite receiving 21 wounds. (This man wasn’t rewarded in the U.S. until long after his death in 1996.)
Henry Johnson.
3: In 1918, twin sisters Genevieve and Lucille Baker became the first women to be accepted into what military branch?
U.S. Coastguard.
4: Aged just 12 years old, what is the name of the youngest documented member of the American Expeditionary Forces in WW1?
Frank René Sauliere.
5: What is the name of the woman who became the first to serve in the U.S. military in a non-nurse occupation?
Loretta Perfectus Walsh.
6: The first American woman to win a Nobel Peace Prize was instrumental in organizing the first significant international effort to mediate during WW1 between the warring nations. What is her name?
WW1 ended on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month. We will remember them, and I hope this WW1 trivia helped you to do that. Here are more specialized trivia you may enjoy:
