world war two - Trivia, Quizzes, and Brain Teasers

Manhattan Project scientists working on the Thin Man plutonium gun assembly.

One atomic bomb was used in a test explosion. Two more bombs were deployed over Japan. That left a mysterious fourth bomb—code-named Thin Man—in the U.S. nuclear arsenal.

American servicemen and women in Paris celebrate on V-J Day, marking the end of World War II.

Savage battles, atomic bombs, and shark attacks were just some of the events leading up to the end of World War II in August 1945. Here's a look back on its 80th anniversary.

The toy aisle looked pretty different in the mid-20th century.

From a dollhouse with a nuclear bunker to an atomic energy lab with real uranium, some of these toys from the ‘50s and ‘60s have us scratching our heads.

“Fat Man” was originally intended for a different Japanese city.

Kokura was the original target, but avoiding the atomic bomb may have been more than just random chance.

An illustration of the moments following the ‘Enola Gay’’s deployment of the atomic bomb over Hiroshima.

After dropping the atomic bomb over Hiroshima on August 6, 1945, almost all of the 12 men aboard the ‘Enola Gay’ had something to say about it.

The world changed forever when the U.S. detonated two atomic bombs over Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan, in August 1945.

Eighty years after the first—and only—deployment of atomic bombs, here’s a look back at one of history’s most devastating acts of war.

Arnold Schwarzenegger at the 2023 premiere of 'FUBAR,' season 1.

The Arnold Schwarzenegger–starring Netflix series takes its title from World War II military slang. Here’s what 'fubar' means.

Sinking in Shark-Infested Waters: WWII Survivors Recall Navy Disaster | National Geographic

The worst shark attack in history followed the bombing and sinking of the USS Indianapolis on July 30, 1945.

President Franklin D. Roosevelt used the map to justify the United States entering World War II—but as one historian told Mental Floss, “was a fiction forged by the British intelligence service.”

The bow of the USS ‘Samuel B. Roberts,’ lying more than 4 miles under the surface of the Pacific Ocean.

These are the five deepest shipwrecks ever discovered, including the USS ‘Samuel B. Roberts,’ which went to the depths of the Philippine Trench during the Second World War.

The African American Civil War Memorial.

These tributes to fallen soldiers may not be as instantly recognizable as the Vietnam Memorial and others, but their stories are no less fascinating—including one that doubles as a mausoleum right in Manhattan.

A submarine patrol blimp departed with a two-man crew in the morning. It landed with no one on board.

F. Scott Fitzgerald’s great American novel was a flop—until it was deployed overseas.

For some soldiers confined in German POW camps during World War II, ‘Monopoly’ was so much more than just a board game.

Eugene Bullard survived some of the deadliest battles in history and became the world’s first Black fighter pilot—all before the age of 30.

The USS ‘Cobia’ is a living memorial—and an Airbnb attraction.

Wisconsin's USS ‘Cobia’ offers guests a living history lesson via Airbnb.

Nuclear Bunker, Land Lying To The East Of Longridge Lane SK17 8AE

Now is your chance to own an important part of British history.

He wants you to learn about the symbol’s history.

Uncle Sam is an easily recognizable piece of wartime propaganda. And legend says he was based off a real person—though that may not actually be the case.

Hawaii Overprint Note from the World War II era.

During WWII, the U.S. government was scared that Japan might take all of Hawaii's money. Here's what they did to stop it.

American troops helping their injured friends from a dinghy after the landing ship they were on was hit by enemy fire during the Allied invasion of France on D-Day

This 80-year-old archival footage shows Operation Neptune—the code name for the landings on the beaches at Normandy.

This fox is obviously not actually radioactive.

Allied officials came up with some strange strategies to win World War II. Operation Fantasia planned to use glow-in-the-dark foxes to spook Japanese forces into defeat.

D-Day occurred on June 6, 1944, and kicked off the Battle of Normandy. Though it was a success, General Eisenhower was preparing for the worst.

Detainees at California's Manzanar War Relocation Center.

The Irei Project and Ancestry have teamed up to publish the most comprehensive list ever assembled of the more than 125,000 Japanese Americans who were incarcerated on American soil during WWII.

D-Day: The scene of the Allied invasion on the Normandy beaches in June 1944.

The Allied forces’ Normandy landings on June 6, 1944—an event better known as D-Day—became a pivotal moment in World War II .

WORLD WAR II

The Manhattan Project Bomb You Haven’t Heard Of

12 Facts About the End of World War II

7 Retro Toys From the Atomic Age

How the Japanese City of Kokura Narrowly Avoided Nagasaki’s A-Bomb

How 12 ‘Enola Gay’ Crew Members Remember Dropping the Atomic Bomb

12 Facts About the Atomic Bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki

What Does ‘Fubar’ Mean?

Watch USS ‘Indianapolis’ Vets Recall Surviving Shark-Infested Waters

The Astounding Counterfeit Nazi Invasion Map You’ve Never Heard Of

What Is the Deepest Shipwreck Ever Found?

11 Lesser-Known War Memorials

L-8: The ‘Ghost Blimp’ Whose Crew Disappeared During World War II

How WWII Saved ‘The Great Gatsby From Obscurity

How ‘Monopoly’ Helped Defend The Free World

Eugene Bullard, the World’s First Black Fighter Pilot

You Can Book a Night on a World War II Submarine Through Airbnb

Take a Virtual Tour of a Post-WWII Bunker Up for Sale in England

Who Was Uncle Sam, and Why Did He ‘Want’ You?

That Time the Government Burned $200 Million of Hawaii’s Cash

Watch Vintage Newsreel Footage of the D-Day Landings in Normandy

When the U.S. Tried to Win World War II with Radioactive Foxes

Dwight Eisenhower Wrote a Letter Accepting Blame for D-Day's Failure, Just in Case

Researchers Have Published a List Honoring the More Than 125,000 Japanese Americans Incarcerated During WWII

13 Memorable Facts About D-Day