Tasmanian Secondary Assessment Board
Tasmanian Certificate of Education
External Assessment
1998
HS835 TWENTIETH CENTURY HISTORY
Time: Three Hours
On the basis of your performance in this examination, the examiners will provide a rating of A, B, C or
D on each of the following criteria taken from the syllabus statement:
Criterion 4Use evidence to support interpretations of the past.
Criterion 5Communicate in a clear and coherent manner.
Criterion 6Demonstrate an understanding of the nature of historical debate.
Criterion 9Recall specific factual knowledge relevant to the modern world (to
twentieth century history).
Criterion 10
Pages:
Questions:
Attachment:
©
Demonstrate an ability to analyse historical sources.
6
11
Source Material for Section C
Copyright for part(s) of this examination may be held by individuals and/or organisations other than the Tasmanian
Secondary Assessment Board.
HS835 Twentieth Century History
INSTRUCTIONS TO CANDIDATES
There are THREE sections A, B and C.
Candidates should answer THREE questions, ONE from each section. Note that in Section C there
is no choice of question.
Answer each question in a separate answer book.
It is suggested that candidates should spend no more than ONE HOUR on any section of the paper.
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HS835 Twentieth Century History
SECTION A
The World at War
This section assesses Criteria 5, 6 and 9.
Answer ONE question only from this section.
Question 1
(a)
According to E. J. Hobsbawn some 5000 books have been written about the murder of the
Archduke in June 1914. Historians have written these books to explain how, within five weeks
of that event, Europe found itself at war.
Explain why historians still argue about who or what caused the war. Support your response
with evidence.
OR
(b)
‘It was a peace of vengeance. It reeked with injustice.’
Sir Philip Gibbs, British Diplomat, 1929
With reference to the aims of the signatories and the treaties concluded, what evidence is there to
support this assessment of the Versailles and other agreements?
Question 2
(a)
According to Gordon Craig, World War II began when Hitler’s armies invaded Poland. This
comment does not wholly satisfy a significant number of historians as being an adequate
assessment of the reasons for the global war called World War II. Suggest why this should be
so.
OR
(b)
The Allied Powers found that organisation, strategy and heroism in the face of the enemy were
essential to the defeat of Germany and Japan.
Do you agree or disagree with this proposition? Support your point of view with reference to
the conduct of the war, in all theatres, up to August 1945.
Question 3
(a)
Account for the origins of the Cold War. Explain why historians have reinterpreted the origins
and causes of the Cold War.
OR
(b)
Select a significant issue or event from the period 1948 to 1975 that you consider illustrates the
nature of the Cold War between the Super Powers, the USSR and the USA. Explain how and
why the Super Powers sought to advance their aims and policies through involvement in this
issue or event. What was the outcome for each of the Super Powers?
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HS835 Twentieth Century History
SECTION B
Societies Between the Wars/Nationalism
This section assesses Criteria 4, 5 and 9.
Answer ONE question only from this section.
Question 4
(a)
In January 1918 Lenin dissolved the Assembly. No-one was in a position to protest effectively
against this measure because the Bolsheviks had a monopoly of force in the country. How had
this happened? Examine why the Bolsheviks were able to seize power in 1917. Explain how the
Bolsheviks were able to consolidate their power and defeat their enemies by 1922.
OR
(b)
‘Immense as was the waste of human life, energy and of materials, the achievement, too, was
enormous.’
Isaac Deutcher, Stalin
Does an examination of the Stalin era support or refute this statement? Use evidence to support
your response.
Question 5
(a)
Between 1911 and 1949 traditional Chinese values and institutions were challenged by
revolutionary nationalism and communism. Explain how the Chinese Communist Party was
eventually successful in claiming unquestioned authority over all of China. Provide supporting
evidence for your answer.
OR
(b)
What were the major developments in the People’s Republic of China between 1949–1976?
Support your answer with evidence.
Question 6
(a)
Reischauer calls the 1920s the ‘liberal’ twenties. To what extent does an investigation of
Japanese politics, social and economic change in the period 1918–1937 support this view?
OR
(b)
‘Given their ideas, their traditions and their position within the government, the military were the
obvious leaders for the reaction to the 1920s.’
Reischauer, Japan: The Story of a Nation
Do you think that this comment explains why Japan became a military dictatorship from the
1930s until 1945? Support your view with evidence.
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HS835 Twentieth Century History
Question 7
(a)
‘In the twentieth century proponents of empire have commonly underestimated the power of
nationalism. This misjudgment is nowhere more evident than in the recent history of Vietnam.’
Hugh Higgins, Vietnam
To what extent was the victory of the Vietnamese Communists due to the misjudgments and
mistakes of their opponents?
OR
(b)
What problems faced the communist state of Vietnam in 1975? How successful or otherwise
has been the reconstruction of Vietnam?
Question 8
(a)
Successive Afrikaner Nationalist Governments from 1948 (Malan) rigorously pursued the
policy of apartheid. Examine the application of this policy in South Africa. Assess its success
or otherwise and suggest why from 1978 (Botha) it began to collapse and with it Afrikaner
domination of South Africa.
OR
(b)
Identify the significant black nationalist movements that have developed in South Africa since
early this century. Comment on the success or otherwise of these movements in the achievement
of their aims and the factors that have united or divided them.`
Question 9
(a)
Outline the rise of the Jewish nationalist movements from 1919 to the proclamation of the nation
of Israel in 1948. Describe the significant difficulties encountered by the nationalist movements
during this period and explain the measures they took to overcome them.
OR
(b)
Identify the significant features in the development of Arab nationalism since 1945? To what
extent has Arab nationalism achieved its objectives? Support your response with reference to
specific issues.
Question 10
(a)
Discuss and comment upon the leadership, policies and problems encountered by the Irish
nationalist movement from the beginning of the century to 1949. Explain why the nationalists
did not achieve Republican control over all of Ireland.
OR
(b)
Critically examine the course of Irish nationalism from 1969 to the present. Make particular
reference to the policies and strategies employed by the nationalist movements and assess their
success or otherwise.
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HS835 Twentieth Century History
SECTION C
The Cold War
This section assesses Criteria 4 and 10.
Refer to each of the sources A–I in the attachment.
Question 11
Note:
In answering Question 11, the information used from the sources has to be
supported by an explanation of how the answer was reached. Each part of the
question has been accorded a points value to show how much time you should spend
on it. Note that not all parts of Question 11 will assess both Criteria 4 and 10.
Answer ALL parts of the question.
(a)
Compare sources A and B.
(2 points)
(b)
In what way is Source B supported by interpretation of Sources G and D?
(4 points)
(c)
To what extent does Source C support the sentiment in Source F? How reliable do you consider
these sources to be?
(4 points)
(d)
How useful and reliable would historians find Source D?
(4 points)
(e)
Examine Source H. To what extent is the message at odds with Sources A and E?
(4 points)
(f)
What conclusions about the Cold War do you reach from reading Source I? In your response
comment on Source I in relation to other sources.
(6 points)
Total: 24 points
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Tasmanian Secondary Assessment Board
Tasmanian Certificate of Education
External Assessment
1998
HS835 TWENTIETH CENTURY HISTORY
ATTACHMENT
SOURCE MATERIAL
FOR SECTION C
PLEASE REFER TO THIS ATTACHMENT WHEN
ANSWERING QUESTION 11
Pages:
6
HS835 Twentieth Century History – Attachment
SOURCE A
An Englishman
An American
A Russian
‘And now let’s learn to live together!’
American Cartoon, 1945
SOURCE B
The real peace treaty we now need is between the United States and Russia. On our part,
we should recognise that we have no more business in the political affairs of Eastern
Europe than Russia has in the political affairs of Latin America, Western Europe and the
United States. We may not like what Russia does in Eastern Europe. Her type of land
reform, industrial expropriation, and suppression of basic liberties offends the great
majority of the people of the United States. But whether we like it or not the Russians will
try to socialise their sphere of influence just as we try to democratise our sphere of
influence ...
Source:
H. Wallace, US Secretary of Commerce, in a 1946 speech.
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HS835 Twentieth Century History – Attachment
SOURCE C
It cannot be said that the USA is one of those states which suffered serious material
damage in the war. We are glad this did not happen to our ally, though we ourselves
have had to go through trying times, the results of which will take us long years to heal.
It would, in practice, mean the economic enslavement of the small countries and their rule
by strong, rich foreign firms, banks and industrial companies. Was this what we fought
for when we battled against the fascist invaders, the Hitlerite and Japanese imperialists?
Source:
From a speech by Soviet Foreign Minister V. M. Molotov at the Paris Peace Conference, 10
October 1946.
SOURCE D
To Russia
‘A Peep Under the Iron Curtain’
British Cartoon, 1946
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HS835 Twentieth Century History – Attachment
SOURCE E
Our policy is directed not against any country or doctrine but against hunger, poverty,
desperation and chaos. Its purpose should be the revival of a working economy in the
world so as to permit the emergence of political and social conditions in which free
institutions can exist. Such assistance, I am convinced, must not be on a piecemeal basis as
various crises develop. Any assistance that this government may develop in the future
should provide a cure rather than a mere palliative*.
*palliative – something which lessens the problem but does not cure it.
Source:
Extract from a speech by US Secretary of State, George C. Marshall, announcing the Marshall
Plan on 5 June 1947.
SOURCE F
The so-called Truman doctrine is a particularly glaring example of the way in which the
principles of the United Nations are violated, of the way in which the United Nations is
ignored. The United States has moved towards giving up the idea of international
cooperation and joint action by the great powers. It has tried to force its will on other
independent countries, whilst at the same time obviously using the money distributed as
relief to needy countries as an instrument of political pressure.
Source:
Speech at the United Nations on 18 September 1947 by Andrei Vyshinsky, Soviet Deputy
Minister for Foreign Affairs.
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HS835 Twentieth Century History – Attachment
SOURCE G
NOSES LEFT!
‘Noses left!’ orders headmistress Molotov (Soviet Foreign Minister) when her young ladies (the
Russian satellites) are attracted by the tempting smell of Marshall Aid. A Low cartoon of 1947.
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HS835 Twentieth Century History – Attachment
SOURCE H
‘Put that in your pipe and smoke it.’
American Cartoon, 1947
SOURCE I
The destruction of the Berlin Wall in late 1989 marked, in a symbolic way, the beginning of
the end of the Cold War, at least insofar as that era in modern history is defined as an
ideological and geopolitical struggle between the Soviet Union and the United States,
between Russia and the West. That great event, which set the stage for the reunification
of Germany and the end of the Soviet empire in Eastern Europe, had earlier been
preceded by the reforms of glasnost and perestroika that Premier Mikhail S. Gorbachev had
begun to engineer in the Soviet Union. Taken together, these astonishing developments
became a cause for great celebration, especially in Europe and the United States.
Source:
J. Simpson, S. Dixon, et. al., Problems and Issues in Modern History, Oxford University Press,
1992
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