Booklet 3

Question 1

Name two new fortifications built by the British in Malta.

Answer 1

: The Victoria Lines and Fort Rinella.

Question 2

What is the significance of the Victoria Lines?

Answer 2

: The Victoria Lines bisect Malta along the Great Fault and were built to divide northern Malta from the rest of the island, covering 12 kilometers.

Question 3

What was the defensive value of the Victoria Lines?

Answer 3

: The defensive value of the Victoria Lines was uncertain, as shown by military exercises in
1900. Besides the coastal forts, the lines were eventually abandoned.

Question 4

Where was Fort Rinella built?

Answer 4

Fort Rinella was built in Kalkara, Malta, between 1878 and 1886.

Question 5

What type of cannon did Fort Rinella house?

Answer 5

Fort Rinella housed one of two remaining
100-ton Armstrong cannons, with an effective range of around 6.5 km.

Question 6

Why was Fort Rinella built at its specific location?

Answer 6

It was built at the eastern mouth of the Grand Harbour to counter the threat posed by the Italian battleships Duilio and Dandolo.

Question 7

What was Fort Rinella used for after the cannon was retired?

Answer 7

: After the cannon was retired, Fort Rinella became an observation post for the guns at Fort Ricasoli and later served as a supply depot during World War II.

Question 8

When was Fort Cambridge built and what was its purpose?

Answer 8

Fort Cambridge was built between 1878 and 1886 for the same purpose as Fort Rinella, to house a 100-ton Armstrong gun.

Question 9

Why were the Victoria Lines, Fort Ricasoli, and Fort Cambridge partly hidden when originally built?

Answer 9

They were partly underground, surrounded by low walls, ditches, and casemates to camouflage them with the terrain.

Question 10

Why did the 100-ton cannons at Fort Rinella and Fort Cambridge become obsolete?

Answer 10

Technological advances like muzzle-loaded guns being replaced by faster-firing breach-loaded guns and the development of airplanes and powerful battleships made them obsolete.

Answer 11

Technological advances like muzzle-loaded guns being replaced by faster-firing breach-loaded guns and the development of airplanes and powerful battleships made them obsolete.

Question 12

What is the significance of St. Paul’s Anglican Pro-Cathedral in Valletta?

Answer 12

St. Paul’s Anglican Pro-Cathedral was built on the site of the Auberge d’Allemagne to serve the Anglican Church for the British.

Question 13

When and where did Neo-Classical
architecture emerge?

Answer 13

Neo-Classical architecture emerged in Italy and France in the mid-18th century as a reaction
against Baroque and Rococo styles.

Question 14

What inspired Neo-Classical architecture?

Answer 14

Neo-Classical architecture was inspired by the archeological excavations of Roman cities like Pompeii and Herculaneum in the mid-1700s.

Question 15

What is special about the Mosta Rotunda
Church (Mosta Dome)?

Answer 15

The Mosta Rotunda Church, inspired by the Pantheon in Rome, has the third-largest unsupported dome in the world. It narrowly avoided destruction in World War II when a bomb landed inside but failed to explode.

Question 16

Who introduced Neo-Gothic architecture to Malta?

Answer 16

Emmanuele Luigi Galizia introduced Neo-Gothic architecture to Malta, and Andrea Vassallo was influenced by him, building Casa Gourgion in this style.

Question 17

What event triggered the First World War?

Answer 17

The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary on June 28, 1914, by a Serbian nationalist triggered the war.

Question 18

What were the long-term causes of the First World War?

Answer 18

The long-term causes included nationalism, militarism (arms race), and imperialism (countries seeking to expand their empires).

Question 19

How did the First World War escalate after the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand?

Answer 19

After the assassination, Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia, Russia supported Serbia, Germany declared war on Russia and France, and Britain joined the war after Germany invaded Belgium.

Question 20

What type of warfare was commonly used during the First World War?

Answer 20

Trench warfare, where soldiers fought from long, narrow ditches called trenches, was commonly used.

Question 21

What were some of the major battles of the First World War?

Answer 21

Major battles included the Battle of the Marne, the Battle of Verdun, and the Battle of the Somme.

Question 22

How did new technology affect the First World War?

Answer 22

New weapons like fighter and bomber aircraft, tanks, machine guns, and poison gas made the war more deadly.

Question 23

What happened in 1917 during the First World War?

Answer 23

The United States joined the war, strengthening the Allies, while Russia left the war due to the Russian Revolution.

Question 24

When did the First World War end, and what treaty followed?

Answer 24

The war ended on November 11, 1918, and the peace treaty was the Treaty of Versailles, signed on June 28, 1919.

Question 25

What were the political consequences of the First World War?

Answer 25

The war led to the fall of many empires (Austro-Hungarian, Ottoman, Russian, and German) and the creation of new countries like Czechoslovakia, Poland, and Yugoslavia.

Question 26

What were the economic effects of the First World War? •

Answer 26

The war caused massive debts and economic problems. The Treaty of Versailles imposed heavy reparations on Germany, leading to resentment and contributing to the rise of Adolf Hitler.

Question 27

Was Malta attacked during the First World

Answer 27

No, Malta was not attacked during the First World War, but it was an important military and naval base for the Allies.

Question 28

How did Malta contribute to medical efforts during the First World War?

Answer 28

Malta became the "Nurse of the Mediterranean," with hospitals, barracks, and schools turned into military hospitals for injured soldiers, and many Maltese served as nurses and attendants.

Question 29

What was the first trade union in Malta, and when was it established?

Answer 29

The first trade union in Malta, the GGWU (Government General Workers Union), was set up in 1916.

Question 30

What were the economic impacts of the First World War on Malta?

Answer 30

German submarine warfare caused shortages of essential goods, leading to price hikes, especially in bread, which tripled in price, hurting the lower classes.

Question 31

What was the Camera del Lavoro, and what did it lead to?

Answer 31

The Camera del Lavoro was a workers' organization formed during the fear of unemployment. It eventually organized into the Labour Party.

Question 32

What were the long-term causes of the Second World War?

Answer 32

The Treaty of Versailles, the rise of totalitarian regimes in Germany, Italy, and Japan, and the failure of the League of Nations and appeasement policies contributed to the outbreak of the war.

Question 33

What short-term cause triggered the outbreak of the Second World War?

Answer 33

The invasion of Poland by Germany on September 1, 1939, prompted Britain and France to declare war on Germany.

Question 34

What was the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact, and how did it impact the Second World War?

Answer 34

The Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact was a nonaggression treaty between Germany and the Soviet Union, allowing Germany to invade Poland without fear of Soviet intervention.

Question 35

What was Blitzkrieg, and how did it affect the Second World War?

Answer 35

Blitzkrieg ("lightning war") was a rapid expansion of German forces across Europe, quickly overwhelming many countries.

Question 36

What was Operation Husky, and what was its outcome?

Answer 36

Operation Husky was an amphibious assault on Sicily in 1943 that led to the fall of Mussolini's regime and Italy's surrender.

Question 37

What role did the Mediterranean Theatre play in the Second World War?

Answer 37

The Mediterranean Theatre involved key battles in North Africa and Southern Europe, with significant events like the North African Campaign and the invasion of Italy.

Question 38

What was "Operation Herkules"?

Answer 38

Operation Herkules was the German plan to invade Malta during the summer of 1941, but it was postponed indefinitely when Germany invaded the USSR (Operation Barbarossa) in July 1941.

Question 39

What challenges did Malta face during the Second World War, particularly in 1942?

Answer 39

Malta faced incessant raids and attacks, including air raids and convoy disruptions. Despite this, the island held out due to British reinforcements, the resilience of the Maltese, and key missions like Operation Pedestal.

Question 40

How did the war affect Malta's infrastructure and population?

Answer 40

Malta became the most bombed place relative to its size during the war. Thousands of buildings, including 35,000 houses, were destroyed or damaged. Many people migrated to rural areas, and housing shortages persisted post-war.

Question 41

What were the long-term effects of the bombings on Malta's urban areas?

Answer 41

The war's bombings led to significant destruction in towns like Valletta and the Three Cities. Many streets were blocked with rubble, and the population of these towns decreased significantly, never recovering fully after the war.

Question 42

How did the War Damage Commission of 1945 help the people of Malta?

Answer 42

The War Damage Commission provided £20 million for rebuilding, which was beyond Malta's financial capacity. People could apply for compensation from the War Damage Fund to help rebuild homes and infrastructure.

Question 43

What was the effect of food scarcities on the Maltese population during the war?

Answer 43

The food scarcities led to high prices, hunger, and the creation of a black market. Many people were slowly starving due to the lack of food and fuel for cooking.

Question 44

How did Malta prepare for economic diversification after the war?

Answer 44

Malta prepared for economic diversification by investing in general education and technical training, especially to support manufacturing industries that grew in the 1950s and 60s.