Every Book Back multiple-choice question from Outbreak of World War II and its Impact in Colonies (12th Standard History, Samacheer Kalvi) — each with the correct option highlighted and a clear, worked explanation. Free to read in English and Tamil.
Q1
Which one of the following was not the cause for the outbreak of Second World War?
- A. The unjust nature of the terms of Peace with Germany
- B. Failure of the League of Nations
- C. Economic Depression of 1930s
- D. National Liberation Movements in ColoniesCorrect
Explanation. The lesson lists the unjust peace treaty, the failure of the League of Nations and the Depression of the 1930s as causes. Colonial liberation struggles intensified after the war, as its result.
Q2
The Kellogg-Briand Pact was signed in the year
- A. 1927
- B. 1928Correct
- C. 1929
- D. 1930
Explanation. The Kellogg-Briand Pact of 1928 pledged the nations of the world to renounce war as an instrument of national policy. The US took part though it was not a League member.
Q3
Assertion (A): A Disarmament Conference was organised by the League of Nations at Geneva.
Reason (R): The matter came up for deliberation was Germany's rearmament plan on a par with France.
- A. Both A and R are correct. R explains ACorrect
- B. Both A and R are correct. R does not explain A
- C. A is correct but R is wrong
- D. A is wrong but R is correct
Explanation. When Hitler came to power in 1933 the League organised a Disarmament Conference at Geneva, and the issue before it was the German rearmament plan on a par with France. R explains A.
Q4
In which year did Japan invade and seize Manchuria from China?
- A. 1931Correct
- B. 1932
- C. 1933
- D. 1934
Explanation. In 1931 Japan reacted to the global economic crisis by seizing the northern Chinese region of Manchuria, so that it could serve as a market for Japanese goods.
Q5
__________ emerged as the most powerful industrial country in continental Europe towards the close of nineteenth century.
- A. France
- B. Spain
- C. GermanyCorrect
- D. Austria
Explanation. The lesson calls Germany the most powerful industrial country in continental Europe. Having no colonies, German big business campaigned to break the restraints of the Treaty of Versailles.
Q6
Under the terms of the Treaty of Versailles, a plebiscite was to be held in __________ in January 1935.
- A. Sudetenland
- B. Rhineland
- C. SaarCorrect
- D. Alsace
Explanation. A plebiscite was held in the Saar in January 1935 under the Versailles terms. Ninety per cent voted to return to Germany, and the Saar was incorporated into Germany in March 1935.
Q7
Assertion (A): The methods of warfare changed during the Second World War.
Reason (R): Trench warfare had given way to aerial bombing.
- A. Both A and R are correct. R explains ACorrect
- B. Both A and R are correct. R does not explain A
- C. A is correct but R is wrong
- D. A is wrong but R is correct
Explanation. The lesson says the methods of warfare changed in the Second World War because trench warfare gave way to aerial bombing, so no distinction was made between combatants and civilians. R explains A.
Q8
In 1939 Germany signed Non-aggression pact with
- A. Austria
- B. Italy
- C. RussiaCorrect
- D. Britain
Explanation. In August 1939 the Nazi-Soviet (Non-aggression) Pact was signed in the Kremlin. Its secret clauses divided Eastern Europe into German and Russian spheres and provided for the division of Poland.
Q9
Japanese attack on Pearl Harbour was planned by
- A. YamamotoCorrect
- B. Schuschnigg
- C. Kaiser William II
- D. Hirohito
Explanation. The book's answer key gives Yamamoto, the only Japanese naval commander the lesson names as a planner of its Pacific battles. Schuschnigg was the Austrian Chancellor whom Hitler summoned in 1938.
Q10
In August 1942, US forces in the Pacific was commanded by
- A. MacArthurCorrect
- B. Eisenhower
- C. General de Gaulle
- D. George Marshall
Explanation. In August 1942, US forces commanded by MacArthur began to play a prominent role in the Pacific. Eisenhower later led the Allied invasion of France.
Q11
The US navy defeated the Japanese navy in the Battle of
- A. Britain
- B. Guadalcanal
- C. El Alamein
- D. MidwayCorrect
Explanation. The US navy defeated the Japanese navy in the Battle of Midway (4-7 June 1942), which turned the tide in favour of the Allies. Guadalcanal was a combined army and navy offensive.
Q12
German forces suffered their first reverses at
- A. Potsdam
- B. El AlameinCorrect
- C. Stalingrad
- D. Midway
Explanation. At the end of 1942 the Allied cause was saved when German forces suffered their first reverses at El Alamein in north Africa, leading to a German surrender there in May 1943.
Q13
Which one of the following was not a declaration of the Potsdam conference?
- A. East Prussia to be divided into two parts: northern part going to the Soviet Union, and the southern part to Poland.
- B. Poland to receive the former free city of Danzig.
- C. Germany to be divided into four occupation zones to be governed by the USSR, Great Britain, the United States and France
- D. Trieste was to be divided into Zone A and Zone B. Zone A went to Italy, while zone B was awarded to Yugoslavia.Correct
Explanation. The division of Trieste came under the Italian peace treaty and was settled only in 1954. The partition of East Prussia, Danzig to Poland and four occupation zones were Potsdam declarations.
Q14
Which one of the following was not the result of the Second World War?
- A. Second World War was fatal to many European monarchies.
- B. The Labour Party government in Britain established a welfare state.
- C. The struggle against Fascism ended in the triumph of ImperialismCorrect
- D. The United States and Soviet Russia emerged as two super powers in the world.
Explanation. The war weakened the old empires: colonies intensified their struggles and the Age of Empire was ending. Fallen monarchies, Britain's welfare state and two dominant powers were all results.
Q15
Which of the following pairs is correct?
1) General de Gaulle - France
2) Haile Selassie - Ethiopia
3) General Badoglio - Japan
4) Admiral Yamamoto - Italy
- A. 1 and 2Correct
- B. 2 and 3
- C. 3 and 4
- D. All are correct
Explanation. De Gaulle led the Free French army and Haile Selassie was Emperor of Ethiopia. Badoglio headed Italy's government after Mussolini, and Yamamoto was a Japanese admiral, so pairs 3 and 4 are wrong.
Q16
France joined the Second Opium War
- A. to help Britain in the war
- B. to carve out a separate sphere of influence to France
- C. to obtain permission for religious activitiesCorrect
- D. to establish the French rights to engage in opium trade.
Explanation. France joined Britain using the excuse of the murder of a French missionary (February 1856). The Beijing Agreement of 1860 then permitted free movement of foreign missionaries within China. The book's key gives (c).
Q17
The end of Manchu dynasty came in the year
- A. 1908
- B. 1911
- C. 1912Correct
- D. 1916
Explanation. Revolution began in October 1911, but the Edict of Abdication issued on 12 February 1912 made the Manchu (Qing) dynasty vanish from the Chinese political stage.
Q18
The dispute that led to the Spanish-American War in 1898 was on
- A. CubaCorrect
- B. the Philippines
- C. Puerto Rico
- D. Batavia
Explanation. The dispute between America and Spain over America's interest in Cuba snowballed into the Spanish-American War. The US declared war on 25 April 1898.
Q19
Assertion (A): On 4 July 1946 the Philippines became independent.
Reason (R): Philippines joined the US-dominated South East Asian Treaty Organisation.
- A. Both A and R are correct. R explains A
- B. Both A and R are correct. R does not explain ACorrect
- C. A is correct but R is wrong
- D. A is wrong but R is correct
Explanation. After elections in April 1946 the Philippines became independent on 4 July 1946. It joined SEATO later, in 1954, so both are true but R does not explain A.
