Lebanese Civil War Through the World Lens Quiz

Answer: 1975

Sectarian tensions boiled over and the fighting began with Lebanese Christian militias fighting against the PLO, comprised mainly of Palestinian fighters that had been expelled by the Jordanian and Israeli authorities from what is today known as the West Bank. The incident that sparked hostilities was the killing of 27 PLO members travelling back from a political rally on a bus.

Answer: 1976

In one of the earliest indications of the brutality of sectarian fighting that was going to occur over the next decade and a half, right-wing Christian militias infiltrated the largely Muslim neighborhood of Karantina in Beirut and massacred hundreds of civilians.

As reprisal, the Palestinian Liberation Organization infiltrated the Lebanese Christian village of Damour and killed hundreds of innocents as well.

Answer: 1977

The Lebanese politician founded the Lebanese Socialist Party, a political party that continues to be run as of 2025, by his son Walid and grandson Taymour. Kamal Jumblatt became the most popular Druze leader and was assassinated in early 1977, likely by the Syrian ruling Baath party.

His Druze militia was largely in favor of the Palestinian presence in Lebanon and was actively allied with them.

Answer: 1982

Bachir Gemayel was a young and charismatic leader of the Christian Lebanese Forces militia who also became the president-elect of the country. Before he was to take office, he was assassinated by a bomb placed by Habib Shartouni, a Christian Syrian sympathizer.

As retaliation for his killing, the Sabra and Chatila camps, housing thousands of Palestinian refugees and Lebanese Muslims, was overrun by the Lebanese Forces and a devastating massacre, killing thousands, was allowed by the Israeli Defense Forces, who controlled the camp perimeter at the time.

The Kahan Commission was set up in Israel, which led to the resignation of Defense Minister Ariel Sharon.

Answer: 1989

Although the war would not end for another year, the Taif agreement was established in the city of Taif, Saudi Arabia, as a formal attempt for peace. The ratio of Christian to Muslim members of parliament in Lebanon was changed from 6:5 in favor of Christians, to 1:1.

The powers of the presidency (headed by a Maronite Christian) were significantly reduced to largely ceremonial head of state duties. All militia were to be disarmed, although many would not disarm until a year later, with the exception of Hezbollah, that remained armed for years and has not formally withdrawn its weapons as of 2025.

Answer: 1983

The Multinational Force in Lebanon, comprised largely of American and French troops, was established in order to properly oversee the withdrawal of the PLO in 1982, following their defeat by Israel in the Lebanese capital. A suicide bomber detonated a large bomb which killed 241 American military personnel, mostly marines, and 58 French military personnel.

It is unclear which group is responsible for this attack, but most sources point to the Iranian-funded militia, Hezbollah, then in its infancy.

Answer: 1990

In the late years of the Lebanese Civil War, General Michel Aoun, the Commander of the Lebanese army, did not approve of the Taif agreement or Syrian presence in Lebanon, and declared himself the head of state and head of government of Lebanon. When the Syrian army advanced into Beirut, his forces were shelled and badly beaten, forcing his surrender and retreat to the French embassy before his eventual exile to France.

He would later return to Lebanon in 2005 following the Syrian withdrawal from the country and become the country's president.

Answer: 1991

In the year I was born, after a period of relative calm, many cities wrecked by war, the Lebanese parliament passed a law that ensured effective immunity to all war leaders that would cease all violence, in an attempt to turn the page and transform the bloody militias into political parties that can represent their people.

However, any deviation from peace would result in the offender's entire war-time being scrutinized.

Answer: 1987

According to the "Guinness Book of Records", Karami served as prime minister eight times, making him the most democratically elected prime minister in history at the time of his death. A Leftist Sunni Muslim, he was an advocate of increasing political power of Muslims in Lebanon, as they were underrepresented prior to and during the Civil War.

The right-wing Lebanese Forces Christian militia was convicted of his assassination in 1999.

Answer: 1984

Following the US Marine barracks bombing, the American presence in Lebanon had become untenable. Their attempt at a peace plan between Lebanon and Israel in 1983 (named the May 17th agreement) had collapsed under Syrian scrutiny and domestic pressure forced president Reagan to withdraw all troops from Lebanon in 1984.