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Quiz about Operation Barbarossa
Quiz about Operation Barbarossa

The Ultimate Operation Barbarossa Quiz | European War


The Germans have invaded the Soviet Union. Now, let's see how much you know about Operation Barbarossa.

A multiple-choice quiz by Panzer_V. Estimated time: 4 mins.
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Author
Panzer_V
Time
4 mins
Type
Multiple Choice
Quiz #
372,831
Updated
Dec 03 21
# Qns
10
Difficulty
Tough
Avg Score
6 / 10
Plays
349
Last 3 plays: Guest 195 (6/10), Guest 174 (4/10), Guest 95 (6/10).
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Question 1 of 10
1. The operation's namesake was a medieval king who ruled the Holy Roman Empire. What was Emperor Barbarossa's first name? Hint


Question 2 of 10
2. When did Hitler approve the Barbarossa plan? Hint


Question 3 of 10
3. The code that allowed German forces to commence Operation Barbarossa was "Dortmund."


Question 4 of 10
4. This 18th century fortress in Belorussia managed to hold out for several days after repeated German attacks. Where was this fortress located? Hint


Question 5 of 10
5. At the beginning of Barbarossa, how many German tanks were estimated to be operational? Hint


Question 6 of 10
6. After several air raids on Soviet airbases, the Luftwaffe had seriously depleted the Soviet Air Force for the next few months. All of these airbases in these cities were effectively wiped out except one. Which of these was it? Hint


Question 7 of 10
7. Fuhrer Directive 33 ordered Army Group Center's 3rd Panzer Group north to Leningrad and 2nd Panzer Group South to Kiev. Which Panzer General openly opposed this plan? Hint


Question 8 of 10
8. What was the significance of the encirclement at Kiev? Hint


Question 9 of 10
9. The offensive on Moscow was given a separate operation from Barbarossa. What is this operation's codename? Hint


Question 10 of 10
10. The minimum amount of military casualties reported on both sides were about... Hint



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Most Recent Scores
Mar 26 2024 : Guest 195: 6/10
Mar 25 2024 : Guest 174: 4/10
Feb 21 2024 : Guest 95: 6/10
Feb 15 2024 : Guest 1: 6/10
Feb 13 2024 : Guest 178: 6/10
Feb 12 2024 : Guest 24: 5/10
Feb 09 2024 : Guest 87: 9/10
Feb 08 2024 : Guest 139: 7/10
Feb 01 2024 : Guest 174: 4/10

Score Distribution

quiz
Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. The operation's namesake was a medieval king who ruled the Holy Roman Empire. What was Emperor Barbarossa's first name?

Answer: Frederick

Frederick Barbarossa is best known for his campaigns in Northern Italy against the Papacy and his involvement in the Third Crusade. However, on the way to Palestine for the Third Crusade, he drowned swimming in the river, exhausted from marching through Turkey and his army never reached the Holy Land.

Fun Fact: Barbarossa means "Red Beard" in Italian.
2. When did Hitler approve the Barbarossa plan?

Answer: December 18, 1940

Known as Fuhrer Directive 21, the plan had been set for May 15th, but fighting in the Balkans and Crete had delayed the attack to postpone till June 22nd.

The Soviet Union had been warned from various sources of the date of the attack, but Stalin refused to believe these reports, dismissing them as attempts to provoke the USSR.
3. The code that allowed German forces to commence Operation Barbarossa was "Dortmund."

Answer: True

"Dortmund" was radioed to front line on the night of June 21st. The operation began a few hours later, before dawn broke on June 22nd.
4. This 18th century fortress in Belorussia managed to hold out for several days after repeated German attacks. Where was this fortress located?

Answer: Brest

Brest is in Belarus on the modern border with Poland. Although the fort itself fell in a week, the Soviet defenders held out for a month in the fort's sewers until being overwhelmed. (Some accounts report the Soviets holding out as late as November).
5. At the beginning of Barbarossa, how many German tanks were estimated to be operational?

Answer: 4,500

In the four Panzer Groups alone, the Germans could muster around 3,500 armored vehicles, though at least 40% were obsolete Panzer I's and Panzer II's. An additional 1,000 vehicles were allocated to other units in the Axis, but were used mostly as infantry support, as most were self-propelled guns.
6. After several air raids on Soviet airbases, the Luftwaffe had seriously depleted the Soviet Air Force for the next few months. All of these airbases in these cities were effectively wiped out except one. Which of these was it?

Answer: Sevastopol

The Sevastopol airbase was well defended with the help of the anti-aircraft batteries, forts, and the nearby warships. Three weeks after the invasion, Soviet bombers from Sevastopol and other parts of the Crimea bombed the Romanian oil refineries. This prompted Hitler to allow Army Group South to march into the Crimean peninsula, contrary to the original Barbarossa plan.
7. Fuhrer Directive 33 ordered Army Group Center's 3rd Panzer Group north to Leningrad and 2nd Panzer Group South to Kiev. Which Panzer General openly opposed this plan?

Answer: Heinz Guderian

Guderian believed that if the Panzer Groups were diverted elsewhere on the front, the army would not have enough time to seize Moscow before the harsh Russian winter set in. Hitler's counter-argument was that the stiff resistance in Ukraine would expose Army Group Center's southern flank should it continue its assault on Moscow. Hitler had also argued that if he captured Ukraine, he would control at least half of the Soviet Union's grain production.
8. What was the significance of the encirclement at Kiev?

Answer: It is the largest military encirclement in history

The encirclement of Kiev trapped no fewer than 500,000 Soviet soldiers when the 1st and 2nd Panzer Groups met on September 16th at Lokhvitsa. The pocket dwarfed those of Minsk (250,000 soldiers) and Uman (100,000 men).
9. The offensive on Moscow was given a separate operation from Barbarossa. What is this operation's codename?

Answer: Operation Typhoon

Operation Taifun (Typhoon) began on October 2, 1941, aimed at outflanking Moscow with three Panzer Groups. Although the Germans inflicted heavy casualties within two weeks (especially at Bryansk and Vyazma), it took too long to remove encircled pockets, and the dreaded October rains began to fall earlier than expected, turning the terrain to mud.

By the time the Operation was called off in December, Army Group Center had as few as 40 tanks left from an estimated 1,000 at the beginning of the operation.

After Typhoon failed, the dream of defeating the Soviet Union swiftly had ended, and the tide began to turn against Nazi Germany, which was now faced with the prospect of fighting a long war of attrition - something that Germany was not in a good position to do.
10. The minimum amount of military casualties reported on both sides were about...

Answer: 4.5 million

After Operation Barbarossa was implemented, the world witnessed the beginning on the greatest and bloodiest military campaign in history, covering 3½ years, 1,200 square miles of territory, and around 14 million military and civilian deaths.
Source: Author Panzer_V

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