History A (The Making of the Modern World)
Unit 1: International Relations
The Era of the Cold War, 1943-91
Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
5 minutes
Question 1 – source extraction question (2 marks)
Give two reasons from Source A which …
 Put a separate reason in each of the numbered sections
 Ensure your reasons are focused on the wording of the question
Identifies details from source . (1-2 marks)
• One mark for each reason identified.
Question 1.
Study source A
5 minutes
Source A: From a school textbook, written in 2008. It is describing the impact of
the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979.
The Soviet Union completely miscalculated the impact that its actions would have on the West.
The invasion was seen in the West as evidence of Soviet expansion. President Carter stated
that the invasion might pose the most serious threat to world peace since World War Two. He
took steps to try to persuade the Soviet Union to remove its troops. After 1981, the USA
took a more aggressive approach towards the Soviet Union and began to find ways to support
the Mujahedin in its fight against Soviet troops in Afghanistan.
1. Give two reasons from Source A which show that the ‘Soviet Union
completely miscalculated the impact that its actions would have on the
West’ (Source A lines 1-2).
1. Carter tried to persuade them to leave.
2. The USA found ways to support the Mujahedin.
5 minutes
Question 2 – Specific factual detail question (4 marks)
Outline two …
 Put a separate point in each of the numbered sections
 Support each point with SFD
 Ensure your points are focused on the wording of the question
• Award up to 2 marks for each feature outlined. The second mark is
awarded for additional detail/SFD.
5 minutes
2. Outline two steps that President Carter took to
encourage the Soviet Union to withdraw from Afghanistan.
(4)
1. One step that President Carter took to encourage the Soviet Union
to withdraw from Afghanistan was to keep the Mujahedin supplied.
He did this by getting the CIA to provide weapons and money for
the Mujahedin.
2. Another step that President Carter took to encourage the Soviet
Union to withdraw from Afghanistan was to boycott the Moscow
Olympics. He did this to damage the Soviet Union’s reputation.
You could also talk about:
• Economic restrictions on the Soviet Union – stopping trade
• Withdrawal of support for the SALT II agreement.
15 minutes
Question 3 – source usefulness question (10 marks)
How useful are Sources B and C as evidence of …
 Structure your answer into 3 paragraphs:
• Usefulness of content
• Usefulness of provenance (NOP)
• Conclusion
 Must use both sources in your answer
 Use the sources as a pair in your answer
 Content = What the sources do tell you/What the sources don’t tell you
(Limitations)
 Provenance = NOP = Nature, Origin, Purpose (How representative, reliable
and authoritative are the sources?)
 Conclusion = Judgement = How useful are the sources? e.g. very, quite, not
very
 Keep your answer focused on the wording of the question
Use the words of the question in your first sentence.
YOU MUST EXPLAIN WHY IT IS/IS NOT USEFUL. IT IS NOT ENOUGH TO JUST SAY IT
IS/IS NOT USEFUL. Failure to develop your judgement will mean you cannot reach level 3.
15 minutes
Question 3 – source usefulness question (10 marks)
Make sure you refer to the question in each paragraph e.g.
1st paragraph:
Source B is/is not useful as evidence of the reasons for the USA’s blockade
of Cuba in October in 1962 because…
2nd paragraph:
Source C is/is not useful as evidence of the reasons for the USA’s blockade
of Cuba in October in 1962 because…
Conclusion:
Overall, the sources are/are not useful as evidence of the reasons for the
USA’s blockade of Cub in October in 1962 because…
Remember that this is an example of how you would refer to the question.
Make sure you use the wording of the actual question in the exam.
Question 3 – source usefulness question (10 marks)
Level
Mark
1
1-3
Descriptor
Judgement based on simple valid criteria.
EITHER
•
Comments based on assumed utility because source is from an eyewitness e.g. I don’t think
Source is very useful because it is labelled by the Americans.
OR
•
Undeveloped comment on usefulness of content: subject, amount of detail contained, etc. e.g.
Source B is very useful because it tells me about the attitudes of Kennedy at the time.
2
4-6
EITHER
Judgement based on the usefulness of the sources’ information.
• Answers give examples of what source is useful for or its limitations. Candidates extract useful
information from sources.
OR
Judgement based on evaluation of the nature/origin/purpose of the sources.
• Answers focus on how representative/reliable/authoratative the sources are.
3
7-10
Judgement combines both elements of Level 2, assessing the contribution the sources can make
to the specific enquiry.
Answer provide a developed consideration of the usefulness of the sources which takes into account
an aspect of the NOP (e.g. how reliable it is). The focus must be on what difference this aspect
makes to what the source can contribute. It is not enough to say it is reliable/unreliable/typical.
Comments must be developed or else will be marked at Level 2.
10 marks will be awarded if evaluation of both sources meets Level 3 criteria.
NB: No access to Level 3 for answers that do not make use of your own knowledge.
Question 3
Study sources B and C
Source B: From a television broadcast made by President Kennedy on 22 October 1962.
The 1930s taught us a clear lesson: aggressive conduct, if allowed to go unchecked,
ultimately leads to war. We will not prematurely risk a world-wide war in which the cost of
victory would be too high. But neither will we back down if the risk of war has to be face. I
call upon Chairman Khrushchev to halt this secret, reckless and provocative threat to world
peace.
Source C: An aerial photograph of Cuban missile sites. This photograph was labelled and
published by the American Embassy in London on 23 October 1963.
How useful are Sources B and C
as evidence of the reasons for
the USA’s blockade of Cuba in
October 1962?
Explain
your
answer,
using
Sources B and C and your own
knowledge. (10)
3. How useful are Sources B and C as evidence of the reasons for the USA’s blockade of
Cuba in October 1962?
Explain your answer, using Sources B and C and your own knowledge. (10)
Source B is very useful as evidence of the reasons for the USA’s blockade of Cuba in October in 1962
because it provides me with valuable information. Source B tells me that the Americans were very
worried about what the Soviet Union was doing in Cuba. Furthermore, we know from Source B that the
Americans thought that Khrushchev was deliberately trying to upset the Americans, because it says
‘provocative’. However, this source is a broadcast to the American nation. Obviously, Kennedy is going to
use this as an opportunity to persuade listeners that his policy is right and the Soviets are wrong.
That’s why he calls the placing of the missiles ‘provocative’ – though it is true that US spy planes had
photographed the Soviet missiles in Cuba.
Source C is also very useful as evidence of the reasons for the USA’s blockade of Cuba in October in
1962 because it tells me that the Americans were right to worry because we can see missiles in the
photograph. Nonetheless, I think it is suspicious that the photographs are issued by the US embassy
and labelled to show exactly what the Americans wanted them to show.
Overall, the sources are somewhat useful as evidence of the reasons for the USA’s blockade of Cuba in
October in 1962 because we must question whether or not the included information is trustworthy.
Own knowledge
Explanation
judgement
NOP
Reference to question
Limitations
8 minutes
Question 4 – Describe - key features (6 marks)
Describe the key features of the …





Choose either 4 (a) or 4 (b) – Choose the one you know the most about
Structure your answer into 2 paragraphs
Each paragraph makes a point and develops it with SFD
Try to add 3 sentences of development
Add a 3rd paragraph if you can’t develop your points
One key feature of the _____________ is…
Another key feature of the _____________ is…
L1: Simple statement(s). Lacks supporting material.
• 1 mark for one simple statement.
• 2 marks for two simple statements.
• 3 marks for three or more simple statements.
L2: Developed statement(s). A simple statement with additional supporting material or explanation.
• 4- 5 marks for one developed statement, according to how much support is provided.
• 6 marks for two or more developed statements.
8 minutes
Section B
Answer EITHER Question 4(a) OR Question 4(b)
Either
4 (a) Describe the key features of the ‘refugee problem’ in Berlin in the
years 1958-61. (6)
OR
4 (b) Describe the key features of the Prague Spring. (6)
8 minutes
Section B
Answer EITHER Question 4(a) OR Question 4(b)
Either
4 (a) Describe the key features of the ‘refugee problem’ in Berlin in the
years 1958-61. (6) X
One key feature of the ‘refugee problem’ in Berlin in the years
1958-61 was that it led to the loss of skilled workers from
Communist East Germany. In capitalist West Germany skilled workers
could earn much higher salaries than those in the East and this
encouraged them to cross.
Another key feature of the ‘refugee problem’ in Berlin in the years
1958-61 was that it became a propaganda disaster for Khrushchev,
the leader of the USSR. This was because it showed that people
preferred the capitalist USA to communist Russia. Khrushchev
eventually solved this problem by building the Berlin Wall.
8 minutes
Section B
Answer EITHER Question 4(a) OR Question 4(b)
Either
4 (b) Describe the key features of the Prague Spring. (6) X
One key feature of the Prague Spring was that it aimed to make
changes to how Czechoslovakia would be governed. Dubcek wanted to
make communism popular and the Prague Spring reforms were part of
his plan to create ‘socialism with a human face’.
Another key feature of the Prague Spring was that it included
changes that would allow political opposition groups. This would mean
that citizens had more freedom to elect who and how their country
would be run. However, the changes did shock Brezhnev and older
communists.
20 minutes
Question 5 – Explain the importance of…
Explain the importance of three of the following in International Relations.
You will be given 4 bullet points that are all aspects of the course and you have to choose 3
of them to explain.
 Each one you explain has its own space on the exam paper so one paragraph on each
 Explain why the event was important supporting your points with SFD
Use the words of the question in your first sentence e.g.
The ___________________ was important because …
Each factor will be marked separately out of 5 and then added up to make 15.
LEVEL 1: Describes the event or action without considering importance. (1 mark)
LEVEL 2: Describes the event or action and states importance. (2-3 marks)
LEVEL 3: Explains importance with detailed factual support. (4-5 marks)
20 minutes
5. Explain the importance of three of the following in international relations.
(15)
• The Teheran Conference, 1943
• The formation of NATO, 1949
• The Prague Spring, 1968
• The fall of the Berlin Wall, 1989
o Remember to indicate on each of the following pages which key event you
will be explaining the importance of.
o Do not explain them all and remember to explain their importance in
international relations.
5. Explain the importance of three of the following in international relations.
(15)
X
•
The Teheran Conference, 1943
•
The formation of NATO, 1949
•
The Prague Spring, 1968
•
The fall of the Berlin Wall, 1989
The Teheran Conference was important because it showed how the Allies
were divided and how difficult the future was to be. Britain, USA and
Russia agreed that Europe could be seen as two different spheres of
influence (so it was important in dividing Europe for the next 50 years)
but did not agree on Germany’s future.
Detailed factual support
Explains importance
Link to international relations
5. Explain the importance of three of the following in international relations.
(15)
•
The Teheran Conference, 1943
•
The formation of NATO, 1949
•
The Prague Spring, 1968
•
The fall of the Berlin Wall, 1989
X
The formation of NATO was a really important event in international
relations because of the impact it had on Europe. The Western European
powers formed a military alliance in order to defend the West against
communism. The Soviet Union was so concerned that in 1955 it formed
the Warsaw Pact, a military alliance of communist states. Therefore the
formation of NATO was really important because it led to Europe being
divided into two armed camps.
Explains importance
Detailed factual support
Link to international relations
5. Explain the importance of three of the following in international relations.
(15)
•
The Teheran Conference, 1943
•
The formation of NATO, 1949
•
The Prague Spring, 1968
•
The fall of the Berlin Wall, 1989
X
The Prague Spring was a very important event because the Soviet reaction to it
showed the rest of the Warsaw Pact how determined it was to stop any attempt
by communist countries to lessen Soviet influence. Soviet troops invaded and
Dubcek was removed from office. As a result of the events in Czechoslovakia ,
the Soviet Union introduced the Brezhnev Doctrine in which it stated that it had
the right to invade any country whose actions threatened the Warsaw Pact. The
message was clear to communist countries and to the West. The firmness of the
Soviet approach in Czechoslovakia offended some communist countries and
Yugoslavia and Romania were now less close to the Soviet Union. It did not,
however, prevent the USA and the Soviet Union looking to establish détente in
1970s.
Explains importance
Link to international relations
Detailed factual support
20 minutes
Question 6 – Mini – essay Question (13 marks + 3 SpaG marks = 16 marks)
Explain why …
•
•
You will have two bullet points that are aspects of the course that you can write about in your
answer.
You can write a paragraph on each plus a paragraph on a point of your own
Structure your answer into 4 paragraphs:
• First explained cause/reason
• Second explained cause/reason
• Third explained cause/reason
• Conclusion
 Use the two bullet points provided plus one point of your own
 Explain each cause/reason supported with SFD
 Makes a judgement comparing the relative importance of all 3 causes/reasons
 Shows/Explains the relationship/links between the 3 causes
 Take care with your spelling, punctuation, grammar and structure
Use the words of the question in your first sentence e.g.
Explain why the relations between the USA and the Soviet Union grew worse in the period 1945 –
48.
One reason why relations between the USA and the Soviet Union grew worse in the period 1945 – 48
was because …
Spelling, punctuation and grammar will be assessed in this question.
6. Explain why relations between the USA and Soviet Union grew worse in the period 1945-48.
You may use the following in your answer.
•
•
Capitalism and communism
The Berlin Blockade
You must include information of your own.
LEVEL 1: Simple or generalised statements of causation.
• 1-2 marks for repetition of the provided material with no specific detail OR agrees/disagrees
with no development.
LEVEL 2: Developed statements of causation.
Developed statements which agree and/or disagree with the question. These answers provide
detail, but do not explain the causes.
• 3-4 marks for developing one cause.
• 4-5 marks for developing two causes.
• 5-6 marks for developing three causes.
LEVEL 3: Developed explanation of causation.
• 7-8 marks for one cause explained.
• 8-9 marks for two causes explained.
• 9-10 marks for three or more causes explained.
LEVEL 4: Prioritises causes or sees links between them.
This considers the inter-relationship between a range of causes.
This level can be achieved only if they have explained at least three causes.
• 12-13 marks for illustrating that one ‘most important reason’ on its own could not provide a
satisfactory explanation. Explores the relative importance of three causes showing their interrelation.
Spelling, punctuation and grammar will be assessed in this question.
6. Explain why relations between the USA and Soviet Union grew worse in the period 1945-48.
You may use the following in your answer.
•
•
Capitalism and communism
The Berlin Blockade
You must include information of your own.
Point linked to question.
Evidence used to support point.
Explained link back to question.
One reason why relations between the USA and Soviet Union grew worse in the period 1945-48 was
because of different political systems. The USA believed in capitalism and the Soviet Union in
communism. After the Second World War the Soviet Union made sure that every country in Eastern
Europe had a government which was loyal to the Soviet Union. It saw this as a defensive measure, but
the Americans saw this as an attempt to spread communism worldwide. In response the USA issued the
Truman Doctrine, which aimed to contain communism in Europe. Therefore, both countries had
completely different political beliefs which meant that they couldn’t find a solution to the problems
facing Europe after the Second World War and, as a result, their relationship continued to deteriorate.
Another reason why relations between the USA and Soviet Union grew worse in the period 1945-48 was
because of the Berlin Blockade. Both countries had disagreements over how to deal with Germany. The
Soviet Union wanted to punish Germany and the USA wanted to rebuild Germany. When the US and
other western allies began to encourage the economic recovery of their zones Stalin feared that
‘western’ influence would spread to the Soviet zone and undermine his control. Stalin enforced a
blockade of all western access to Berlin in June 1948 in an attempt to starve West Berlin. This
threatened to starve 2 million people and the US had to consider what action they would take. The
Berlin airlift solved the problem peacefully and made Stalin look like the aggressor. Relations grew
worse because the East-West rivalry was greatly increased and the division of Germany became
confirmed.
Spelling, punctuation and grammar will be assessed in this question.
6. Explain why relations between the USA and Soviet Union grew worse in the period 1945-48.
You may use the following in your answer.
•
•
Capitalism and communism
The Berlin Blockade
You must include information of your own.
Another reason why relations between the USA and Soviet Union grew worse in the period 1945-48 was
because of the Marshall Plan. This was the economic aid that Truman offered to countries that might
have been attracted to communism as a result of their poor economic state after the Second World
War. Truman believed that by offering economic aid Europe could recover financially and provide
employment and prosperity, which would mean that there would be no need to turn to communism. The
Soviet Union responded with their own version, Comecon, which gave the Soviet Union control of the
economies of these states. Tensions grew worse because Stalin believed that the USA was using the
Plan for its own selfish interests. As a result the divide between the capitalist West and East escalated.
I think that the different political ideas of capitalism and communism was the most important reason.
As a result of this there was a basic mistrust that had been reinforced by the events in the war.
Relations were bound to worsen and events like the Berlin Blockade, Truman Doctrine and Marshall Plan
reinforced the mistrust, but it was already there anyway.
Point linked to question.
Relative importance of factors
Evidence used to support point.
Prioritising and/or linking
Explained link back to question.