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History Quiz - World War One: 1914-18 - Battles Of 1917 And 1918 On The Western Front (Questions)

In GCSE History students will look at World War One and one of the areas they will study is the events which occurred during the war itself. This is the fourth of eight quizzes on that topic and it focusses in particular on the battles which took place on the Western Front in 1917 and in 1918.

The United States came into the war in April 1917, but it took a while for their troops to be trained and transported across the Atlantic. Many bitter battles took place before American participation began to tip the balance. In March 1918 Russia left the war, but the resulting German offensives on the Western Front were repulsed. In November 1918 the Armistice was signed.

Play this quiz to test your knowledge of the battles on the Western Front in the last two years of the war - 1917 and 1918.

1. After March 1917 the "Red Baron", von Richthofen, made his mark as commander of a formation of German aircraft. What was the nickname of this outfit?
[ ] "The Flying Circus"
[ ] "The Circus Squadron
[ ] "The Red Circus"
[ ] "The Red Flight"
2. In April 1917 the Allies captured Vimy Ridge, overlooking much of Northern France's industrial belt. Which allied nation was responsible for this success?
[ ] Australia
[ ] South Africa
[ ] The USA
[ ] Canada
3. After continued bitter fighting some French units had to be taken out of the line and disciplined (in some cases soldiers were executed). What offence had they committed?
[ ] Desertion
[ ] Joining the German side
[ ] Refusing to obey orders
[ ] Killing their officers
4. Which senior French officer succeeded Nivelle as commander-in-chief of French forces in May 1917?
[ ] Mangin
[ ] Foch
[ ] Petain
[ ] Du Boulay
5. The Third Battle of Ypres was fought between the 31st of July 1917 and the 6th of November 1917. By what name is this battle also known?
[ ] Mons
[ ] Messines
[ ] Passchendaele
[ ] St. Quentin
6. At which 1917 battle were tanks used effectively in a large-scale attack?
[ ] The Third Battle of Ypres
[ ] Cambrai
[ ] The Battle of the River Aisne
[ ] Reims
7. Which war poet wrote "the General" at this time - a cruel satire on the gulf between staff officers working in some comfort behind the lines, and the ordinary soldiers whose lives were put at risk every day?
[ ] Wilfred Owen
[ ] John Sorley
[ ] Rupert Brooke
[ ] Siegfried Sassoon
8. What name was given to the major offensive launched by the Germans on the Western Front in March 1918, following Russia's withdrawal from the war earlier that month?
[ ] Operation Barbarossa
[ ] Operation Wilhelm
[ ] Operation Michael
[ ] Operation Friedrich
9. Which allied officer was made head of a unified allied command shortly before the end of the war?
[ ] Pershing
[ ] Haig
[ ] Foch
[ ] Smuts
10. What name was given to the final German offensive of the Great War, from the 15th of July 1918 to the 5th of August 1918?
[ ] The Second Battle of the Marne
[ ] The Battle of Arras
[ ] The Battle of Amiens
[ ] The Battle of Neuve Chapelle
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History Quiz - World War One: 1914-18 - Battles Of 1917 And 1918 On The Western Front (Answers)
1. After March 1917 the "Red Baron", von Richthofen, made his mark as commander of a formation of German aircraft. What was the nickname of this outfit?
[x] "The Flying Circus"
[ ] "The Circus Squadron
[ ] "The Red Circus"
[ ] "The Red Flight"
Air power was beginning to make its mark in the fighting. Both sides used aeroplanes for reconnaissance, and for bombing missions. Dogfights were frequent events over the trenches
2. In April 1917 the Allies captured Vimy Ridge, overlooking much of Northern France's industrial belt. Which allied nation was responsible for this success?
[ ] Australia
[ ] South Africa
[ ] The USA
[x] Canada
At the outset of the war all of the British dominions joined the war automatically. The USA joined a short while before this success and was not yet significantly involved in the war in Europe
3. After continued bitter fighting some French units had to be taken out of the line and disciplined (in some cases soldiers were executed). What offence had they committed?
[ ] Desertion
[ ] Joining the German side
[x] Refusing to obey orders
[ ] Killing their officers
No army was immune from disorder of this kind - especially after years of savage fighting and no end to the war in sight. However, all the belligerent states dealt harshly with such disobedience, and many death sentences were carried out
4. Which senior French officer succeeded Nivelle as commander-in-chief of French forces in May 1917?
[ ] Mangin
[ ] Foch
[x] Petain
[ ] Du Boulay
The French government was quick to replace generals whose troops mutinied
5. The Third Battle of Ypres was fought between the 31st of July 1917 and the 6th of November 1917. By what name is this battle also known?
[ ] Mons
[ ] Messines
[x] Passchendaele
[ ] St. Quentin
Several battles were fought around the key centre of Ypres, which blocked the Germans' path to the vital Channel ports
6. At which 1917 battle were tanks used effectively in a large-scale attack?
[ ] The Third Battle of Ypres
[x] Cambrai
[ ] The Battle of the River Aisne
[ ] Reims
This was not the first time that tanks had been used in a Great War battle. Yet it was their first use in a systematic way, and in large numbers (450 in fact)
7. Which war poet wrote "the General" at this time - a cruel satire on the gulf between staff officers working in some comfort behind the lines, and the ordinary soldiers whose lives were put at risk every day?
[ ] Wilfred Owen
[ ] John Sorley
[ ] Rupert Brooke
[x] Siegfried Sassoon
The war poets were highly critical of the conduct of the conflict. Several of them were wounded in action and it was not unusual for them to return from convalescent treatment in Britain to be among their comrades in the trenches
8. What name was given to the major offensive launched by the Germans on the Western Front in March 1918, following Russia's withdrawal from the war earlier that month?
[ ] Operation Barbarossa
[ ] Operation Wilhelm
[x] Operation Michael
[ ] Operation Friedrich
The Germans attempted a repetition of their initial attack in 1914 - in other words, an effort to return to moving warfare and the abandonment of the trench system. They were able to vastly reinforce their armies in the west as they had at last concluded a ceasefire and treaty with Lenin and Trotsky in the Soviet Union. This meant that they could bring large numbers of troops across to the Western Front from the East
9. Which allied officer was made head of a unified allied command shortly before the end of the war?
[ ] Pershing
[ ] Haig
[x] Foch
[ ] Smuts
A unified allied command seemed to make sense, as the Germans embarked on a last desperate attack
10. What name was given to the final German offensive of the Great War, from the 15th of July 1918 to the 5th of August 1918?
[x] The Second Battle of the Marne
[ ] The Battle of Arras
[ ] The Battle of Amiens
[ ] The Battle of Neuve Chapelle
The Germans took a gamble and it failed. US forces helped to tip the balance, as did the effects of the Allied blockade of Germany. The resumption of unrestricted submarine warfare on Germany's part had less impact on Allied shipping than expected. However, it was the major factor in provoking America to join the war
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