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About This Quiz
World War II was - and thankfully remains (so far) - the biggest war in the history of humanity. It wasn't the first great war of the Industrial Age, ceding that particular dubious honor to World War I, when mechanized warfare shell-shocked the world. However, WWII was the first war in which this had been established as the order of the day, and that made it easy for it to be crowned the bloodiest war ever waged. WWII comes in with a death toll of some fifty million, rising to eighty million if you count civilians murdered or dead from war-related disease.
All of this was executed by a variety of military hardware that changed the scope of what was possible. As Panzer tanks rolled across the deserts of North Africa and Spitfires battled Fokkers in the skies over Britain, aircraft carriers displaced battleships as the true power on the surface of the world's oceans. Guided weapons, plastic explosives and nerve agents were all born, though not all were used to their full potential. On the small arms side, the first semi-automatic rifle and the first assault rifle made their debuts. These seemingly less significant weapons went on to extinguish many more lives than the most memorable weapon of the war: the atom bomb.
It's an arsenal to terrify any 1940s civilian and fascinate any history buff. Let's find out how much you know about WWII!
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Which piece of WWII military equipment is this?
M1 Garand
Mark 1 Trench Knife
M2 Mortar
The M2 light infantry mortar was designed by French ordnance engineer Edgar Brandt. It could fire up to 18 rounds per minute and had a range of roughly one mile. The M2 mortar was widely used by U.S. forces throughout the Second World War.
M1917 Enfield (Scoped)
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Which piece of WWII military equipment is this?
MK2 Grenade
The design of the MK2 grenade led to its popular nickname – pineapple grenade. It was a cast-iron casing which ripped apart into deadly projectile fragments once the TNT filling exploded.
TL 122-A Flashlight
M3 Submachine Gun (Grease Gun)
Boys Anti-Tank Rifle
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Which piece of WWII military equipment is this?
M5 3†Anti-Tank Gun
The M5 3†anti-tank gun was also known as the 3-inch Gun M5. A total of approximately 2500 M5s were produced by the U.S. Army. Since the M5 was a gun, it required targets to be in its line-of-sight, unlike the operation of a howitzer.
M7 Grenade Launcher
Cricket Noise Maker
M2 Browning
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Which piece of WWII military equipment is this?
M3 Gas Mask
M1911A1 Pistol
M1938 Wire Cutters
Liquid-Filled Wrist Compass
American D-Day paratroopers were issued liquid-filled wrist compasses. They were much larger and more accurate than the smaller compasses typically handed out to troops. Those smaller compasses were the “butt†of many jokes.
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Which piece of WWII military equipment is this?
M2 Switchblade
M1918 Browning Automatic Rifle
The M1918 Browning automatic rifle (or BAR) was designed by John M. Browning close to the end of the First World War. Modified M1918s (named M1918A1 and M1918A2) were issued in the Second World War.
M1 Bayonet
Molotov Cocktail
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Which piece of WWII military equipment is this?
Ka-Bar Combat Knife
M2 Flamethrower
Smith & Wesson M&P (Victory Model)
M17 Rifle Grenade
M17 or T2 grenade was the standard rifle grenade used by the U.S. in WWII. The M17 needed to land on a sufficiently hard surface in order to detonate and was frequently used against dug-in enemy troops.
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Which piece of WWII military equipment is this?
M1 Carbine
Bangalore Torpedo
Gammon Bomb
The British-made Number 82 grenade or Gammon bomb was among equipment issued to American paratroopers on D-Day. The Gammon bomb was liked for being customizable and easy to use.
M115 Howitzer
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Which piece of WWII military equipment is this?
Model 1897 Field Gun
Colt M 1903 Pocket Hammerless
M3 Combat Knife
Springfield M1903A4 (Scoped)
The Springfield M1903 family of bolt-action service repeating rifles has been used by the U.S Army since 1903. At the time of the Second World War, it had evolved into a variant known as the Springfield M1903A4, a telescopic sniper rifle.
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Which piece of WWII military equipment is this?
Machete
M2 Switchblade
Paratroopers were the main recipients of the M2 switchblade knife issued by the U.S. Army. The knives fit snugly into the paratrooper’s jacket pocket and he could use it to swiftly cut himself free of the parachute’s harness.
Luminous Disc
Oscar Paradummy
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Which piece of WWII military equipment is this?
Entrenching Tool
M43 Goggles
Bangalore Torpedo
M1941 Johnson Machine Gun
The M1941 Johnson light machine gun (LMG) was described as a light support weapon. It was designed by United States Marine Corps (USMC) reservist Melvin Johnson, Jr. and got nicknamed the Johnson and the Johnny gun.
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Which piece of WWII military equipment is this?
Equipment Bundle Light
Stevens M520 Shotgun
Molotov Cocktail
The Molotov cocktail is an improvised incendiary weapon. It is simply a glass bottle containing an explosive liquid which is ignited by a (usually) cloth wick.
Boys Anti-Tank Rifle
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Which piece of WWII military equipment is this?
Escape and Evasion Kit
The escape and evasion kit included a steel hacksaw, a small compass, a two-sided map and an assortment of local currency. The map was made of rayon to ensure it would not be destroyed if it got wet.
M3 Combat Knife
Zippo Lighter
M3 Gas Mask
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Which piece of WWII military equipment is this?
TL 122-A Flashlight
Model 1897 Field Gun
I.D. Bracelet
M1 Bayonet
Designed for use with the M1 Garand rifle, the M1 bayonet was a total of 14 inches long – 10 inches for the blade and 4 inches for the handle. This was shorter than the previous models, with the change being somewhat attributed to the limited wartime supply of steel.
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Which piece of WWII military equipment is this?
M2 Mortar
M1917 Enfield (Scoped)
The M1917 Enfield (also called the American Enfield) is a bolt-action service rifle. The M1917 Enfield was used in both World Wars with over 2 million of them being manufactured.
M115 Howitzer
Thompson Sub-Machine Gun
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Which piece of WWII military equipment is this?
Machete
The U.S. Army pretty much issued whatever weapons soldiers felt they needed or were comfortable using. As a result, the machete was available as part of D-Day equipment to paratroopers who opted for it.
M1 Helmet
Stevens M520 Shotgun
Oscar Paradummy
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Which piece of WWII military equipment is this?
Colt M 1903 Pocket Hammerless
Cricket Noise Maker
Stevens M520 Shotgun
Noted American gunsmith John Browning developed this pump-action slide shotgun which was then manufactured by the J Stevens Arms & Tool Company. Although production of the M520 ceased in 1939, a variant (the M520A) was used by the U.S. in WWII.
M2 Switchblade
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Which piece of WWII military equipment is this?
M1 Carbine
TL 122-A Flashlight
The crook-necked TL 122-A flashlight was widely issued during WWII. It was meant for more than illumination, as the TL 122-A was equipped with several colored filters (stored in the handle) so that the flashlight could be used for signaling.
M2 Browning
Springfield M1903A4 (Scoped)
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Which piece of WWII military equipment is this?
M2 Flamethrower
M3 Submachine Gun (Grease Gun)
Colt M 1903 Pocket Hammerless C
Despite its name, the Colt M 1903 Pocket Hammerless was fired by hammer action. The name “hammerless†was used in reference to the fact that the backend of the gun’s slide covered the hammer.
Folding Stock M1A1 Carbine
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Which piece of WWII military equipment is this?
Entrenching Tool
M249 SAW
The M249 SAW was created to be a lighter alternative to your average machine gun.
Mark 1 Trench Knife
Oscar Paradummy
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Which piece of WWII military equipment is this?
Lewis Gun
M1 Mortar
Thompson Sub-Machine Gun
M3 Combat Knife
Also known as the M3 fighting knife and the M3 trench knife, this item was issued in cases where a soldier’s rifle was not equipped to take a bayonet – as was the case with the Thompson submachine gun. Soldiers who would likely face close quarters combat were also issued the M3.
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Which piece of WWII military equipment is this?
M3 Gas Mask
I.D. Bracelet
I.D bracelets were issued in a number of styles and bore varying degrees of information. Some, for instance, carried the wearer’s rank, name, serial number and blood type.
Gammon Bomb
V-42 Stiletto
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Which piece of WWII military equipment is this?
M2 Switchblade
Folding Stock M1A1 Carbine
Smith & Wesson M&P (Victory Model)
This six-shot, double-action service revolver was standard-issue to United States Navy and Marine Corps aircrews. It was regarded as an effective “man-stopper†when used at close range.
Cricket Noise Maker
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Which piece of WWII military equipment is this?
Model 1897 Field Gun
The towed Model 1897 field gun was also known as the French 75 mm field gun (or Canon de 75 modele 1897). The Model 1897 was used in both World Wars and samples can still be found in some armies’ inventories, as well as in museums as exhibits.
M17 Rifle Grenade
M1938 Wire Cutters
M1 Mortar
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Which piece of WWII military equipment is this?
Bangalore Torpedo
An officer with the British Indian Army, Captain McClintock, is credited with invention of the Bangalore torpedo in 1912. It was used in both World War One and Two as a relatively safe way to detonate unexploded mines and to clear obstacles from a distance.
M1918 Browning Automatic Rifle
M1941 Johnson Machine Gun
M3 Submachine Gun (Grease Gun)
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Which piece of WWII military equipment is this?
Thompson Sub-Machine Gun
M1917 Enfield (Scoped)
M1911A1 Pistol
The M1911A1 is a .45 caliber semi-automatic pistol initially designed by John Browning. The M1911A1 pistol had very admirable stopping power and was usually issued to officers.
Boys Anti-Tank Rifle
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Which piece of WWII military equipment is this?
V-42 Stiletto
This WWII dagger and fighting knife was primarily issued to the Devil's Brigade – a joint Canadian/American commando unit, formally known as the First Special Service Force. It was issued in a leather case which was redesigned with metal reinforcement to prevent injury to the soldier carrying it.
M3 Scabbard
M5 3†Anti-Tank Gun
Zippo Lighter
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Which piece of WWII military equipment is this?
Equipment Bundle Light
M17 Rifle Grenade
MK2 Grenade
M2 Flamethrower
The M2 man-portable backpack infantry flamethrower was developed by refining and improving on the function of its predecessors – the M1 and the M1A1 flamethrowers. It was no longer a practical or necessary weapon, however, after the introduction of flamethrower tanks.
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Which piece of WWII military equipment is this?
M1 Garand
The M1 Garand was popular among Allied troops during the Second World War. It is a.30 caliber semi-automatic rifle with a maximum effective range of roughly 1500 feet but was still pretty accurate at greater distances.
Liquid-Filled Wrist Compass
Escape and Evasion Kit
M43 Goggles
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Which piece of WWII military equipment is this?
Ka-Bar Combat Knife
The Ka-Bar combat knife was used almost exclusively by the United States Marine Corps and the United States Navy. It is a dual purpose weapon described as a fighting utility knife.
M2 Mortar
Stevens M520 Shotgun
Entrenching Tool
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Which piece of WWII military equipment is this?
M1 Carbine
Model 1897 Field Gun
Springfield M1903A4 (Scoped)
Luminous Disc
The luminous disc contained (radioactive and poisonous) radium and could be activated by shining a light on it. It clipped easily onto a soldier’s helmet or clothes with its soft glow keeping troops visible to each other.
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Which piece of WWII military equipment is this?
M5 3†Anti-Tank Gun
M43 Goggles
The M43 (or M1943) goggles were made of leather with clear or tinted plastic lenses. While their design was very commendable, the M43 goggles were not made to last and were quite easily damaged.
Machete
M1 Bayonet
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Which piece of WWII military equipment is this?
Smith & Wesson Model 10 (Victory Model)
Liquid-Filled Wrist Compass
M1 Helmet
The U.S. military began using the M1 helmet in 1941, making WWII the first major conflict soldiers wore them into. Slight modifications and improvements were made to the M1 helmet over the years until its use was discontinued in 1985.
Ka-Bar Combat Knife
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Which piece of WWII military equipment is this?
Folding Stock M1A1 Carbine
The folding stock M1A1 carbine is a semi-automatic rifle. It was convenient to carry but lacked the range, firepower and stopping power of other rifles, such as the M1 Garand.
Colt M 1903 Pocket Hammerless
TL 122-A Flashlight
M3 Scabbard
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Which piece of WWII military equipment is this?
M1918 Browning Automatic Rifle
Luminous Disc
M1 Mortar
The basic design of the American M1 81 mm medium infantry mortar is credited to French weapons engineer Edgar Brandt. The M1 mortar weighed 136 pounds while the later, lighter M2 mortar was just 42 pounds.
M1 Garand
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Which piece of WWII military equipment is this?
M1 Bazooka
The M1 bazooka is described as a reusable, shoulder-fired, anti-tank rocket launcher. The name bazooka stems from the weapon’s resemblance to an improvised trombone played (and named bazooka) by radio comedian Bob Burns.
M3 Combat Knife
Gammon Bomb
MK2 Grenade
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Which piece of WWII military equipment is this?
Smith & Wesson M&P (Victory Model)
M1 Bayonet
M7 Grenade Launcher
Thompson Sub-Machine Gun
The fully automatic Thompson submachine gun was originally designed for WWI trench warfare but gained notoriety as the popular choice of 1920s gangsters. Its awesome stopping power made it the weapon of choice for many WWII soldiers despite the fact that its maximum range was only about 160 feet.
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Which piece of WWII military equipment is this?
M1917 Enfield (Scoped)
Mark 1 Trench Knife
The Mark 1 trench knife was a brass-knuckled knife widely issued during the First World War. By WWII, it was still a part of some soldiers’ gear but was largely replaced by the M3 combat/trench knife.
M3 Scabbard
M1911A1 Pistol
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Which piece of WWII military equipment is this?
M115 Howitzer
The M115 towed howitzer was designed to be operated by a 14-man crew. Its total length was almost 36 feet and it weighed roughly 16 tons.
Ka-Bar Combat Knife
Machete
M1941 Johnson Machine Gun
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Which piece of WWII military equipment is this?
M1 Mortar
Cricket Noise Maker
ACME Whistle Company in England made a toy cricket noise maker which was put to very good use by some troops in WWII. D-Day paratroopers, for instance, were issued the cricket noise maker as a part of their gear so they could alert team members to their location without having to call out.
Gammon Bomb
M7 Grenade Launcher
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Which piece of WWII military equipment is this?
Liquid-Filled Wrist Compass
Escape and Evasion Kit
M1938 Wire Cutters
Zippo Lighter
Many of the servicemen in the Second World War were smokers and so a lighter was a vital piece of equipment, even if it was not a part of their standard Army issue. The Zippo lighter was by far the popular choice and the ones with matte black finish were much more practical than those in shiny chrome.
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Which piece of WWII military equipment is this?
MK2 Grenade
V-42 Stiletto
M1 Carbine
The M1 carbine resembles an M1 Garand but was intended for use by non-combat troops. It is lightweight and easy to carry even if the soldier was assigned to other equipment, such as radios. A folding stock variant of the M1 carbine was issued to paratroopers.
Molotov Cocktail
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Which piece of WWII military equipment is this?
M1 Bazooka
Zippo Lighter
M17 Rifle Grenade
M3 Submachine Gun (Grease Gun)
There’s no doubt how the M3 submachine gun came by the nickname “grease gun." Its resemblance to the popular mechanics tool is unmistakable. The M3 SMG was introduced as a more economical alternative to the much more expensive M1 Thompson series of submachine guns.
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Which piece of WWII military equipment is this?
Springfield M1903A4 (Scoped)
Folding Stock M1A1 Carbine
Oscar Paradummy
The Oscar paradummy (called Rupert doll by the British) was used as a diversionary tactic by parachuting troops. The paradummies drew enemy attention and enemy fire while troops landed safely elsewhere.
M1918 Browning Automatic Rifle
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Which piece of WWII military equipment is this?
M2 Mortar
Equipment Bundle Light
M43 Goggles
M3 Gas Mask
All US M3 lightweight service masks may not look exactly alike. That’s because they were manufactured by different suppliers, each of which incorporated different design elements.
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Which piece of WWII military equipment is this?
Entrenching Tool
Also called an e-tool, the entrenching tool was a necessary piece of wartime equipment. Some designs were foldable or had a pick added to one end. Others could be fitted with a bayonet or have the ends sharpened into very effect weapons for close quarters combat.
M1 Garand
M1 Helmet
M5 3†Anti-Tank Gun
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Which piece of WWII military equipment is this?
I.D. Bracelet
Molotov Cocktail
M2 Browning
M7 Grenade Launcher
The M7 grenade launcher was an attachment for use with the M1 Garand rifle. Whereas hand grenades could be thrown up to 33 yards, with the M7 you could get a grenade to go about 380 yards away.
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Which piece of WWII military equipment is this?
M1941 Johnson Machine Gun
Boys Anti-Tank Rifle
The Boys anti-tank rifle was designed by British Captain H.C. Boys. It was effective against the light and medium tanks which were often seen early in the Second World War. Development of the Boys anti-tank rifle was codenamed Stanchion but the rifle became popularly known as either “Boys†or “elephant gun†due to its size.
Mark 1 Trench Knife
M115 Howitzer
You Got:
/47
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