World War II Military Test
Could you be a great military leader?
 Do you have what it takes to make the right decisions and save the day?
 All the following were real situations faced during World War II.
 Tell what you would do and why.
 Then rate yourself as a General.
 Write your answers on a separate sheet of paper.

Number Right
11-12
9-10
7-8
5-6
3-4
0-2
Rating
5-Star General - The Best
Definite War Hero
Top of the line Sergeant
Just keep quiet and follow orders
You probably won't survive the war.
We hope you’re on our enemy’s side.
1.
You are in charge of all Germany’s military! Your generals bring you 2 plans for war.
Plan #1—Trench Warfare: Keep the troops moving and digging trenches. Also use long
range cannons to bomb cities and the enemy. This plan worked well in WWI. Plan
#2—Lightning Warfare: Hit hard and fast using new weapons. Airplanes and motorized
vehicles will be used in this new and untried plan for war. What plan do you use and
why?
2.
As commander of the military, you are approached by advisors who suggest you should
use radio, movies, posters, and newspapers to convince people to fight. They also
advise you to tell lies and half-truths to get support for the military. It costs a lot of
money to make movies and build radio stations. Do you use the money for films and
such or do you use the money to build more weapons?
3.
Tomorrow you will have to lead an attack on the Nazis’ greatest general, Erwin
Rommel. One of your sergeants brings you a book about fighting battles that has been
written by Rommel. Should you stay up and read his book or should you get a good
night’s sleep before the battle. What is your decision and why?
4.
If you are in charge of Japan’s military, would you have bombed Pearl Harbor?
The US is already cutting off supplies from Japan that will stop Japan from expanding.
If you bomb Pearl Harbor your staff tells you that Japan will win all battles for 6
months. Of course, America could be a powerful enemy.
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World War II Military Test
5.
If you command Germany, would you keep your alliance with Japan if they
bombed Pearl Harbor? Your country has promised to help them in war, but the United
States could turn the war against you.
6.
After the bombing of Pearl Harbor, the American Pacific fleet is very weak. If you
commanded the military forces of Japan, would you invade California? Why or
Why not?
7.
You are in charge of forces at Midway Island, an American naval base. The Japanese
are attacking. You have 4 waves or groups of planes to bomb Japan’s attacking fleet,
but you must also fight your way through Japan’s air fighters. You can send your planes
in a high altitude to avoid the destroyer’s cannons or you can go low. Here is what
happened with your first 3 waves:
WAVE
1
2
3
US PLANES
went in high
went in high
went in high
JAPAN’S PLANES
defended high
defended high
defended high
RESULT
all US planes destroyed
all US planes destroyed
1 US plane returned
What do you do with your last wave? Why?
8.
After the US gets into the war you have an important decision to make. Should the US
send most of its military power to Europe to stop Hitler or should they concentrate
on the Pacific and the Japanese who attacked us? Why?
9.
Situation: You command Germany.
Germany and Russia have a peace treaty not to fight each other. Russia has oil that you
need for a long war, but if you attack Russia, you will have to fight on two fronts—the
English and Americans in the West and the Russians in the East. Do you invade
Russia? Why or Why not?
10. Situation: You are German.
You have conquered most of Africa. You are about 100 miles from controlling the
whole Mediterranean Sea and the Suez Canal. You are being beaten in battle by the
Allies. You want to retreat, but Hitler tells you to stand and fight or risk Hitler’s anger.
What do you do? Do you retreat or fight? Why?
11. Situation: You command Russia.
A frozen Moscow, your capitol, is under attack. Do you wait out the winter and hold
on or do you counter attack the Nazis in the snow?
12. Do you drop the Atomic bomb? You will kill innocent women and children in the city
if you do bomb, but you will probably end the war. What would you do?
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