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WWII - The Greatest Battle Trivia Quiz

This quiz is based on a book entitled The Greatest Battle, written by Andrew Nagorski, and released in September, 2007. The book deals with the Battle for Moscow which, according to the author, may have changed the outcome of the Second World War.

A multiple-choice quiz by HurricaneBill. Estimated time: 7 mins.

Author
HurricaneBill

Time
7 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
272,118

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Difficult

Avg Score
4 / 10

Plays
1903

Awards
Top 35% Quiz

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. The Battle for Moscow officially lasted for which of the following periods of time? Hint

August 15, 1941 to April 20, 1942

September 1, 1941 to May 1, 1942

September 30, 1941 to April 20, 1942

August 15, 1941 to May 17, 1942

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Question 2 of 10

2. Approximately how many men were involved in some stage of the Battle for Moscow? Hint

8,000,000

10,000,000

9,000,000

7,000,000

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Question 3 of 10

3. How many more times the number of men were engaged in the Battle for Moscow than the Battle for Stalingrad? Hint

Two and a half times the number.

Three times the number.

One and a half times the number.

Twice the number.

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Question 4 of 10

4. Of course, the Battle for Stalingrad and the Battle for Moscow primarily involved German and Soviet forces. What were the total losses to both sides during the Battle of Moscow? Hint

2.5 million killed, missing, taken prisoner or severely wounded.

3 million killed, missing, taken prisoner or severely wounded.

2 million killed, missing, taken prisoner or severely wounded.

3.5 million killed, missing, taken prisoner or severely wounded.

5. The Battle for Moscow was the first time the German blitzkrieg had been stopped and may have been a signal that Germany could lose the war. What did Fabian von Schlabrendorff, a German officer later involved in the conspiracy against Hitler, have to say about it? Hint

It was only a minor setback.

It destroyed the myth of the invincibilty of the German soldier.

Hitler determined that it was a victory.

For all practical purposes, it was the end of the war.

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Question 6 of 10

6. What was the operational code name for the Battle of Moscow? Hint

Operation Cyclone

Operation East Wind.

Operation Snowstorm.

Operation Typhoon.

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Question 7 of 10

7. What major blunders by Hitler ruined any chance of a German success in the Battle for Moscow? Hint

He allowed Stalin time to bring 400,000 troops from Siberia.

He failed to see that his troops had adequate winter clothing.

All of these.

He turned the attack to the south when only 230 miles from Moscow.

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Question 8 of 10

8. What did Soviet Marshall Georgy Zhukov say when he was given a report on estimated Soviet losses in the Battle for Moscow? Hint

That will not be significant.

Hide it and don't show it to anybody.

We must consider abandoning the city so we can fight again.

I must immediately advise Stalin.

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Question 9 of 10

9. What demonstration did Stalin give of his confidence in Soviet chances to win the Battle for Moscow? Hint

He moved his headquarters to Smolensk.

He steadfastly remained in his office in Moscow.

He ordered his private train prepared and actually went to his carriage before deciding to stay in Moscow.

He moved his headquarters to Stalingrad.

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Question 10 of 10

10. Stalin had totally failed to prepare his army before the Battle for Moscow even though he had advance intelligence of Germany's plans to invade. As a result, how did that affect the availability of weapons for his soldiers?
Hint

There was no shortage of small arms but there was no artillery.

There was only one rifle available for every five men.

There was only one rifle available for every ten men.

There were plenty of rifles available but there were no automatic weapons.

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. The Battle for Moscow officially lasted for which of the following periods of time?

Answer: September 30, 1941 to April 20, 1942

Although the dates of this battle appear to vary from that given by other historians, this is the date span attributed to it in Nagorski's book, 'The Greatest Battle'.

2. Approximately how many men were involved in some stage of the Battle for Moscow?

Answer: 7,000,000

This is reported to be the greatest clash of arms in human hisory.

3. How many more times the number of men were engaged in the Battle for Moscow than the Battle for Stalingrad?

Answer: Twice the number.

Many people believe there more men involved in the Battle for Stalingrad than the Battle for Moscow.

4. Of course, the Battle for Stalingrad and the Battle for Moscow primarily involved German and Soviet forces. What were the total losses to both sides during the Battle of Moscow?

Answer: 2.5 million killed, missing, taken prisoner or severely wounded.

1.9 million of these losses were on the Soviet side.

Answer: It destroyed the myth of the invincibilty of the German soldier.

On March 13, 1943, von Schlabrendorff smuggled a bomb, disguised as bottles of brandy, aboard an aircraft on which Hitler was to fly. The bomb, however, failed to explode and von Schlabrendorff was able to retrieve it. He was later arrested as being part of the July 20, 1944, plot against Hitler but was saved from execution when an Allied bomb fell on the courtroom where he was to be tried and the judge in possession of his file was killed. He survived the war.

6. What was the operational code name for the Battle of Moscow?

Answer: Operation Typhoon.

This typhoon almost destroyed its maker.

7. What major blunders by Hitler ruined any chance of a German success in the Battle for Moscow?

Answer: All of these.

Hitler was not concerned about winter clothing as he thought Moscow would be taken before the weather was a factor. Had he learned nothing from Napoleon's defeat? The reason Stalin was able to bring troops from Siberia was that he did not fear an attack from the east by Japan as it was quite busy elsewhere.

8. What did Soviet Marshall Georgy Zhukov say when he was given a report on estimated Soviet losses in the Battle for Moscow?

Answer: Hide it and don't show it to anybody.

This account was given by Boris Vidensky, a Soviet cadet who was fortunate to survive the battle; years later after he retired as a senior researcher at the Military History Institute in Moscow.

9. What demonstration did Stalin give of his confidence in Soviet chances to win the Battle for Moscow?

Answer: He ordered his private train prepared and actually went to his carriage before deciding to stay in Moscow.

This account is given years later by a member of the work detail sent to prepare the train. He went on to say that Stalin walked up to his carriage but paced beside it before deciding to return to his office.

Answer: There was only one rifle available for every ten men.

Years later, one former soldier recalled that there was only one rifle for every ten men so they would attack in file with only the first soldier being armed. When he went down, he said, the next one would pick up his rifle.

Source: Author HurricaneBill

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor bloomsby before going online.
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