The Pacific War to Guadalcanal

Choose an answer from the three choices offered after each question and then "Check Your Answers" at the end of the quiz.

1. Even with 28 submarines, American submarines had a major problem.  What was the problem?

• Torpedoes were defective

• Subs unable to handle long distance commutations

• Subs had a very limited range

 2. On February 23, 1942, a Japanese sub shelled the California coast.  When was the last time a foreign nation attacked the United States mainland?

• 1812

• 1863

• 1917

3. The Japanese attacked Singapore on February 8, 1942.  When did the commander General Arthur Percival surrender?

• February 15, 1942

• March 15, 1942

• April 14, 1942

4. When did President Roosevelt order General Douglas MacArthur to Australia?

• February 11, 1942

• March 11, 1942

• April 11, 1942

5. On April 18, 16 B-25 bombers took off from the deck of the carrier USS Hornet.  These bombers flew 800 miles to drop bombs on the Japanese mainland.  Who commanded the attack?

• Col. James Doolittle

• Maj. Van Johnson

• Col. Spencer Tracy

6. What was the two-day May naval battle with carrier planes fighting each other?  The battle force Japan to abandon their invasion of Port Moresby and the first battle they lost. 

• Battle of Bongo Straits

• Battle of Luzon Harbor

• Battle of the Coral Sea

7. From intercepts and code braking, the U.S. Navy knew of Japanese’s Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto’s plans to attack Midway Island.  The U.S. Navy destroyed the Japanese fleet that attacked Pearl Harbor.  After spotting the Japanese aircraft carriers, how long did it take to accomplish the task?

• 5 minutes

• 5 hours

• 5 days

8. On August 7, the U.S. 1^st Marine Division landed on Guadalcanal.  The marine’s quickly captured the airfield.  What is the name of the airfield after being captured.

• McCain Field

• Henderson Field

• Wright Field

9. The Japanese wanted to delay any American advance on Guadalcanal.  They started using fast destroyers, which would drop supplies on moonless nights.  What did the American’s call this strategy?

• The Moonless Night Campaign

• Tanaka’s Trip

• Tokyo Express

10. When did fighting stop on Guadalcanal?

• February 6, 1943

• February 9, 1943

• February 9, 1945

Check Your Answers

1. Torpedoes were defective

2. 1812

3. February 15, 1942

4. March 11, 1942

5. Col. James Doolittle

6. Battle of the Coral Sea

7. 5 minutes

8. Henderson Field

9. Tokyo Express

10. February 9, 1943