FREE! Click here to Join FunTrivia. Thousands of games, quizzes, and lots more!
Quiz about Left in the Cold  Invading Mother Russia
Quiz about Left in the Cold  Invading Mother Russia

Left in the Cold: Invading Mother Russia Quiz


This quiz was inspired by a discussion about the difficulty of invading Russia. The following questions concern various attempts at doing just that. Enjoy!

A multiple-choice quiz by klinski_1987. Estimated time: 6 mins.
  1. Home
  2. »
  3. Quizzes
  4. »
  5. History Trivia
  6. »
  7. War History

Author
klinski_1987
Time
6 mins
Type
Multiple Choice
Quiz #
378,319
Updated
Dec 03 21
# Qns
10
Difficulty
Tough
Avg Score
6 / 10
Plays
389
Awards
Top 5% quiz!
Last 3 plays: matthewpokemon (8/10), Guest 104 (5/10), Guest 62 (9/10).
- -
Question 1 of 10
1. We'll start with the first recorded invasion. The Mongol Empire is well known for its incredible expansion through most of Asia and parts of Europe. Russia was no exception. Name the leader who successfully invaded in 1237 and held all of Russia under his sway by 1242. Hint


Question 2 of 10
2. The 1240s really were a rough period in Russian history. The Principality of Novgorod actually faced both Mongol siege, as well as a Swedish invasion. While ultimately surrendering to the Mongol horde, they first managed to repel the Swedish invaders in a battle on which river in 1240? Hint


Question 3 of 10
3. Moving forward nearly 400 years, we arrive in the early 1600s, during a period of Russian history known as "The Time of Troubles." It was during this period that the Rus Dynasty, the first dynasty to unite Russia under a single banner, ended, and a period of civil wars and political intrigues plagued the nation. The Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth took this opportunity to invade in 1609, and forced Russia to find new allies. With which country did the Russians form an alliance to fight off the Polish invaders? Hint


Question 4 of 10
4. Sometimes, invasions come as the result of a nation's own actions. Sweden invaded Russia in 1707. This was a direct result of Russia invading Swedish territories on the Baltic, as part of a larger offensive contrived with assistance from Denmark and Poland. Who led the Russian forces? Hint


Question 5 of 10
5. After subduing Russia's allies, Sweden began to work its way into modern-day Ukraine. The Russian armies withdrew slowly, fighting only when necessary. But they did not simply withdraw. What tactic, employed by numerous forces, most memorably by William Sherman during the American Civil War, did he use to hamstring the Swedish Army? Hint


Question 6 of 10
6. Perhaps the most famous instance of invasion into Russia is that of Napoleon and the French. The campaign is known by several names including "The Second Polish War" and "The Russian Campaign", but what did the Russians call it? Hint


Question 7 of 10
7. The first major confrontation between the French and Russian armies occurred at Borodino, about 70 miles southwest of Moscow. The Russian army put up rushed defensive positions and prepared for the onslaught. The strongest point of defense was a fortification known as what? Hint


Question 8 of 10
8. Napoleon made it to Moscow with only 1/4th of the army he had set out with due to the intense weather conditions, desertions, and skirmishes with the Russians. He was quite surprised when he got there, as the city was almost completely deserted. As his troops rushed to find supplies and shelter, what catastrophe put an end to Napoleon's dream of conquering Russia? Hint


Question 9 of 10
9. The most recent attempt at taking over Russia came during World War 2. Hitler massed an enormous invasion force of over four million troops that began marching in an offensive code-named what? Hint


Question 10 of 10
10. Leningrad (St. Petersburg) was under siege for over 2 years during WWII. What percentage of the population had survived by the time the siege ended? Hint



(Optional) Create a Free FunTrivia ID to save the points you are about to earn:

arrow Select a User ID:
arrow Choose a Password:
arrow Your Email:




Most Recent Scores
Mar 24 2024 : matthewpokemon: 8/10
Mar 20 2024 : Guest 104: 5/10
Mar 19 2024 : Guest 62: 9/10
Mar 04 2024 : Guest 96: 9/10
Feb 19 2024 : Guest 84: 6/10
Feb 15 2024 : Andyboy2021: 10/10
Feb 08 2024 : Guest 212: 3/10

Score Distribution

quiz
Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. We'll start with the first recorded invasion. The Mongol Empire is well known for its incredible expansion through most of Asia and parts of Europe. Russia was no exception. Name the leader who successfully invaded in 1237 and held all of Russia under his sway by 1242.

Answer: Batu Khan

Batu was the grandson of Genghis Khan. Under his leadership, the Golden Horde managed to obtain all of Russia. Their rule lasted over two centuries, and, like many of their other domains, maintained rule through the use of a tributary system, rather than managing affairs on a day-to-day basis. There were positives, however, as the beginnings of a modern postal system and a tightening of loyalties among the various provinces began during this period.

http://epicworldhistory.blogspot.com/2012/10/mongol-rule-of-russia.html
2. The 1240s really were a rough period in Russian history. The Principality of Novgorod actually faced both Mongol siege, as well as a Swedish invasion. While ultimately surrendering to the Mongol horde, they first managed to repel the Swedish invaders in a battle on which river in 1240?

Answer: Neva River

The Battle of Neva pitted Novgorod's Prince Alexander Yaroslavich against Swedish forces led by Earl Birger (later given the honorific Jarl). Having heard of the Mongolian threat from the east, Birger assumed Novgorod would be in a weakened state without the means to call for support from their allies. While correct in this assumption, Prince Alexander summoned his forces and summarily routed the invaders at the mouth of the river Neva, earning himself the honorific "Nevsky".

http://www.britannica.com/event/Battle-of-the-Neva
3. Moving forward nearly 400 years, we arrive in the early 1600s, during a period of Russian history known as "The Time of Troubles." It was during this period that the Rus Dynasty, the first dynasty to unite Russia under a single banner, ended, and a period of civil wars and political intrigues plagued the nation. The Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth took this opportunity to invade in 1609, and forced Russia to find new allies. With which country did the Russians form an alliance to fight off the Polish invaders?

Answer: Sweden

Despite the founding of an alliance between the two nations, the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth succeeded in capturing Moscow within a year of declaring war. However, their leader, Sigismund III Vasa , was more interested in capturing Smolensk due to its strategic location near the mouth of the Dnieper River and nearness to his already established kingdom. They did manage to capture Smolensk in 1611 after nearly a year of fighting, however their victory was short-lived, as in 1612, Russian forces destroyed the invaders, and repelled them from their lands. It is interesting to note, that Sigismund III Vasa had also been King of Sweden for several years, from 1594-1599. He made a promise of religious freedom in order to secure the nation and reneged on it shortly after being crowned. It is quite likely Sweden came so readily to Russia's aid as a result of this prior conflict, and indeed, Sweden and Poland resumed their own conflict in 1617.

http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/wars_polish_muscovite_1609-19.html
http://www.britannica.com/biography/Sigismund-III-Vasa
4. Sometimes, invasions come as the result of a nation's own actions. Sweden invaded Russia in 1707. This was a direct result of Russia invading Swedish territories on the Baltic, as part of a larger offensive contrived with assistance from Denmark and Poland. Who led the Russian forces?

Answer: Peter the Great

Peter the Great is best known for his attempts to modernize Russia. He established the first Russian newspaper, recruited foreign aid to assist in modernizing commercial practices, and reformed his government to better regulate all aspects of political administration. Furthermore, he founded his namesake city, St. Petersburg, which he made capital of the country. He had 14 children in all, though many died as children. In spite of this large family, Peter did not name an heir and was succeeded by his second wife, Catherine.

http://www.biography.com/people/peter-the-great-9542228#shortcomings-and-death
5. After subduing Russia's allies, Sweden began to work its way into modern-day Ukraine. The Russian armies withdrew slowly, fighting only when necessary. But they did not simply withdraw. What tactic, employed by numerous forces, most memorably by William Sherman during the American Civil War, did he use to hamstring the Swedish Army?

Answer: scorched earth

The scorched earth tactic seeks to destroy any potentially useful areas in a region to undermine the opponents supply chain. In most cases, it is used by invaders to prevent an uprising from within already conquered territory, as in Sherman's march to the sea. Utilizing it as a defensive tactic is difficult in most situations, but given the size of Russia and its infamous winters, the tactic can be employed quite readily. By forcing the Swedish army to endure a winter within their borders, Peter managed to weaken and demoralize the Swedish army to the point that they were soundly defeated in the next major battle, the Battle of Poltava, and forced to accede their long-standing control of much of eastern Europe.

http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/frederick-william-the-great-elector/frederick-i-of-brandenburg/the-great-northern-war/
6. Perhaps the most famous instance of invasion into Russia is that of Napoleon and the French. The campaign is known by several names including "The Second Polish War" and "The Russian Campaign", but what did the Russians call it?

Answer: Patriotic War of 1812

This campaign, part of the larger Napoleonic War that wracked Europe throughout the beginning of the 19th century, caused a huge upswing in patriotism among the Russian people. This patriotism would be key in the coming years as the rest of the world pushed forward into the Industrial Revolution, because the people began to see a need for modernization if their great nation were to compete on the global stage.

http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/French_invasion_of_Russia
http://warsof1812.com/french-invasion-of-russia/
7. The first major confrontation between the French and Russian armies occurred at Borodino, about 70 miles southwest of Moscow. The Russian army put up rushed defensive positions and prepared for the onslaught. The strongest point of defense was a fortification known as what?

Answer: 19-gun Raevsky Redoubt

The 19-gun Raevsky Redoubt was the final obstacle to the battle. Eventually, an attack from two directions managed to repel the Russian defenders and secure a victory for Napoleon. The victory came at an enormous cost, though, as the French Army lost an estimated 30,000 troops, along with valuable ammunition and medical supplies. The Russian army lost approximately 45,000 soldiers during the engagement, but they turned back to a scorched earth tactic and successfully destroyed any potential supplies to the French army before retreating towards Moscow.

http://www.britannica.com/event/Battle-of-Borodino
http://militaryhistory.about.com/od/napoleonicwars/p/Napoleonic-Wars-Battle-Of-Borodino.htm
8. Napoleon made it to Moscow with only 1/4th of the army he had set out with due to the intense weather conditions, desertions, and skirmishes with the Russians. He was quite surprised when he got there, as the city was almost completely deserted. As his troops rushed to find supplies and shelter, what catastrophe put an end to Napoleon's dream of conquering Russia?

Answer: a fire

The massive fire destroyed an estimated 80% of the mostly wooden Russian city. With no shelter, no one to fight or parley with, and an imminent counter-offensive by the Russian army, Napoleon's army began its long march out of Russia. The Russian army followed, continuing to harass the remnants of the French army and cut off any paths that could lead them back into the heart of Russia. Napoleon left the army early to deal with political dissension in France. By the time the army itself returned, less than 30,000 of over half a million troops remained.

http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/French_invasion_of_Russia
http://www.napoleonguide.com/campaign_russia.htm
9. The most recent attempt at taking over Russia came during World War 2. Hitler massed an enormous invasion force of over four million troops that began marching in an offensive code-named what?

Answer: Operation Barbarossa

Barbarossa translates to 'red beard' and was in reference to the Holy Roman Emperor Frederick I. The operation was originally code-named Operation Fritz. The offensive began in June 1941 and initially went quite well for the Germans as they used superior air force and military tactics to soundly defeat the main Russian army using a 3-pronged attack similar to their treatment of the invasion of France. However, Russian forces once again began retreating, razing supplies as they went. Furthermore, reserve forces nearly equaled that of the main army, and set up for future engagements further into the Russian motherland.

http://www.britannica.com/event/Operation-Barbarossa
10. Leningrad (St. Petersburg) was under siege for over 2 years during WWII. What percentage of the population had survived by the time the siege ended?

Answer: 20%

The Siege of Leningrad wiped out 80% of its 3,200,000 population. However, their stalwart refusal to give in weakened the German offensive on other major Russian cities such as Moscow and Stalingrad (Volgograd). Hitler's planned blitzkrieg of Russia was unsuccessful due to its inability to take Leningrad, and forced the German army to settle in for a much longer campaign. Utilizing the same tactics they had in previous wars, Russia managed to repel the German invaders through acts of attrition, trading blows only when necessary, while restricting German supplies and reducing their morale. Russia may have lost many battles and lives as a result of the German invasion, but as the historical novelist Valentin Pikul said, "Russia- it may lose, but you cannot win."

http://wwiidiaries.com/2012/11/24/388/
http://ironmarch.org/index.php?/topic/1012-quotes-about-russia/
Source: Author klinski_1987

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor bloomsby before going online.
Any errors found in FunTrivia content are routinely corrected through our feedback system.
3/28/2024, Copyright 2024 FunTrivia, Inc. - Report an Error / Contact Us