Wars have been a tragic part of human history for thousands of years. While the violence and destruction of war is never anything to celebrate, riddles about wars can be an interesting way to challenge your mind and learn more about history. Below are 97 thought-provoking riddles about different wars throughout time, along with their answers.
Riddles about World War 1
World War 1 was a global war centered in Europe that lasted from 1914 to 1918. It involved all of the world’s great powers at the time, assembled in two opposing alliances: the Allies and the Central Powers. Over 70 million military personnel were mobilized, including 60 million Europeans. Over 9 million combatants and 7 million civilians died as a result of the war. It was one of the deadliest conflicts in history.
Here are some riddles about World War 1:
1. I’m a type of armored fighting vehicle first used during World War 1. I move on tracks instead of wheels and am equipped with machine guns and cannons. What am I?
Answer: A tank.
2. I was a German military tactic used during World War 1 that involved unexpected attacks with the goal of bypassing and surrounding enemy trenches. What am I?
Answer: Blitzkrieg.
3. I was an alliance formed in 1882 between Germany, Austria-Hungary and Italy. I was one of the Central Powers during World War 1. What alliance am I?
Answer: Triple Alliance.
4. We were a series of alliances between the UK, Russia, and France after the signing of the Triple Alliance. We opposed the Central Powers during World War 1. What alliance are we?
Answer: Triple Entente.
5. I was a British luxury ocean liner sunk by a German submarine in 1915, leading to the deaths of over 1,000 passengers and crew. My sinking helped propel the United States to enter World War 1. What ship am I?
Answer: RMS Lusitania.
6. I was a 1917 uprising in Russia that led to the overthrow of the Russian Provisional Government and the establishment of Soviet Power. What am I?
Answer: The Bolshevik Revolution.
7. I was the system of trenches, tunnels, and dugouts built along the Western Front during World War 1. Soldiers lived and fought from within me. What am I?
Answer: Trench warfare.
8. I was a 1918 German offensive launched as an attempt to end the war before American troops could arrive in full force. However, I failed, depleting the last of Germany’s reserves. What was I called?
Answer: Spring Offensive.
9. I was the 1918 battle that marked the start of Germany’s final defeat. Allied forces broke through the Hindenburg Line during me. What battle was I?
Answer: Battle of St Quentin Canal.
10. I was the final Allied offensive on the Western Front during World War 1, leading to the armistice in November 1918. U.S. forces played a major role in me. What was I called?
Answer: The Hundred Days Offensive.
Riddles about World War 2
World War 2 was a global war from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world’s countries forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis powers. It was the most widespread war in history with more than 100 million military personnel mobilized. Incredibly high casualties resulted, including between 70-85 million fatalities, the majority of whom were civilians. It was truly one of the darkest chapters in human history.
Here are some riddles about World War 2:
11. I was the name of Nazi Germany’s plan to invade the United Kingdom during World War 2. Fortunately, I never launched. What was I called?
Answer: Operation Sea Lion.
12. I was the codename for Nazi Germany’s invasion of the Soviet Union during World War 2. I marked a crucial turning point in the war but resulted in huge casualties for both sides. What was I called?
Answer: Operation Barbarossa.
13. We were the masses of civilians forced to flee their homes during World War 2 due to evacuations, ethnic cleansing, deportations, etc. It’s estimated there were over 40 million of us by the war’s end. What were we called?
Answer: Displaced persons.
14. I was one of the primary Axis powers during World War 2. I took control of most of East Asia and Southeast Asia during the war before being defeated by the Allies. What country am I?
Answer: Imperial Japan.
15. I referred to Japanese suicide pilots who would purposefully crash explosive-laden aircraft into Allied warships during World War 2. What was I called?
Answer: Kamikaze.
16. I was one of the most critical battles in World War 2. I raged from December 1944 to January 1945 and halted the last major German offensive of the war. What battle was I?
Answer: Battle of the Bulge.
17. I was the June 1944 operation in which Allied forces landed on the beaches of Normandy, France to begin liberation of Nazi-occupied Western Europe. What was I called?
Answer: D-Day.
18. We were German submarines used extensively during World War 2 to strike Allied convoys. We were able to operate for extended periods underwater. What type of submarines were we?
Answer: U-boats.
19. I was the coded name given to the development of the first atomic bombs during World War 2 by the United States, United Kingdom, and Canada. What was I called?
Answer: The Manhattan Project.
20. I was the 1942-1943 series of battles between Japanese and Allied forces on the island of Guadalcanal. I marked a turning point against Japan’s advance during World War 2. What was I called?
Answer: The Battle of Guadalcanal.
Riddles about the American Civil War
The American Civil War was an internal armed conflict that took place in the United States from 1861 to 1865. It erupted after a long-standing controversy over the enslavement of African Americans and westward expansion into new U.S. territories. Eleven southern slave states declared their secession and formed the Confederate States of America. War broke out when Confederate forces attacked the U.S. Fort Sumter. After four bloody years, the Confederacy surrendered in 1865.
Here are some American Civil War riddles:
21. I was the first major land battle of the American Civil War, resulting in a Confederate victory. I proved that the war would not be won quickly or easily by the North. What battle was I?
Answer: The First Battle of Bull Run.
22. I was one of the leading generals for the South during the American Civil War. I commanded the Army of Northern Virginia from 1862 until my surrender to Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox in 1865. Who am I?
Answer: General Robert E. Lee.
23. I was one of the bloodiest battles of the American Civil War, resulting in more than 23,000 casualties. I halted Robert E. Lee’s first attempt to invade the North. What battle was I?
Answer: The Battle of Antietam.
24. I was a 1863 battle considered the turning point of the American Civil War. Union victory at me ended Robert E. Lee’s second attempt to invade the North. What battle was I?
Answer: The Battle of Gettysburg.
25. We were networks and routes used by African Americans escaping enslavement in the South before and during the Civil War. We helped tens of thousands reach freedom in the North and Canada. What were we called?
Answer: The Underground Railroad.
26. I was one of the most well-known abolitionists who worked on the Underground Railroad during the antebellum period. I helped hundreds of enslaved people escape to freedom. Who am I?
Answer: Harriet Tubman.
27. I was the president of the Confederate States of America for the entirety of its existence during the American Civil War. Who was I?
Answer: Jefferson Davis.
28. We were volunteer infantry units made up of men from the same towns or counties. We maintained strong local ties so soldiers felt loyal to their comrades during the Civil War. What were we called?
Answer: Regiments.
29. I was a Union ironclad warship that fought the Confederate ironclad CSS Virginia during the 1862 Battle of Hampton Roads. Our battle ended in a draw. What ship was I?
Answer: USS Monitor.
30. I was the president of the United States for the entirety of the Civil War. I was determined to preserve the Union at all costs during this conflict. Who was I?
Answer: Abraham Lincoln.
Riddles about the Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was an armed conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1955 to 1975. It was fought between the communist North Vietnamese forces, supported by its communist allies, against the South Vietnamese forces, supported by the United States and anti-communist allies. Over 3 million people died, including over 58,000 American soldiers. It remains one of the longest and most controversial wars involving the United States.
Here are some riddles about the Vietnam War:
31. I was the January 1968 series of surprise attacks by North Vietnamese and Viet Cong forces against towns and cities in South Vietnam during the Tet holiday. I was a military defeat but psychological victory for North Vietnam. What was I called?
Answer: The Tet Offensive.
32. I was the chemical herbicide and defoliant sprayed by U.S. forces over rural areas of Vietnam during the war. I was later found to be toxic, causing serious health issues. What was I called?
Answer: Agent Orange.
33. I was the Buddhist monk who immolated himself in Vietnam in 1963 to protest government persecution of Buddhists under the Catholic leader Ngo Dinh Diem. My death was captured in iconic photos that drew international attention. Who was I?
Answer: Thich Quang Duc.
34. I was a massacre conducted by U.S. Army soldiers on unarmed South Vietnamese civilians in 1968. Over 300 civilians were killed at me. What incident was I?
Answer: The My Lai Massacre.
35. I was the January 1973 peace agreement signed between the United States and North Vietnam that ended direct U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War. What agreement was I?
Answer: The Paris Peace Accords.
36. I was the lead U.S. military strategist during much of the Vietnam War. Some of my aggressive strategies and tactics, like massive bombing campaigns, were controversial. Who was I?
Answer: General William Westmoreland.
37. I was the 1963 coup which deposed and assassinated Ngo Dinh Diem, the first President of South Vietnam. I destabilized South Vietnam and made the situation more vulnerable to communist insurgency. What was I called?
Answer: The Arrest and Assassination of Ngo Dinh Diem.
38. I was the 1968 battle that inflicted massive casualties on both North Vietnamese and U.S. forces. Both sides claimed victory at me. What battle was I?
Answer: The Battle of Khe Sanh.
39. I was a protest march against the Vietnam War held in Washington D.C. in November 1969. I attracted over 500,000 demonstrators. What was I called?
Answer: The Moratorium to End the War in Vietnam.
40. I was the North Vietnamese military campaign launched in March 1972 against South Vietnam. I threatened to completely overrun South Vietnam until massive U.S. airpower beat me back. What was I called?
Answer: The Easter Offensive.
Riddles about the Korean War
The Korean War was fought from 1950 to 1953 between North Korea and South Korea. It began when North Korea invaded South Korea with the goal of reuniting the Korean Peninsula under communism. The United States intervened on South Korea’s behalf under the United Nations Command. China later intervened on North Korea’s behalf. The result was a stalemate and ceasefire at the 38th parallel border.
Here are some riddles about the Korean War:
41. I was the amphibious landing in September 1950 that enabled U.N. forces to break out of the Pusan Perimeter on the southern tip of Korea. I was a major turning point of the war. What was I called?
Answer: The Battle of Inchon.
42. I was the December 1950 campaign in which over 100,000 U.S. and South Korean soldiers were forced to retreat from North Korea in harsh winter conditions. Thousands of troops were killed or captured. What was I called?
Answer: The Battle of Chosin Reservoir.
43. I was the vicious 1950 battle that nearly resulted in U.N. forces being pushed off the Korean peninsula before the Inchon landing. I showed the strength of the North Korean army. What battle was I?
Answer: The Battle of Pusan Perimeter.
44. I was an American POW camp on the Yalu River where hundreds of U.S. soldiers were killed during the Korean War. Survivors said I was the most horrific POW camp they endured. What was I called?
Answer: Camp 5.
45. I was the 1952 battle that finally repelled Chinese forces in Korea after a 2-year stalemate around the 38th parallel. Negotiations led to a ceasefire after me. What battle was I?
Answer: The Battle of Triangle Hill.
46. I was an imaginary boundary separating the communist North from the capitalist South after the Korean War ended. I became symbolic of the Cold War split worldwide. What am I?
Answer: The Korean Demilitarized Zone.
47. I was the communist leader of North Korea from 1948 until his death in 1994. I led North Korea into the Korean War in 1950. Who was I?
Answer: Kim Il-sung.
48. I was the South Korean president whose government was nearly destroyed by North Korea’s invasion in 1950. U.N. forces intervened to save me. Who was I?
Answer: Syngman Rhee.
49. I was the 1951-1953 series of peace talks held at my location to end the Korean War. Talks dragged on for years before the Korean Armistice Agreement. Where was I located?
Answer: Panmunjom.
50. I was an American general who commanded U.N. forces in Korea from 1950-1951. I was later fired by President Truman over disputes in strategy. Who was I?
Answer: General Douglas MacArthur.
Riddles about the Persian Gulf War
The Persian Gulf War was an armed conflict waged in 1990-1991 triggered by Iraq’s invasion and annexation of Kuwait. It involved a United Nations-authorized coalition force led by the United States against Iraq’s forces. Hostilities lasted just a few months before Iraq was defeated and forced to withdraw from Kuwait.
Here are some Persian Gulf War riddles:
51. I was the code name for the U.S.-led air campaign waged against Iraq in January 1991. I decimated Iraq’s military capabilities before a ground invasion. What was I called?
Answer: Operation Desert Storm.
52. I was the powerful Iraqi dictator who ruled from 1979 to 2003. I ordered the invasion of Kuwait in 1990 that led to the Persian Gulf War. Who am I?
Answer: Saddam Hussein.
53. We were trenches and defensive positions dug by Iraqi troops during the Persian Gulf War. However, we failed to thwart the powerful Coalition air offensive. What were we called?
Answer: The Saddam Line.
54. I was the battle that became known as the “Highway of Death” where Allied forces decimated retreating Iraqi forces on a Kuwaiti road in February 1991. What was I called?
Answer: The Battle of Rumaila.
55. I was the code name for the Coalition ground offensive in February 1991 that swiftly ejected Iraqi troops from Kuwait. Resistance quickly collapsed during me. What was I called?
Answer: Operation Desert Sabre.
56. I was an American general who commanded Coalition forces during the Persian Gulf War. I orchestrated the decisive left hook strategy that overwhelmed Iraqi defenses. Who was I?
Answer: General Norman Schwarzkopf.
57. I was the battle in late February 1991 that represented the end of the Persian Gulf War, with most Iraqi units surrendering. What was I called?
Answer: The Battle of Medina Ridge.
58. We were Scud missiles frequently launched by Iraq against Israel and Saudi Arabia during the Gulf War. Our aim was poor, but we spread fear and sometimes caused casualties. What were we called?
Answer: Al Hussein missiles.
59. I was the deadly incident in February 1991 when U.S. bombs struck an underground Iraqi bomb shelter, killing hundreds of civilians. I was a tragic mistake. What incident was I?
Answer: The Amiriyah shelter bombing.
60. I was the withdrawal of Iraqi troops from Kuwait ordered on February 26, 1991 after the U.S. gave a 24-hour deadline. I marked the end of combat in the Gulf War. What was I called?
Answer: The Iraqi retreat from Kuwait.
Riddles about the Iraq War
The Iraq War was a conflict that began with the 2003 U.S.-led invasion of Iraq launched on the pretext that Iraq possessed weapons of mass destruction. However, none were ever found. The invasion quickly toppled Saddam Hussein, but an insurgency emerged against the occupying forces. The war officially ended in 2011 after years of rising casualties and diminishing public support.
Here are some riddles about the Iraq War:
61. I was the March 2003 operation that initiated the U.S. invasion of Iraq and quickly led to the fall of Saddam Hussein. What was I called?
Answer: Operation Iraqi Freedom.
62. I was the dictator of Iraq captured by US forces in December 2003. My capture marked the definitive end of my decades-long oppressive rule. Who am I?
Answer: Saddam Hussein.
63. I was a deck of cards featuring wanted members of Saddam Hussein’s government. U.S. troops used me to identify and capture top regime targets. What was I called?
Answer: The Most-wanted Iraqi playing cards.
64. I was the subgroup of Al-Qaeda that formed in 2004 to fight U.S. forces in Iraq. My brutal tactics and violence against civilians gave me global notoriety. Who am I?
Answer: Al-Qaeda in Iraq (AQI).
65. I was an American general who commanded Multi-National Forces in Iraq from 2007-2008. I implemented the U.S. “troop surge” strategy that reduced violence. Who am I?
Answer: General David Petraeus.
66. I was the November 2004 U.S. military offensive on the Iraqi city of Fallujah to reclaim it from insurgent control. I was the bloodiest battle of the Iraq War. What was I called?
Answer: Operation Phantom Fury.
67. I was the Iraqi city besieged by ISIS in 2014, leading to a genocide against the Yazidi people. The siege lasted until 2017. What city was I?
Answer: Sinjar.
68. I was the Iraqi city captured by ISIS in June 2014, allowing them to seize hundreds of millions in bank funds and declare a caliphate. What city was I?
Answer: Mosul.
69. I was the detention facility operated by the U.S. military near Baghdad where abuse and torture of prisoners occurred in 2003-2006. What was I called?
Answer: Abu Ghraib prison.
70. I was the 2007 incident where private U.S. security guards killed 17 Iraqi civilians. My fallout shined a critical light on private security firms. What was I called?
Answer: Nisour Square massacre.
Riddles about the War in Afghanistan
The War in Afghanistan began in 2001 following the September 11 attacks. U.S. forces invaded Afghanistan to dismantle al-Qaeda and remove the Taliban from power after they refused to turn over Osama Bin Laden. It became the longest war in U.S. history before ending with a chaotic withdrawal in 2021.
Here are some riddles about the war:
71. I was the initial 2001 U.S. military operation in Afghanistan that ousted the Taliban from power after 9/11. What was I called?
Answer: Operation Enduring Freedom.
72. I was the northern Afghan city that was the last Taliban stronghold captured by U.S. forces in 2001, marking their defeat. What city was I?
Answer: Kunduz.
73. We were tribal warlords who backed the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan in 2001 to defeat our enemy, the Taliban. Who were we?
Answer: The Northern Alliance.
74. I was the leader of al-Qaeda and mastermind of the 9/11 attacks. My presence in Afghanistan prompted the U.S. invasion in 2001. Who am I?
Answer: Osama bin Laden.
75. I was the leader of the Taliban in Afghanistan when the U.S. invasion began in 2001. I fled Kabul but continued to lead the Taliban insurgency. Who am I?
Answer: Mullah Mohammed Omar.
76. I was the deadly 2015 U.S. bombing of a Doctors Without Borders hospital in Kunduz which killed 42 people. I showed the increasing risks of the Afghan War. What was I called?
Answer: The Kunduz hospital airstrike.
77. I was the 2017 decision by President Trump to greatly increase U.S. troop levels in Afghanistan to combat the Taliban’s resurgence. What was I called?
Answer: The Afghan Surge.
78. I was the Taliban offensive launched in May-June 2021 that rapidly seized large parts of Afghanistan as foreign troops withdrew. I led to the Taliban takeover. What was I called?
Answer: Operation Fateh.
79. I was the Afghan city that endured a months-long Taliban siege before falling in late 2021, marking their victory. What city was I?
Answer: Kandahar.
80. I was the chaotic and rushed withdrawal of U.S. forces from Afghanistan in August 2021, which was widely seen as a debacle. What was I called?
Answer: Operation Allied Refuge.
Riddles about the Revolutionary War
The Revolutionary War, also called the American Revolutionary War, was fought from 1775 to 1783. It began as a conflict between Great Britain and thirteen of its North American colonies that declared independence as the United States of America. After years of battles across North America, the war ended with the colonies victorious over the British Crown.
Here are some riddles about the Revolutionary War:
81. I was the first major battle of the Revolutionary War, fought in 1775 outside Boston. The British were forced to withdraw after taking heavy losses. What was I called?
Answer: The Battle of Bunker Hill.
82. I crossed the Delaware River on Christmas night 1776 before marching to Trenton, where I achieved a pivotal victory over Hessian forces. Who am I?
Answer: George Washington.
83. I wrote the Declaration of Independence in 1776, which laid out the colonies’ case for independence from Britain. My famous words include “all men are created equal.” Who am I?
Answer: Thomas Jefferson.
84. I was a Polish military engineer who volunteered to fight for the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War. I became known as the Father of the U.S. military engineers. Who was I?
Answer: Tadeusz Kościuszko.
85. We were elite, highly trained German mercenaries that fought for the British during the Revolutionary War. We were known for our fearsome battlefield prowess. Who were we?
Answer: The Hessians.
86. I was the 1777 battle considered a major turning point in the Revolutionary War. British forces were decisively defeated while trying to split the colonies. What battle was I?
Answer: The Battle of Saratoga.
87. I was the last major battle of the Revolutionary War, fought in 1781 in Virginia. My decisive French naval victory trapped British general Cornwallis. What was I called?
Answer: The Battle of the Chesapeake.
88. I was the final major engagement of the Revolutionary War at Yorktown, Virginia in 1781. British forces under Cornwallis surrendered after being surrounded. What was I called?
Answer: The Siege of Yorktown.
89. I was the 1783 treaty that ended the Revolutionary War and formally recognized American independence from Britain. What treaty was I?
Answer: The Treaty of Paris.
90. I was a political protest against British taxation without representation in 1765. I helped ignite resentment that led to the Revolutionary War. What was I called?
Answer: The Stamp Act Congress.
Riddles about the Napoleonic Wars
The Napoleonic Wars were a series of conflicts fought between 1803 to 1815 pitting Napoleon’s French Empire against shifting alliances of European powers. Major battles raged across Europe and even reached the Middle East and Caribbean. The wars ended with Napoleon’s final defeat at Waterloo in 1815.
Here are some Napoleonic War riddles:
91. I was one of history’s greatest military leaders and emperor of France from 1804 until 1815. My conquests reshaped Europe but ultimately ended in defeat. Who am I?
Answer: Napoleon Bonaparte.
92. I was the 1805 French naval defeat where Nelson’s Royal Navy destroyed the French and Spanish fleets off Spain’s Cape Trafalgar. I secured British naval supremacy. What was I called?
Answer: The Battle of Trafalgar.
93. I was the 1812 French invasion of Russia that proved catastrophic when the Russian army retreated, refusing to engage Napoleon. Who was I named for?
Answer: Operation Barbarossa.
94. I was the great 1815 battle where Napoleon’s army was crushed by combined allied forces, ending his rule and the Napoleonic Wars. In what Belgian town did I take place?
Answer: Waterloo.
95. We were a series of metal device used by the French Army between 1792 to 1840. Napoleon used our rapid firing power to gain advantage. What were we called?
Answer: The flintlock musket.
96. I was Napoleon’s massive failed attempt to control Haiti through war from 1801 to 1809. What was I called?
Answer: The Haitian Revolution.
97. I was the “scorched earth” tactic of destroying resources that might benefit the enemy while retreating from a Napoleonic advance. Who was I named after?
Answer: The Russian general Kutuzov.
Conclusion
And those are 97 challenging riddles about wars across history! How many could you correctly solve? Wars have shaped our past in profound ways, and these riddles provide an intriguing glimpse into their key events, figures, and turning points. Although war is tragic, reflecting on it through puzzles allows us to honor those who endured it and learn important history lessons to carry forward. I hope you enjoyed this massive collection of war riddles and their answers.
