Final Exam (Topics 12 & 13)

In 1941, Japanese airplanes torpedoed and bombed the American fleet at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii. The attack took the lives of about ____ people and destroyed battleships and aircraft. The next day, the United States declared war on Japan. Then, Japan's allies, Germany and Italy, declared war on the United States.

• 1000

• 5000

• 2400

• 3000

• 1500

Answer explanation

The attack on Pearl Harbor resulted in approximately 2400 American casualties, making 2400 the correct answer. This event was pivotal in prompting the U.S. to enter World War II.

The Soviet Union existed from 1947 till it was dissolved in ___, ending the Cold War rivalry between the USA and the capitalist Western Bloc and the USSR and communist Eastern Bloc.

• 2000

• 1991

• 1995

• 1987

• 1975

Answer explanation

The Soviet Union was officially dissolved in 1991, marking the end of the Cold War. This event concluded the rivalry between the USA and the capitalist Western Bloc and the USSR and the communist Eastern Bloc.

Brutality and exploitation perpetrated against the people of Congo in the name of King Leopold II of _______, to maximize rubber production, resulted in 8 to 16 million deaths among the natives from 1885 to 1908

• France

• Germany

• Belgium

• Portugal

• Spain

Answer explanation

King Leopold II of Belgium ruled the Congo Free State, where his regime's brutal exploitation for rubber led to millions of deaths. This dark period from 1885 to 1908 is a significant part of Belgian colonial history.

The ____ was introduced by Hitler in 1938. It was awarded to German mothers who had four or more healthy 'Aryan' children. Bronze was awarded for 4 to 5 children, silver for 6 to 7, and gold for 8 or more.

• Mother's Cross

• Eagle Order Cross

• Iron Cross

• Semitic Cross

• War Merit Cross

Answer explanation

The correct answer is 'Mother's Cross', which was introduced by Hitler in 1938 to honor German mothers for having multiple 'Aryan' children, with different medals awarded based on the number of children.

World War II lasted from ___ to ___ It pitted the Axis powers against the Allies, which eventually included Britain, France, the Soviet Union, China, the United States, and 43 other nations.

Answer explanation

World War II lasted from 1939 to 1945. This period marked the conflict between the Axis powers and the Allies, which included major nations like Britain, France, the Soviet Union, China, and the United States.

Which country did Italian forces invade in October 1940?

• Egypt

• Greece

• Turkey

• Bulgaria

• Austria

Answer explanation

In October 1940, Italian forces invaded Greece as part of their expansionist efforts during World War II. This invasion marked a significant military campaign in the Balkans.

About how many soldiers were rescued from the shores of Dunkirk?

• about 300

• about 3,000

• about 30,000

• about 300,000

• about 3,000,000

Answer explanation

About 300,000 soldiers were rescued from Dunkirk during Operation Dynamo in 1940, making it a significant evacuation effort in World War II.

Germany fell behind in their reparations payments in 1923. In response, France occupied the coal rich Ruhr Valley. taking over its iron, coal and steel industries. In turn, the German government printed huge quantities of paper money resulting in the German 'mark' becoming almost worthless. Such extreme rapid and sharp increase in prices is known as _____.

• economic stability

• deflation

• stagflation

• recession

• hyperinflation

Answer explanation

The rapid increase in prices due to excessive money printing in Germany led to hyperinflation, where the value of the mark plummeted, making it almost worthless. This term specifically describes such extreme inflation.

___ involves segregation of public facilities and social events, separated housing, and employment opportunities. It includes laws making it illegal to pursue sexual relations across racial lines in South Africa from 1948 to early 1990s

• socialism

• discrimination

• apartheid

• colonialism

• fascism

Answer explanation

The term 'apartheid' specifically refers to the system in South Africa that enforced racial segregation in public facilities, housing, and laws against interracial relationships, making it the correct choice.

Angry peasants resisted collectivization by growing just enough food for themselves. In response the government seized all their grain for the cities, purposely leaving the peasants to starve. This ruthless policy combined with poor harvests resulted in the ____ ____, with 5 to 8 million people dying in of starvation in Ukraine alone.

• The Red Famine

• Slavic Famine

• Czechoslovak Starvation Crisis

• Soviet Food Shortage

• Holodomor

Answer explanation

The correct answer is 'Holodomor', which refers to the man-made famine in Ukraine during the early 1930s, resulting in millions of deaths due to government policies that seized grain from peasants.