Where Was the War? Trivia Quiz

Answer: Vietnam War

"Platoon" was released on February 6, 1987. Oliver Stone was the writer and director of the film. The film starred several well known actors including Tom Berenger, Willem Dafoe, Charlie Sheen and Johnny Depp.

The film is set in 1967 and centres on Chris Taylor, played by Charlie Sheen, a youthful, idealistic American soldier who lands in Vietnam. Chris soon loses hope after seeing the cruelty of combat and the division among his own platoon, especially between the merciless Sergeant Barnes and the sympathetic Sergeant Elias. The film examines the mental and psychological associated with war and how soldiers deal with it.

What makes this Vietnam War film different from many others is the fact that Oliver Stone was a Vietnam Vet. He brings in experiences from when he was an Infantry soldier.

Answer: Vietnam War

Another well-received Vietnam War film was "Full Metal Jacket", directed and produced by Stanley Kubrick. The film was released in 1987. Matthew Modine, Adam Baldwin, Vincent D'Onofrio, Lee Ermey, and Dorian Harewood all starred in the film.

The film begins with the U.S. Marine recruits going through their tough basic training. When the recruits first arrive, they meet drill instructor Gunnery Sergeant Hartman. This instructor is very tough on the new recruits and pushes them to the limits. Hartman picks out one chap, Private Pyle, who goes by the nickname of "Gomer Pyle". Although it's not known at that time, Pyle is going through a mental breakdown.

Later in the film, after the end of their training, one of the recruits finds Pyle in the barracks toilets; he has a loaded rifle with live rounds and is going through the motions of the drill commands. Due to the noise, Sergeant Hartman wakes up and goes to the barracks toilet. Pyle shoots Sergeant Hartman dead on the spot before turning the rifle on himself.

After the death of Hartman, one of the recruits, a Marine journalist named Joker was made up to a sergeant and reports on accounts of the Tet Offensive. The Tet Offensive was basically a series of unexpected assaults by North Vietnamese and Viet Cong forces against South Vietnam during the Tet holiday, also known as the Vietnamese New Year, in 1968.

The film carries on about how the war affects soldiers and the trauma they suffer under harsh conditions.

Answer: Vietnam War

"The Deer Hunter" is an American film directed by Michael Cimino, who was also the co-writer. The film was released in 1978. The main cast were Robert De Niro, Christopher Walken, John Savage and John Cazale. Meryl Streep and George Dzundza were also in the film, but only as a supporting cast.

Robert De Niro plays the part of Staff Sergeant Mikhail Vronsky (Mike), Christopher Walken as Corporal Nikanor Chevotarevich (Nick), John Savage as Corporal Steven Pushkov, and John Cazale as Stanley (Stan/Stosh).

Mike, Steven, and Nick were all friends before they went to Vietnam. They all lived in the same town and worked at the local steel mill. The three friends also liked to hunt deer with fellow workers at the mill. Mike, Steven, and Nick were called up for military training and joined the war in Vietnam. One year later, in 1969, Mike is now a Green Beret, and as luck happens, he meets up with Nick and Steven. Unfortunately, the three get caught by the Viet Cong and are all imprisoned.

In the film, when the three get caught, they have to play a game of Russian roulette, which normally you can't win. Mike had an idea and asked the Viet Cong guards to put three bullets in the revolver instead of just the one. In the game Mike plays, he aims the revolver against his head and fires, but it was an empty chamber, and then Nick fires, which was also empty. With the next shot, Mike shoots one of the guards. They overpower the rest of the guards and release other prisoners before escaping. The rest of the film continues about the war and follows how Mike and Nick cope when they get back home.

Answer: Vietnam War

"Hamburger Hill" is a 1987 Vietnam War film. The film is basically about the Americans trying to capture a hill nicknamed "Hamburger Hill" because of the awful injuries some of the soldiers suffer along with death. The fighting to capture the hill lasted ten days in May 1969. Although the Americans captured the hill, it was later abandoned. One could ask, what was the point in the first place? Maybe it was strategically important, but at what cost? Both sides lost dozens of men, and many were maimed for life.

The film was written by James Carabatsos and directed by John Irvin. Michael Boatman, Don Cheadle, and Dylan McDermott all starred in the film.

Answer: World War II

"The Pianist" is a film released in 2002 and is based on true events. The film was produced and directed by Roman Polanski. The main character is Władysław Szpilman, played by Adrien Brody. "The Pianist" powerfully recounts the true story of Władysław Szpilman, a Polish-Jewish pianist who bravely survives the Holocaust in Warsaw.

The movie kicks off with Szpilman playing the piano on the radio in Warsaw when the Nazis bomb the station. Not long after that, Poland is invaded, and the city is taken over. Szpilman and his family end up in the Warsaw Ghetto, where they have to deal with hunger, sickness, and the constant fear of being deported.

A while later, Szpilman gets separated from his family and moves all over Warsaw, trying to evade the Nazis. Szpilman gets help from non-Jewish people while he moves around the city. Later in the film, he witnesses the Warsaw Uprising by the Polish resistance. When the war is over, Szpilman comes out of hiding and starts to play the piano again. At the end of the film, he is seen playing the piano at a concert, which demonstrates both his survival and the human spirit instincts.

Answer: World War II

"Letters from Iwo Jima" is a 2006 Japanese-language American war film. The film was directed and co-produced by Clint Eastwood, Robert Lorenz and Steven Spielberg. The film starred Ken Watanabe, Kazunari Ninomiya, Tsuyoshi Ihara, Ryo Kase and Shido Nakamura.

The film is basically about Japanese soldiers defending the Pacific Ocean island of Iwo Jima. The island was important to the US because the island could be used as a base for their fighter jets while supporting their long-range aircraft. The battle only lasted for a short while, from February 19 to March 26, 1945.

The film looks at the perspective from both sides. The Japanese had dug tunnels all over the island because they knew the Americans were going to invade the island. Before the invasion, General Tadamichi Kuribayashi arrived at the island to take command and had his own ideas on what plan of action to take. However, some of the officers had other ideas. The battle was very brutal, with over 25,000 soldiers being killed and many casualties. The film depicts the harsh realities of war with disease, shortage of food and drink and, of course, death.

Answer: World War II

"Schindler's List" is an American film released in 1993. The film was directed and produced by Steven Spielberg and written by Steven Zaillian.

The film is based on a man called Oskar Schindler who saved hundreds of Jews from being killed in the Holocaust in the Second World War. The location for the film was in Poland and was filmed in black and white. "Schindler's List" won seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director.

Answer: World War II

"Saving Private Ryan" is a 1998 American epic war film directed by Steven Spielberg and written by Robert Rodat. The start of the film shows the landing on Omaha Beach; Captain John H. Miller, played by Tom Hanks, leads his men behind energy lines.

The small groups of soldiers have one mission, and that is to find Private James Francis Ryan (Matt Damon) and get him home safely. Ryan, who had three brothers, were all killed in action, and the United States Department of War had been told of the death of the brothers and wanted the last brother to survive the war. General George C. Marshall gives the order that Ryan be found Miller is given the job of finding Ryan and bringing him home to his family.

Answer: Other

"Lawrence of Arabia" was released in 1962 and was directed by David Lean. The film was distributed by Columbia Pictures. Many of the actors went on to become very big stars. Alec Guinness, Anthony Quinn, Omar Sharif and Peter O'Toole all starred in the film. The film is based on T.E. Lawrence's personal memories and experiences.

T.E. Lawrence was a British officer who was sent to take part in the Arab Revolt against the Ottoman Empire. He became a leader who managed to get Arab tribes working together to beat the Turkish enemy. Under his leadership, he led his men to capture Aqaba, a city in Jordan. The film follows the ups and down of the conflict between the British, Arabs and the Turks. It also shows the love Lawrence had for the Arab people and culture. When the film was made, many of the cast found the conditions very hard to work in, with the temperatures reaching 130 degrees, camel flies and desert sandstorms. Some of the scenes included real soldiers from King Hussein of Jordan's Arab Legion.

"Lawrence of Arabia" won seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director.

Lawrence died in 1935 after a motorcycle crash. He was only 46 years old.

Answer: Other

"Black Hawk Down" was released in 1992 and was directed by Ridley Scott. Ewan McGregor, Orlando Bloom and Josh Hartnett all appeared in the film.

Basically, the film is about the famine in Somalia in 1992. Somalia was in turmoil because of the drought and shortage of food and the civil war. Warlords in Somalia took control of what food was available. To help with the conflict, the US sent in troops to help distribute food to the people, and the Red Cross helped out with food too.

"Black Hawk Down" was about a U.S. military mission in Somalia that goes wrong. An elite team of soldiers is dispatched to capture two powerful Somali warlords, but their plan backfires when two Black Hawk helicopters are shot out of the sky. Surrounded and outnumbered, the Americans must fight desperately to survive as the city erupts into a relentless battlefield. The US sends in another group of soldiers to bring them home.

Answer: Other

"The Patriot" is an American epic that is set against the backdrop of the American Revolutionary War between April 19, 1775, and September 3, 1783. The film brings the drama and intensity of war to the big screen. Released in 2000, the film was directed by Robert Rodat and produced by Dean Devlin, featuring a star-studded cast including Mel Gibson, Heath Ledger, Joely Richardson, and Jason Isaacs.

Mel Gibson plays the part of Benjamin Martin, who has a farm in South Carolina. He lives and works on the farm with his son. Martin is also a widower and believes that it is never right to take part in war. His son gets murdered by a British officer. Being a pacifist, he tries to stay away from the conflict, but the death of his son plays too much on his mind to forget what happened to his son. Eventually, he backs down and takes up arms against the British.

The film follows Martin as he heads a group of men against the British by using any means he can think of in the hope he can avenge the death of his son and beat the British and gain independence.

Answer: Other

Steven Spielberg directed and produced the 2011 film "War Horse". The film was based on a novel of the same name by the English writer Michael Morpurgo, who is a book author, poet and playwright. Peter Mullan, Emily Watson, Niels Arestrup and Jeremy Irvine all featured in the film.

The story begins with a farmer, Ted Narracott, buying a horse at an auction. The farmers' son Albert names the horse Joey, and the two of them form a special bond. At the start of World War I, Ted sells the horse to the British Army because the rain had destroyed the farm's crops.Joey ends up in Flanders and fights on the frontline. When the cavalry charge at a German position, a German soldier fires a machine gun that wipes out nearly all the British soldiers. The Germans capture the horses and put them to work hauling heavy artillery. The rest of the film follows Joey through the ups and downs of working in the German Army. Eventually, Joey is rescued by the British, but the horse is badly injured. Joey recovers and at the end of the war returns home to the farm, where Albert and Joey are reunited.