Directions

Welcome to the interactive viewing guide for The Century: America's Time - Civilians at War (1941-1945). This documentary explores the collapse of the distinction between soldiers and civilians during World War II, examining the horrors of the Blitz, the Holocaust, and the strategic bombing of cities.

Instructions:

Complete the Identity Panel above to unlock the navigation.

Watch the documentary via the link provided in the sidebar.

Answer the 15 multiple-choice questions sequentially across the three parts.

Your progress is saved locally. Click FINISHED at the end of Part III to grade and save your final submission.

Part I: The Dawn of Total War

1. What was the 76-night German bombing campaign against London in 1940 called?

A. The Siege of London B. The Blitz C. Operation Sea Lion D. The Great Fire

2. According to the video, what "long-established principle of civilized combat" collapsed during World War II?

A. The prohibition of chemical weapons B. The immunity of neutral shipping C. The distinction between soldiers and civilians D. The safe treatment of prisoners of war

3. Pablo Picasso's masterpiece "Guernica" was created to portray the horror of an attack on a civilian town in which country?

A. Spain B. Poland C. France D. Austria

4. What was Adolf Hitler's primary racial objective regarding the Slavic people of Eastern Europe?

A. To integrate them into the Third Reich as citizens B. To enslave them as a racially inferior labor force C. To form a military alliance against the Soviet Union D. To help them establish independent democratic states

5. What was the first action taken by German "killing squads" against Jewish men in occupied Soviet towns?

A. They were registered for a census B. They were ordered to report to the center of town and shot C. They were immediately deported to Berlin D. They were forced to build defensive trenches

Part II: The Killing Machine

6. What was the name of the specially trained killing squads that followed the German army into conquered territories?

A. The Luftwaffe B. The Einsatzgruppen C. The Gestapo D. The Wehrmacht

7. In January 1942, Nazi officials organized a plan to eliminate all European Jews, which they referred to as:

A. The Final Solution B. Operation Barbarossa C. The New Order D. The Aryan Restoration

8. During the 900-day Siege of Leningrad, what "slender lifeline" allowed some food and supplies to reach the starving city?

A. An underground subway tunnel B. Convoys across the frozen Lake Ladoga C. Secret parachute drops by the British D. A trade deal with the German commanders

9. Which phrase was emblazoned on the gates of Auschwitz to deceive arriving prisoners about the nature of the camp?

A. Welcome to the New Germany B. Arbeit Macht Frei (Work Makes You Free) C. For the Glory of the State D. Equality for All Workers

10. Under the starvation rations of Auschwitz, Nazi scientists calculated that a slave laborer's body would typically give out after:

A. One month B. Half a year C. Two years D. Five years

Part III: The Road to Apocalypse

11. What was the name of the 1937 massacre in China where Japanese soldiers killed nearly 200,000 civilians and raped thousands of women?

A. The Fall of Beijing B. The Rape of Nanjing C. The Shanghai Raid D. The Manchurian Incident

12. On the island of Saipan, why did hundreds of Japanese civilians commit suicide by jumping off cliffs?

A. They were ordered to do so by the Emperor personally B. They were convinced that American soldiers were savages who would rape and murder them C. There was no food or water left on the island D. They believed they would be reincarnated as gods

13. What was the Japanese term used for "the shattering of a jewel" — the idea that the entire population should perish for honor?

A. Kamikaze B. Bushido C. Gyokusai D. Banzai

14. Which German city, known as a cultural center, was destroyed by massive Allied firebombing in February 1945, killing 50,000 people?

A. Berlin B. Munich C. Dresden D. Hamburg

15. For the first time in history, at the Nuremberg and Tokyo trials, national leaders were held responsible for:

A. Economic mismanagement B. Failure to win the war C. Crimes against humanity D. Breaking diplomatic treaties