50+ Interesting 1940s Quiz Questions and Answers

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Looking for a decade quiz about the 40s? You’ve come to the right place.

The forties were such a difficult decade for the world. The second World War II was at its worst at the beginning of the decade and a lot of tragic events have happened.

But it was also a time when famous books and movies were released.

In this ultimate 40s quiz, you will find 5 rounds of questions and answers about the decade. So, are you ready to get started?

Round 1: Easy 1940s Trivia Questions

1. Who was the US president at the start of the 1940s?
2. At the start of the 1940s, over 20% of the world’s population lived in which European Empire?
3. Japan’s attack on which US military base pulled America into WWII?
4. What kind of bird does Vera Lynn sing will fly over the White Cliffs of Dover in her 1941 hit song?
5. Which 1942 film does the famous line ‘Here’s looking at you, kid’ come from?
6. What year did WWII end?
7. How many sectors was Germany divided into at the end of WWII?
8. Which 1946 movie starring James Stewart and Donna Reed has become a Christmas classic?
9. Mahatma Gandhi was an influential figure in which country’s independence in 1947?
10. Who became leader of China in 1949?

Round 1: Easy 1940s Trivia Questions and Answers

1. Who was the US president at the start of the 1940s? Franklin D. Roosevelt
2. At the start of the 1940s, over 20% of the world’s population lived in which European Empire? The British Empire
3. Japan’s attack on which US military base pulled America into WWII? Pearl Harbor
4. What kind of bird does Vera Lynn sing will fly over the White Cliffs of Dover in her 1941 hit song? Bluebird
5. Which 1942 film does the famous line ‘Here’s looking at you, kid’ come from? Casablanca 
6. What year did WWII end? 1945
7. How many sectors was Germany divided into at the end of WWII? Four
8. Which 1946 movie starring James Stewart and Donna Reed has become a Christmas classic? It’s a Wonderful Life
9. Mahatma Gandhi was an influential figure in which country’s independence in 1947? India
10. Who became leader of China in 1949? Mao Zedong

Round 2: 1940s Multiple-Choice Questions

1. Which of the following places did Winston Churchill not suggest as a location for fighting the Nazis in his iconic ‘We Shall fight them on the beaches’ speech?
   1. The rooftops
   2. The streets
   3. The hills
   4. The fields
2. In which California city did the first Mcdonald’s open in 1940?
   1. San Francisco
   2. San Bernardino
   3. Santa Clarita
   4. Santa Ana
3. The Mount Rushmore National Memorial was completed in 1941. Which of the following US presidents is not depicted on the monument?
   1. George Washington 
   2. Theordore Roosevelt 
   3. Abraham Lincoln 
   4. Andrew Jackson
4. If someone in the 1940s asked you to ‘cut a rug,’ what are they suggesting you do?
   1. Dance
   2. Kiss
   3. Run away
   4. Drive really fast
5. The ENIAC, invented in 1946, was a technological breakthrough, but what modern necessity did it evolve into?
   1. The cell phone
   2. The computer
   3. The rechargeable battery
   4. The internet
6. Which city hosted the 1948 Summer Olympics?
   1. Paris
   2. London
   3. New York
   4. Toronto
7. Who recorded the hit song You Always Hurt The One You Love?
   1. Frank Sinatra
   2. Doris Day
   3. The Mills Brothers
   4. The Andrews Sisters
8. In George Orwell’s 1945 novella Animal Farm, which animal represents the working classes?
   1. The sheep 
   2. The cows
   3. The pigs
   4. The horses
9. Which of the following countries was one of the 12 founding members of NATO?
   1. Italy
   2. Greece
   3. Germany
   4. Spain
10. Which of these household objects was not invented in the 1940s?
    1. The microwave
    2. Cat Litter
    3. Cellophane
    4. The spray can

Round 2: 1940s Multiple-Choice Questions and Answers

1. Which of the following places did Winston Churchill not suggest as a location for fighting the Nazis in his iconic ‘We Shall fight them on the beaches’ speech? A. The rooftops
2. In which California city did the first Mcdonald’s open in 1940? B. San Bernardino
3. The Mount Rushmore National Memorial was completed in 1941. Which of the following US presidents is not depicted on the monument? D. Andrew Jackson
4. If someone in the 1940s asked you to ‘cut a rug,’ what are they suggesting you do? A. Dance
5. The ENIAC, invented in 1946, was a technological breakthrough, but what modern necessity did it evolve into? B. The Computer
6. Which city hosted the 1948 Summer Olympics? B. London
7. Who recorded the hit song You Always Hurt The One You Love? C. The Mills Brothers
8. In George Orwell’s 1945 novella Animal Farm, which animal represents the working classes? D. The horses
9. Which of the following countries was one of the 12 founding members of NATO? A. Italy
10. Which of these household objects was not invented in the 1940s? C. Cellophane

Round 3: 1940s Quiz – True or False

1. The 1940s saw the Labrador Retriever become the USA’s most popular dog breed for the first time.
2. Though there are almost 200 independent countries today, there were only 69 in 1940.
3. In the 1940s, people started saying ‘Cheese’ when smiling in photographs.
4. American Tennis player Don Budge won the Wimbledon Men’s Singles in 1940.
5. Britain’s Princess Elisabeth was a truck driver and mechanic during WWII.
6. The hit song When you Wish Upon A Star came from Disney’s Dumbo.
7. The first Ferrari sports car hit the market in 1947.
8. Disney’s iconic character Pluto made his first big screen appearance in the 1947 movie Rescue Dog.
9. Dr Suess’ first book, The Cat in the Hat, was published in 1949.
10. The top baby names of the decade in the United States were John and Barbara.

Round 3: 1940s Quiz Answers – True or False

1. The 1940s saw the Labrador Retriever become the USA’s most popular dog breed for the first time. False
2. Though there are almost 200 independent countries today, there were only 69 in 1940. True
3. In the 1940s, people started saying ‘Cheese’ when smiling in photographs. True
4. American Tennis player Don Budge won the Wimbledon Men’s Singles in 1940. False, Wimbledon was cancelled in 1940 
5. Britain’s Princess Elisabeth was a truck driver and mechanic during WWII. True
6. The hit song When you Wish Upon A Star came from Disney’s Dumbo. False, it’s from Pinocchio
7. The first Ferrari sports car hit the market in 1947. True
8. Disney’s iconic character Pluto made his first big screen appearance in the 1947 movie Rescue Dog. False
9. Dr Suess’ first book, The Cat in the Hat, was published in 1949. False.
10. The top baby names of the decade in the United States were John and Barbara. False, they were James and Mary

Round 4: Medium 1940s Trivia Questions

1. What did George de Mestral invent in June 1940 after his dog came in from a walk covered in burs?
2. Who played the Adolf Hitler parody character in the 1940 satire The Great Dictator?
3. What protective accessory designed for the US air-force became one of the biggest fashion trends of the 1940s?
4. Which superhero were marvel fans first introduced to in 1941?
5. Which movie starring Orson Wells and Joseph Cotten won nine Oscars at the 1942 Academy Awards?
6. Which city would you travel to visit the attic where Anne Frank and her family hid from the Nazis?
7. Each year, Holocaust Memorial Day is held on the anniversary of which 1945 event?
8. Which 1940s novel begins with the line ‘it was a bright, cold day in April and the clocks were striking 13’?
9. What country was Ingrid Bergman, one of the biggest stars of the 1940s, born in?
10. Who popularised the Christmas song Rudolpht he Red-Nosed Reindeer with his hit single in 1949?

Round 4: Medium 1940s Trivia Questions and Answers

1. What did George de Mestral invent in June 1940 after his dog came in from a walk covered in burs? Velcro
2. Who played the Adolf Hitler parody character in the 1940 satire The Great Dictator? Charlie Chaplin
3. What protective accessory designed for the US air-force became one of the biggest fashion trends of the 1940s? Aviator sunglasses
4. Which superhero were marvel fans first introduced to in 1941? Captain America
5. Which movie starring Orson Wells and Joseph Cotten won nine Oscars at the 1942 Academy Awards? Citizen Kane
6. Which city would you travel to visit the attic where Anne Frank and her family hid from the Nazis? Amsterdam
7. Each year, Holocaust Memorial Day is held on the anniversary of which 1945 event? The Liberation of Auschwitz 
8. Which 1940s novel begins with the line ‘it was a bright, cold day in April and the clocks were striking 13’? 1984
9. What country was Ingrid Bergman, one of the biggest stars of the 1940s, born in? Sweden
10. Who popularised the Christmas song Rudolpht he Red-Nosed Reindeer with his hit single in 1949? Gene Autry

Round 5: Hard 1940s Trivia Questions

1. What was the second most populous city in the United States in 1940?
2. Before they were cancelled, which city was supposed to host the 1940 Summer Olympic Games?
3. What were hamburgers marketed as during WWII to avoid connotations with Germany?
4. Which 1944 Glenn Miller song starts with the lines ‘Feelin’ low/ Rockin’ slow’?
5. Who played the titular character in the 1946 movie Gilda?
6. The world’s longest running TV show first aired in 1947. What show is it?
7. What was done for the first time in history by Charles Yeager in 1947 in a Bell X-1 aircraft?
8. Which motor sports league began at Dayton Beach in 1948?
9. What was Sri Lanka known as when it first became independent in 1948?
10. Released in 1949, the Ferrantini Mark 1 was the world’s first commercially available what?

Round 5: Hard 1940s Trivia Questions and Answers

1. What was the second most populous city in the United States in 1940? Chicago
2. Before they were cancelled, which city was supposed to host the 1940 Summer Olympic Games? Tokyo
3. What were hamburgers marketed as during WWII to avoid connotations with Germany? Liberty Steaks
4. Which 1944 Glenn Miller song starts with the lines ‘Feelin’ low/ Rockin’ slow’? Tuxedo Junction
5. Who played the titular character in the 1946 movie Gilda? Rita Hayworth
6. The world’s longest running TV show first aired in 1947. What show is it? Meet the Press
7. What was done for the first time in history by Charles Yeager in 1947 in a Bell X-1 aircraft? Break the sound barrier 
8. Which motor sports league began at Dayton Beach in 1948? NASCAR
9. What was Sri Lanka known as when it first became independent in 1948? Ceylon
10. Released in 1949, the Ferrantini Mark 1 was the world’s first commercially available what? Computer

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