WORLD HISTORY TOPIC 11: CAUSES AND EFFECTS OF 20TH CENTURY WARS
This topic focuses on the causes, practice and effects of war in the 20th century. The topic explores the causes of
wars, as well as the way in which warfare was conducted, including types of war, the use of technology, and the
impact these factors had upon the outcome. Examination questions for this topic will require students to make
reference to specific 20th-century wars in their responses, and some examination questions will require discussion
of wars from more than one region of the world. Please note that the suggested examples for this topic include
“cross-regional” wars such as the First and Second World Wars. In examination questions that ask students to
discuss examples of wars from different regions, students may use these wars in a regional context (for example,
the Second World War in the Pacific) but may not then use the same war in a different region (for example, the
Second World War in Europe) in the same response.
Topic
Causes of war
Practices of war and their
impact on the outcome
Effects of war
Prescribed Content
 Economic, ideological, political, territorial and other causes
 Short- and long-term causes
 Types of war: civil wars; wars between states; guerrilla wars
 Technological developments; theatres of war—air, land and sea
 The extent of the mobilization of human and economic resources

The influence and/or involvement of foreign powers
 The successes and failures of peacemaking
 Territorial changes
 Political repercussions
 Economic, social and demographic impact; changes in the role and status of
women
Examples to be examined over two years:
Mexican Revolution (1910–1920); Russian Civil War (1917–1922); First World War (1914–1918); Second World War
(1939–1945); Vietnam (1964–1975); Falklands/Malvinas War (1982);
May 2012:
1. With reference to two examples, each chosen from a different region, assess the factors which helped
and hindered successful guerrilla warfare.
2.
Analyse the economic and social effects of two wars in the second half of the twentieth century.
3.
To what extent were religious issues responsible for the wars between either India and Pakistan (1947–
1971) or Iran and Iraq (1980–1988)?
4.
Analyse the reasons for, and importance of, foreign intervention in one of the following: the Chinese Civil
War (1927–1949); the Spanish Civil War (1936–1939); the Gulf War (1991).
5.
In what ways did advances in technology affect the nature and outcome of warfare in the first half of the
twentieth century?
6.
Assess the importance of each of the following in causing the First or the Second World War: nationalism;
alliances; economic factors.
November 2012
7. “The role of the peace treaties from 1919 to 1920 in causing the Second World War has been greatly
exaggerated.” To what extent do you agree with this statement?
8.
For what reasons, and in what ways, was guerrilla warfare a decisive factor in the outcome of two
twentieth century wars?
9.
Compare and contrast the role of economic factors in the outbreak of two twentieth century wars, each
chosen from a different region.
10. Assess the contribution of foreign intervention to the outcome of either the Spanish Civil War (1936–
1939) or the Nigerian Civil War (1967–1970).
11. Analyse the long-term and short-term causes of either the Nicaraguan Revolution (1976–1979) or the
Iran–Iraq War (1980–1988).
12. In what ways, and for what reasons, did technological developments in air and naval warfare contribute
to victory in two twentieth century wars?
May 2013
13. Assess the role of each of the following in causing the First World War (1914–1918): the desire for
revenge; economic motives; Balkan nationalism.
14. “The length and outcome of the civil war was dependent upon outside involvement.” With reference to
two twentieth century civil wars, to what extent do you agree with this statement?
15. With reference to the period 1919–1939, analyse the factors which hindered the maintenance of
international peace.
16. Analyse the reasons for, and results of, either the Indo-Pakistan wars (1947–1971) or the Iran–Iraq war
(1980–1988).
17. In what ways, and for what reasons, did the role and status of women change as a result of twentieth
century total war?
18. Account for the use of guerrilla warfare in the Chinese Civil War (1927–1949) and estimate its
contribution to Communist victory.
November 2013
19. Analyse the economic and political causes of two civil wars, each chosen from a different region.
20. “The role of alliances in the origin and expansion of the war in 1914 was greatly exaggerated.” With
reference to the First World War, to what extent do you agree with this statement?
21. Why, and with what consequences, was there so little opposition to aggressive expansionism in the
period 1931–1939?
22. Assess the contribution of guerrilla warfare to the outcome of either the Chinese Civil War (1927–1937
and 1946–1949) or the Algerian War (1954–1962).
23. With reference to the period 1945–1965, analyse the factors that helped and hindered attempts to
promote collective security.
24. To what extent was the outcome of either the Falklands/Malvinas War (1982) or the Gulf War (1991)
determined by technological developments?
May 2014
25. With reference to either the Central Powers in the First World War (1914–1918) or the Axis Powers in the
Second World War (1939–1945), to what extent was their defeat the result of poor tactics and strategies?
26. Assess the importance of economic causes in the origins of either the Spanish Civil War (1936–1939) or
the Iran–Iraq War (1980–1988).
27. “Victory was the result of superior technological development.” With reference to either the
Falklands/Malvinas War (1982) or the Gulf War (1991), to what extent do you agree with this statement?
28. Examine the factors that hindered the successful establishment of collective security in either the period
1920–1930 or the period 1945–1955.
29. Evaluate the contribution of external involvement to the outcome of two civil wars, each chosen from a
different region.
30. “The poor military strategy of governments is the principal reason for the success of guerrilla
movements.” With reference to two guerrilla wars of the 20th century, how valid is this statement?
November 2014
31. With reference to one Allied power and one Central Power, examine the reasons for their involvement in
the First World War in 1914.
32. Examine the reasons for, and significance of, foreign intervention in two 20th century civil wars, each
chosen from a different region.
33. Compare and contrast the impact of naval and air power in two 20th century wars before 1945 or two
20th century wars after 1945.
34. Examine the successes and failures of collective security in the 10 years after either the First World War or
the Second World War.
35. Evaluate the importance of religion and economic factors as causes of either the Indo–Pakistan wars
(1947–1949; 1965; 1971) or the Nigerian Civil War (1967–1970).
36. Examine the reasons for, and the consequences of, the war between Iran and Iraq (1980–1988).
May 2015
37. To what extent did total war become the norm during the 20th century?
38. Evaluate the role of technology in prolonging the First World War.
39. Examine the role of revolutionary movements in causing any two conflicts.
40. Compare and contrast the causes of the Nigerian Civil War (1967–1970) and the Nicaraguan Revolution
(1976–1979).
41. To what extent was the peace settlement following the Algerian War (1954–1962) successful?
42. Examine the view that economic problems were the longest lasting results of 20th century wars.
November 2015
43. Discuss the impact of foreign involvement on the outbreak and the course of two civil wars, each chosen
from a different region.
44. To what extent was the failure to maintain collective security after 1930 the most significant cause of the
Second World War?
45. With reference to one war, compare and contrast its social and economic impact on two countries.
46. Examine the role played by political and economic factors in the origins of either the Algerian War (1954–
1962) or the Nicaraguan Revolution (1976–1979).
47. To what extent did religion contribute to the outbreak of the Iran–Iraq War (1980–1988)?
48. With reference to two wars, each chosen from a different region, examine the importance of air warfare
on the outcome of those wars.
May 2016
49. To what extent did ideology contribute to the outbreak and expansion of the Second World War up to
1941?
50. Evaluate the causes and immediate results of the Nicaraguan Revolution (1976–1979).
51. “20th century wars had a significant impact on the role and status of women.” Discuss with reference to
two wars.
52. To what extent did economic issues contribute to the outbreak of two 20th century civil wars?
53. Evaluate the importance of tactics and strategies to the outcome of the Falklands/Malvinas War (1982).
54. With reference to two examples, each from a different region, examine the contribution of resistance
movements to the outcome of war.
November 2016
55. Examine the reasons why some 20th-century wars ended with a peace treaty while others did not.
56. Examine the role of economic factors in causing two wars, each chosen from a different region.
57. “Technological developments were not significant to the outcome of 20th century wars.” Discuss with
reference to two wars.
58. To what extent did guerrilla tactics determine the outcome of either the Algerian War (1954–1962) or the
Chinese Civil War (1946–1949)?
59. With reference to Pakistan’s defeat in the Indo-Pakistan War of 1971, discuss the political consequences
for Pakistan.
60. Discuss the causes of either the Falklands/Malvinas War (1982) or the Gulf War (1991).