The Second World War · seed 1 · A4, ink-friendly. The answer key prints on its own page for grown-ups.

The war that came back

History · The Modern World · ages 15-16
Name ______________________   Date ____________

  1. Which countries stood on each main side?

    • Germany, Italy, and Japan on one side
    • Britain alone against the whole world
    • America and the Soviet Union as wartime enemies

  2. How did the 1919 settlement and the 1930s depression help dictators take power?

    • They made voters content and calm
    • Harsh terms bred anger while the slump left people broke and blaming
    • They banned every political party at once

  3. In Europe the war ran from 1939 to 1945, and fighting in Asia also ended in 1945.

    Circle one:   True   False

  4. A student says the two world wars were unrelated events. Which fact best challenges that?

    • The 1919 anger plus depression fed the dictators who started the second
    • Both wars used ships and planes
    • Both wars lasted about four years

  5. Why did far more civilians die than in the previous war?

    • Armies stopped taking prisoners entirely
    • Bombing, sieges, famine, and mass murder passed the front lines
    • Civilians were drafted in larger numbers than soldiers

  6. What did the world look like when the war ended in 1945?

    • Germany and Japan defeated; America and the Soviets as superpowers
    • Germany ruling Europe with Japan ruling Asia
    • Britain and France stronger than ever before

  7. A debater says depression alone caused the war, so the 1919 treaty does not matter. What is the flaw?

    • Depressions never hurt any country
    • Treaties cannot leave anger behind
    • It drops the treaty anger that gave dictators their story

  8. A textbook calls 1914 to 1945 one thirty-year era of war. What does that claim assume?

    • No battles happened between 1919 and 1939
    • The same generals led both wars
    • Unhealed causes carried the first war into the second
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Answer key

For grown-ups. Fold this page away before handing over the rest.

The war that came back W1-mt_BKXKdNc51v-s1

  1. Germany, Italy, and Japan on one side · Germany, Italy, and Japan faced Britain, the Soviet Union, America, and their allies.
  2. Harsh terms bred anger while the slump left people broke and blaming · Anger at the peace plus broke households gave dictators a furious audience.
  3. True · Europe fought 1939 to 1945; Asia fought from 1937 in China and ended in 1945.
  4. The 1919 anger plus depression fed the dictators who started the second · The harsh peace and slump link the wars into one thirty-year era.
  5. Bombing, sieges, famine, and mass murder passed the front lines · City bombing, sieges, hunger, and murder reached people far from battle.
  6. Germany and Japan defeated; America and the Soviets as superpowers · The losers lay in ruins while two rival victors towered over the rest.
  7. It drops the treaty anger that gave dictators their story · Broke wallets plus humiliation together fed the promise to restore pride.
  8. Unhealed causes carried the first war into the second · The label only fits if the 1919 anger and slump bridge the twenty-year pause.
Worksheet · LightMySky