World War 1
This 1915 campaign is one of the most well-known events involving Australian soldiers in WWI.
Gallipoli
Who was the leader of Germany at the beginning of World War II?
Adolf Hitler
April 25.
What was it called to limit how much food and goods people could buy during the war?
Rationing
What was the role of the Australian Army Nursing Service during the wars?
To provide medical care to soldiers on the battlefield and in military hospitals.
The Australian military force served overseas in WWI as part of the AIF. What does 'AIF' stand for?
AIF = Australian Imperial Force.
1939 marked the beginning of World War II. Australia entered the war after which two countries declared war on Germany?
Britain and France
What is the name of the flower worn to remember soldiers who died in war? What is the colour of this flower?
Poppies are used in commemoration. They are usually red.
What is propaganda, and how was propaganda used to influence public opinion about the wars in Australia?
Propaganda is information, posters, or media designed to persuade people to think or act a certain way. During the wars in Australia, it was used to:
- Encourage people to join the military
- Promote rationing and fundraising for the war effort
- Influence citizens to support the government and the war
- Shape attitudes about the enemy
Which two Australian cities were main departure points for troops heading to the Middle East in WWI?
Melbourne or Sydney
Name three types of warfare/weapons that were used during WWI.
- Trench warfare
- Machine guns
- Poison gas
- Artillery (heavy guns)
- Rifles
- Bayonets
During World War II, millions of Jews and other groups were systematically persecuted and killed by the Nazis in what is now called the Holocaust. Name three groups, besides Jewish people, that were targeted.
Answers could include:
- Romani people (Gypsies)
- Disabled people
- Political opponents
- Homosexuals
- Jehovah’s Witnesses
- Communists
- Criminals
- Long-term unemployed
What does ANZAC stand for?
Australian and New Zealand Army Corps
Many Australians contributed to the war effort from home. Name three ways civilians on the homefront supported soldiers or the military.
Answers could include:
- Working in factories
- Fundraising
- Volunteering
- Sending care packages to soldiers
- Collecting materials such as scrap metal, rubber, or paper
- Growing “victory gardens” to increase food production
Where is the Kokoda Track, and why did Australian soldiers fight there during World War II?
The Kokoda Track is in Papua New Guinea, and Australian soldiers fought there to stop the Japanese advance toward Port Moresby and protect Australia from invasion.
Armistice ended the fighting in World War I on November 11, 1918, but it did not officially end the war. Name the treaty that formally ended the war, when it was signed, and explain how Germany was treated in that treaty.
The Treaty of Versailles was signed in 1919. Germany was blamed for the war and punished with harsh terms, including loss of land, limits on the military, and paying reparations.
- The widely accepted historical account of what happened to Hitler and when.
- Two other conspiracy theories about what happened to Hitler
The widely accepted theory is that Hitler committed suicide in his Berlin bunker in April 1945. Other conspiracy theories include he used body doubles or that he escaped to South America.
Name four values associated with the ANZAC legend.
Mateship, courage, loyalty and endurance.
During the wars, the government controlled what information could be shared in newspapers, radio, and letters to soldiers.
1. What is this called
2. Why was it done?
3. Name an example of how it was done here in Australia.
Censorship was used to protect military secrets, maintain morale, and prevent the enemy from learning sensitive information. Censorship was seen in the editing of soldier's letters back home - parts were either cut or blacked out.
Name three ways Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people contributed to Australia’s war efforts in WWI or WWII. Make a comment on whether they were recognised for their efforts the same way non-Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander people who served were recognised.
They contributed by:
- Serving in the armed forces (as soldiers, trackers, or scouts)
- Working on the homefront (factories, farms, or volunteer roles)
- Supporting military campaigns in local regions
They unfortunately were not recognised in the same way until much later on.
Place these five key events of the Gallipoli Campaign in the correct chronological order:
- Trench warfare begins
- Australian and New Zealand troops land at Gallipoli
- Poor planning leads to heavy casualties
- Evacuation of Allied troops
- Ottoman forces strongly defend the coastline
1. Australian and New Zealand troops land at Gallipoli (April 1915)
2. Ottoman forces strongly defend the coastline
3. Poor planning leads to heavy casualties
4. Trench warfare begins
5. Evacuation of Allied troops (December 1915)
Put these key events of World War II and the Holocaust in the correct chronological order:
- Germany invades Poland
- Formation of the Einsatzgruppen (mobile killing units)
- Warsaw Ghetto established
- Liberation of Auschwitz
- Hitler becomes Chancellor of Germany
1. Hitler becomes Chancellor of Germany (1933)
2. Germany invades Poland (1939)
3. Warsaw Ghetto established (1940)
4. Formation of the Einsatzgruppen (1941)
5. Liberation of Auschwitz (1945)
Describe how Australians commemorate ANZAC Day. Include five activities or traditions in your answer.
Australians commemorate ANZAC Day by:
- Attending dawn services or memorial ceremonies
- Laying wreaths at war memorials
- Observing a minute of silence
- Watching parades or ceremonies on television
- Wearing a poppy to remember fallen soldiers
The homefront refers to the part of a country not fighting on the battlefield. Name five ways that life was affected by war on the homefront.
Life was affected by:
- Rationing of food and goods
- Propaganda and censorship
- Women and children taking on new roles
- Fundraising and volunteering efforts
- Fear, loss, and anxiety about loved ones at war
Name five conflicts or wars that Australia has been involved in since the end of World War II.
Any five of the following:
- Korean War (1950–1953)
- Vietnam War (1962–1975)
- Gulf War (1990–1991)
- East Timor (1999–2000 peacekeeping/INTERFET)
- Afghanistan (2001–2021)
- Iraq (2003–2011)
- Solomon Islands (2003–2017, peacekeeping)
- Bougainville (peacekeeping 1990s–2000s)