Unit 1
International Relations
The Era of the Cold
War
Example questions
Question 1 – 2 marks
Source A – From Stettin the Baltic to Trieste in the Adriatic, an iron curtain has descended across
the continent. Behind the line lie all the capitals of the ancient states of Central and Eastern
Europe…all these famous cities and the populations around them lie in the Soviet sphere and all are
subject, in one form or another, not only to Soviet influence but to a very high and increasing
measure of control from Moscow.
Churchill’s Iron Curtain speech, March 1946
Q1: Give two reasons from Source A that explain why Churchill believed that the Soviet Union
had divided Europe (2 marks)
Source C - In 1963, President Kennedy visited West Berlin and made his famous 'I am a
Berliner' speech next to the Berlin Wall:
There are many people in the world who really don't understand what is the great issue between
the free world and the communist world - let them come to Berlin!
There are some who say in Europe and elsewhere we can work with the communists - let them come
to Berlin!
All free men, wherever they may live, are citizens of Berlin. And, therefore, as a free man, I take
pride in the words 'Ich bin ein Berliner' ['I am a Berliner'].
President Kennedy, 1963
Q1: Give two reasons from Source C that explains why there the Berlin wall sealed the divide
between communism and capitalism (2 marks)
Source A – From a school textbook, written in 2013. It is describing the impact of
the Cuban Missile Crisis.
The Cuban Missile Crisis had a series of significant consequences. Kennedy and Khrushchev
were both concerned about how close the world had come to nuclear war, and sought
measures to reduce the possibility of nuclear conflict. The Limited Test Ban Treaty was
introduced as a first step towards controlling nuclear weapons. The Treaty banned the
testing of nuclear weapons. In addition both sides agreed to the establishment of a hotline
between the US president and the Soviet leader. This was intended to improve
communication and create a means for resolving problems.
Q1: Give two reasons from Source A which show that the Cuban Missile Crisis had a
series of significant consequences (2 marks)
Source C – Adapted from Dimitri Volkogonov, The Rise and Fall of the Soviet Empire, 1999
The main reasons for Gorbachev’s popularity was the visible signs that Russia was changing. He made
it possible to buy Western newspapers and magazines; the cloak of government secrecy was slowly
lifted; and the press began publishing sensational articles on Stalin and past Soviet leaders. He
enabled the people to gain a sense of themselves as individuals and in doing so he accelerated the
decline of the Soviet system.
Q1: Give two reasons from Source C which show that ‘government secrecy was slowly lifted’ (2
marks)
Study 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 and 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.
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)
Source D – Extract from Mikhail Gorbachev’s resignation speech, December 1991
The process of renovating the country and radical changes in the world turned out to be far
more complicated than could be expected. However, work of historic significance has been
accomplished. The totalitarian system, which deprived the country of an opportunity to become
successful and prosperous long ago has been eliminated. Free elections, freedom of the press,
religious freedoms, representative organs of power, a multiparty system became a reality;
human rights are recognised as the supreme principle.
Give two reasons from Source D which show why Gorbachev believed historical significance
had been achieved. (2 marks)
Question 2 – 4 marks
Q2: Outline two steps taken by the USSR to gain control in Eastern
Europe (4 marks)
Q2: Outline two steps taken by the USA and USSR to gain support
after the Berlin Blockade (4 marks)
Q2: Outline two steps taken by the USSR which imposed an
oppressive regime on Hungary (4 marks)
Q2: Outline two steps taken to solve the refugee problem
over Berlin (4 marks)
Q2: Outline two steps that the USA and USSR took to end the
Thirteen Days crisis (4 marks)
Q2: Outline two steps taken to achieve détente (4 marks)
Q2: Outline two steps Reagan took to create the ‘Second Cold War’
(4 marks)
Q2: Outline two steps that led to the breakdown of the Grand
Alliance. (4 marks)
Q2: Outline two decisions made about Germany at the Potsdam
Conference. (4 marks)
Q2: Outline two reasons why the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan.
(4 marks)
Q2: Outline two reasons why military alliances were created between
1949-1955. (4 marks)
Q2: Outline two reasons why the ‘four summits’ between 1959-1961
failed. (4 marks)
Q2: Outline two agreements made at the Helsinki Conference, 1975.
(4 marks)
Q2: Outline two reasons why the Cold War ended in 1991. (4 marks)
Question 3 – 10 marks
Source A
Source B
Q3: How useful are sources A and B as evidence of Russia’s actions during the Berlin Crisis?
Explain your answer using Sources A and B and your own knowledge. (10 marks)
Source A – From Stettin the Baltic to Trieste in the Adriatic, an iron curtain has descended across
the continent. Behind the line lie all the capitals of the ancient states of Central and Eastern
Europe…all these famous cities and the populations around them lie in the Soviet sphere and all are
subject, in one form or another, not only to Soviet influence but to a very high and increasing
measure of control from Moscow.
Churchill’s Iron Curtain speech, March 1946
Source B – Essentially, Mr Churchill now adopts the position of the warmonger, and in this Mr
Churchill is not alone. He has friends not only in Britain but in the United States of America as well.
A point to be noted in this respect is that Mr Churchill and his friends bear a striking resemblance
to Hitler and his friends.
Stalin’s response to Churchill’s speech, March 1946
Q3: How useful are Sources A and B as evidence of the growing divide in Europe? Explain your
answer using Sources A and B and your own knowledge (10 marks)
Source A - Created January 1949 – the
year that the USSR created Comecon
Q3: How useful are Sources A and B as
evidence of the USSR’s reaction to the
Marshall Plan? Explain your answer using
Sources A and B and your own knowledge. (10
marks)
Source B - 'Can he block it?'
This cartoon was drawn c.1947 by Edwin
Marcus, caricaturist for the New York
Times. It shows Stalin trying to stop the
basketball of the 'Marshall Plan' scoring the
basket labelled 'European recovery'
Source A – A Soviet statement issued in 1961 explaining the reasons for the construction of the
Berlin Wall.
The Western powers use Berlin as a centre of rebellious activity against East Germany. Spies are
smuggled into East Germany for all kinds of rebellious activity: recruiting more spies, sabotage,
provoking disturbances. The government presents all people of East Germany with a proposal that will
securely block rebellious activity so that control will be established along the border between West
Berlin and East Berlin.
Source B – A table showing the number of people migrating from East Germany to West Germany
in the period 1959 – 1961. The figures are taken from a book about international migration,
published in America 1997.
Date
Number of people migrating from East to West Germany
1959
144,000
1960
199,000
1961
207,000
Q3: Study Sources A and B – How useful are Sources A and B as evidence of the reasons for the
construction of the Berlin Wall in August 1961? Explain your answer using Sources A and B and
your own knowledge (10 marks)
Source A: 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 faced. I call upon Chairman
Khrushchev to halt this secret, reckless and provocative threat to world peace.
Source B: An aerial
photograph of Cuban
missile sites. This
photograph was
labelled and
published by the
American Embassy
in London on 23
October 1963
Q3: Study Sources A and B. How useful are Sources A and B as evidence of the reasons
for the USA’s blockade of Cuba in October 1962? Explain your answer, using Sources A
and B and your own knowledge (10 marks)
Source B: From a speech by President
Kennedy on 10 June 1963
Let us direct attention to our common interests
[with the Soviet Union] and to the means by
which our differences can be resolved. Our most
basic common link is that we all inhabit this
small planet. We all breathe the same air. We all
cherish our children’s future.
Source A – A cartoon from the Washington Post,
published on 1 November 1962
Q3: Study Sources A and B. How
useful are Sources A and B as
evidence of the consequences of the
Cuban Missile Crisis of October
1962? Explain your answer, using
Sources A and B and your own
knowledge (10 marks)
Describe the key features of the Prague Spring reforms, 1968.
Describe the impact of the building of the Berlin Wall in the years 1961– 63.
Describe the key features of Soviet rule over Hungary in the years 1945– 55.
Describe the key features of the Teheran Conference, 1943.
Describe the key features of détente in the years 1972-75.
Question 4
6 marks
Describe the key features of the opposition to Soviet control in Czechoslovakia in the
spring of 1968.
Describe the key features of the Warsaw Pact, 1955.
Describe the main decisions made about Germany at the Yalta Conference in February
1945.
Describe the key features of the events of the Cuban Missiles Crisis in October 1962.
Describe the key features of the events of the crisis about Berlin in 1961.
Describe the key features of Cominform (1947) and Comecon (1949).
Describe the key features of the Berlin Blockade, 1948–49.
Describe the key features of the summit conferences between the USA and the Soviet
Union in the years 1985–87.
Describe the key features of détente in the years 1975–79.
Describe the key features of the attempts by the USA and the Soviet Union to deal with
the problems of a divided Berlin in the years 1959–61.
Describe the key features of the involvement of the USA in the Bay of Pigs invasion,
1961.
Describe the key features of the re-establishment of Soviet control in Hungary in 1956.
Describe the key features of the Potsdam Conference, 1945.
Describe the key features of relations between the USA and the Soviet Union in the
years 1979–84.
Describe the key features of the Strategic Arms Limitation Talks (SALT) between the USA
and the Soviet Union in the 1970s.
Describe the role of Alexander Dubcek in the events in Czechoslovakia during 1968.
Describe the key features of Khrushchev’s challenge to the USA over Berlin in the years
1957–60.
Describe n the role of Nagy in the Hungarian Uprising, 1956.
Describe n the key features of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO).
Describe the key features of the changing attitudes of Reagan and Gorbachev at the
summit conferences in the years 1985–87.
Question 5 – 15 marks
3 x 5 markers
Q5: Explain the importance of the building of the Berlin Wall in
international relations (5 marks)
Q5: Explain the importance of the ‘Thirteen Days 1962’ in
international relations. (5 marks)
Q5: Explain the importance of the Helsinki Agreements, 1975 in
international relations (5 marks)
Q5: Explain the importance of the Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan
in international relations. (15 marks)
Q5: Explain the importance of the Long Telegram in international
relations. (15 marks)
Q5: Explain the importance of Novikov’s Telegram in international
relations. (15 marks)
Q5: Explain the importance of Cominform in international
relations. (15 marks)
Q5: Explain the importance of the Khrushchev’s ‘secret speech’ in
international relations. (15 marks)
Q5: Explain the importance of the ‘four summits’ between 195961 in international relations. (15 marks)
Q5: Explain the importance of the Bay of Pigs incident in
international relations. (15 marks)
Q5: Explain the importance of the Limited Test Ban Treaty in
international relations. (15 marks)
Q5: Explain the importance of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation
Treaty in international relations. (15 marks)
Q5: Explain the importance of the Carter Doctrine in international
relations. (15 marks)
Q5: Explain the importance of Reagan’s Strategic Defence
Initiative in international relations. (15 marks)
Q5: Explain the importance of the Chernobyl Disaster in
international relations. (15 marks)
Q5: Explain the importance of the Warsaw Pact in international
relations. (15 marks)
Q5: Explain the importance of the Berlin Blockade in international
relations. (15 marks)
Question 6 – 13 marks
+ 3 SPaG
Q6: Explain why relations between the USA and the Soviet Union grew worse in the period
1945 – 1947. You may use the following in your answer –
(13 marks + 3 SPaG marks)
•
•
Capitalism and communism
The Marshall Plan
Q6: Explain why relations between the USA and the Soviet Union changed in the period 1943
– 1956. You may use the following in your answer –
(13 marks + 3 SPaG marks)
•
•
The death of Roosevelt
The effects of the Truman Doctrine
Q6: Explain why relations between the USA and the Soviet Union changed in the period 1943
– 1956. You may use the following in your answer –
(13 marks + 3 SPaG marks)
•
•
Marshall Plan
Hungarian Uprising
Q6: Explain why relations between the Soviet Union and the USA changed during the years
1961 – 63. You may use the following:
•
•
Khrushchev’s challenge
The building of the Berlin Wall
(13 marks + 3 SPaG marks)
Q6: Explain why there was a Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia in 1968. You may use the
following in your answer:
(13 marks + 3 SPaG marks)
-Dubcek
-Prague Spring
Q6: Explain why relations between the USA and the Soviet Union changed in the period 1967
– 75. You may use the following in your answer:
(13 marks + 3 SPaG marks)
•
•
Détente
The peace treaties
Q6: Explain why relations between the USA and the Soviet
Union grew worse in the period 1979 – 85. You may use:
•
•
‘Evil Empire speech’;
SDI (13 marks + 3 SPaG marks)
Q6: Explain why relations changed between the USA and the
USSR in the years 1979 – 85
You may use: The Carter Doctrine; The end of SALT II (13
marks + 3 SPaG marks)
Q6: Explain why relations between the USA and the Soviet Union grew worse in the period
1958 – 1961. You may use the following in your answer –
(13 marks + 3 SPaG marks)
•
•
Khrushchev’s 6 month ultimatum
Four Summits
Q6: Explain why relations between the USA and the Soviet Union grew worse in the period
1961-62. You may use the following in your answer –
(13 marks + 3 SPaG marks)
•
•
Bay of Pigs incident
Thirteen Days Crisis
Q6: Explain why relations between the USA and the Soviet Union grew worse in the period
1943 – 1946. You may use the following in your answer –
(13 marks + 3 SPaG marks)
•
•
Teheran Conference
Churchill’s ‘Iron Curtain’ speech.