Historical Blunders Trivia Quiz June 3, 2026June 2, 2026 Joe Messerli Quizzesnew quiz, test Historical Blunders Answer 18 questions on disastrous mistakes from history. 1 / 18 Who ignored several warnings before being assassinated on the Ides of March? John Kennedy Mohandes Gandhi Julius Caeser Malcolm X Abraham Lincoln 2 / 18 Who was the primary advocate for the disastrous 1915 Battle of Gallipoli campaign that cost the Allies 200,000 casualties in World War I? Woodrow Wilson Neville Chamberlain Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Tsar Nicolas II 3 / 18 What was the name given to Hitler's 1941 truce-breaking invasion of the Soviet Union that resulted in 5 million casualties? Operation Overlord Operation Barbarossa Schlieffen Plan Operation Bussard Operation Domino 4 / 18 What Chairman of the White Star Line operations spearheaded construction of the Titanic and went on to survive the sinking of the ship? Thomas Andrews John Smith John Jacob Astor Caledon Hockley J Bruce Ismay 5 / 18 The invasion of what country resulted in the death of over 80% of Napolean's invading forces and started him down the road to defeat? Russia Germany Britain United States Italy Two-thirds of the deaths came from starvation, disease, and freezing during the Russian winter. Two-thirds of the deaths came from starvation, disease, and freezing during the Russian winter. 6 / 18 What empire rejected new gunpowder technology, with its lead engineer defecting to the eventual victorious side in the 1453 downfall of Constantinople? Roman Empire Ottoman Empire Mongol Empire Byzantine Empire Persian Empire Constantinople became the capital of the victorious Ottoman Empire. Constantinople became the capital of the victorious Ottoman Empire. 7 / 18 What French king's financial mismanagement, high taxes, and concentration of wealth sparked the French Revolution in 1789? Henry IV Charlemagne Francis I Philip II Louis XVI 8 / 18 What was the primary reason pitched by George W Bush and Tony Blair for the invasion of Iraq in 2003? Stabilize price of oil Remove threats to Israel and Kuwait Iraq's attacks on U.S. forces enforcing peace agreements Rid Iraq of weapons of mass destruction Payback for 9/11 attack An estimated 1 million lives were lost in the war & aftermath (including 4,500 American military) and $2-3 trillion dollars spent. An estimated 1 million lives were lost in the war & aftermath (including 4,500 American military) and $2-3 trillion dollars spent. 9 / 18 What treaty imposed harsh terms on Germany, creating conditions that led to the rise to Hitler and World War II? Treaty of Paris Treaty of Ghent North Atlantic Treaty Treaty of Versailles Potsdam Agreement 10 / 18 In what modern day country did the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear disaster occur? Ukraine Poland Latvia Russia Czech Republic 11 / 18 The invasion of what country is often called "Russia's Vietnam"? Ukraine Georgia Poland Latvia Afghanistan 12 / 18 Who divided his forces and ignored intelligence warnings, leading to the disastrous defeat of the American army at Little Bighorn? William Tecumseh Sherman George Custer George Crook George Meade Robert E Lee 13 / 18 What was the Japanese attack code that signaled the bombing of Pearl Harbor, which brought the United States into World War 2 and ultimately led to Japan's defeat? Banzai Ha Renso Tora Tora Tora To-Ki Renso Kamikaze 14 / 18 What country's defeat at Dien Bien Phu in 1954 ended its colonial rule in Indochina? Great Britain France United States Japan China 15 / 18 What nation underestimated Japan's naval capabilities leading to a surprising defeat in 1905? United States China Great Britain France Russia 16 / 18 What 1916 battle of attrition initiated by German Erich von Falkenhayn led to 1.5 million casualties, half of which were deaths? Battle of the Bulge Battle of Verdun Operation Market Garden Hundred Days Offensive Battle of Kursk 17 / 18 What country's "Great Leap Forward" resulted in 50 million deaths from starvation and violence? China Soviet Union Japan Venezuela India 18 / 18 What country viewed Alaska as a liability and sold it to the U.S. in 1867 for $7.2 million? Great Britain Russia France Canada Greenland The purchase was initially mocked as "Seward's Folly" until massive gold and oil reserves were later discovered. The purchase was initially mocked as "Seward's Folly" until massive gold and oil reserves were later discovered. Your score isThe average score is 78% 0% Restart quiz Other Links That May Interest You Financial Disasters Trivia Quiz War on Terror Trivia Quiz Cold War Trivia Quiz Share this: Share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook Share on X (Opens in new window) X Like this:Like Loading… Related