5

International Relations from 1900 to 1914

Source C

The total output value of the world’s industries are shown in the

table below (in %).

YearThe US

Britain Germany France RussiaThe

others

1870 23 32 13 10 4 18

1896 – 1900

30 20 17 7 5 21

1913 36 14 16 6 6 22

(a) According to Source A, identify one reason for Germany’s expansion before the First World War. (2 marks)

(b) According to Source B, what was the cartoonist’s view towards the naval race between Britain and Germany? Explain your answer with reference to Source B. (4 marks)

(c) According to Source C, identify and explain the trend of Germany’s share of the total output value of the world’s industries between 1870–1913. (4 marks)

(d) What are the usefulness and limitations of Sources A, B and C

in reflecting the relationship between Britain and Germany from

1900 to 1914? Explain your answer with reference to Sources

A, B and C, and using your own knowledge. (7 marks)

(a) Reason for Germany’s expansion before the First World

War 2

Any one of the following

e.g. • To satisfy the wants of the growing population.

• To gain market share in foreign countries for her

industrial development.

Read the da ta i n the tab le

carefully, including:

• What do the figures show?

• What countries are included in

the table?

• Wh ich count r ies had the

most prominent change in the

figures?

The answer shou ld be wi th

reference to the information in

Source A. Give one reason from

the Source.

The usefulness and limitations

of the Sources in reflecting the

relationship between Britain and

Germany are the key question

points. Give your explanation

within the time frame of 1900 – 14.

121

Major Conflicts after the Second World War and Attempts to Make Peace

The introduction is related to the

question but does not explain in

terms of different stages.

Attempts to analyze are made,

but the argument is quite weak

because it lacks the support of

concrete historical facts.

Paper 2 Essay-type questionsTrace and explain the relations between the US and the USSR during the Cold War in the period 1946 – 91.

After the Second World War, the US and the USSR gained

influence in the world and became superpowers. The formation

of the two sides – the capitalist bloc and the communist bloc

respectively in the US and the USSR – with two different

ideologies resulted in tense relations between the two countries.

Therefore, the Cold War occurred.

The relations between the US and the USSR were very

tense since the two superpowers confronted each other in

terms of political propaganda and the arms race. Besides, the

superpowers fought against each other in several regional wars.

The Cold War began after Churchill, the former Prime

Minister of the United Kingdom, delivered a speech about the

‘Iron Curtain’. Later on, the US introduced the Marshall Plan and

the USSR introduced the Molotov Plan. The relations between the

superpowers were tense, and even worsened with regional wars

like the Korean War and the Vietnam War.

Nevertheless, the relations between the superpowers had

changed by the 1970s and the tensions in the Cold War began to

ease. As both countries were not able to support the tremendous

military expenses, they gave up the arms race and redirected

their capital into economic development. These helped ease

international tensions in the Cold War.

Besides, a nuclear war between the US and the USSR

nearly broke out in the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962. Being

afraid of the gigantic destruction of a nuclear war, the

superpowers decided to improve their relationship and to ease

the tensions.

Moreover, the relations between the USSR and China

turnedbad as Mao Zedong, the chairman of the PRC of China,

criticized the revisionism promoted by Khrushchev, the leader

of the USSR; China also had conflicts with the USSR on the

122

History Data-based Questions and Essays Theme B Book 1

boundary issue. The two countries decided to each establish

relations with US to isolate the other. This also helped to ease

the relations between the US and USSR.

The US and the USSR also set up a ‘hot line’ telephone link

to enhance their communication to prevent the outbreak of war.

The USSR and the US signed the Helsinki Agreement later that

maintained an easing of tension between the superpowers.

Moreover, the two countries signed the Nuclear Test Ban

Treaty twice to maintain peace and decrease armanents. Their

relations improved. However, the invasion of Afghanistan by the

USSR in 1979 and the introduction of the ‘Star Wars’ Plan by the

US made their relations become tense again.

Gorbachev, the new General Secretary, came to power in

1985. He actively carried out reforms and suggested that the

communist bloc should promote freedom and the development

of democracy and be open to the world. He accelerated the

economic reforms. All these measures were helpful in improving

the relations between the US and the USSR.

The reform measures introduced by Gorbachev, however,

created many problems in the USSR and made the communist

bloc in Eastern Europe become discontented with the USSR. As

a result, the Warsaw Pact collapsed and the tension eased once

again.

In short, the relations between the US and the USSR were

very tense at the beginning. The tension eased later on, and

further eased when Gorbachev introduced reforms.

The answer includes irrelevant

information, such as the content

o f re fo rms ca r r i ed ou t by

Gorbachev.

The answer does not ‘ trace ’

the relations between the US

and the USSR as required in

the question or make a clear

distinction between the stages of

development of their relations.

• Follow the requirement in the question to ‘trace and explain’ the relations between the superpowers, and divide the relations between the US and the USSR during the Cold War into several stages. Explain the characteristics of each stage and support your argument with relevant historical facts.

• Avoid excessively narrating a single event. Discussion of different events referring to different stages makes the answer much clearer and more analytical.

• Use exact wording to describe the relations. For example, the easing of tension means the improvement of the relations between the US and the USSR during the period 1968 – 79, which is different from the easing of tension in a general situation.

125

Major Conflicts after the Second World War and Attempts to Make Peace

1. Study Sources A, B and C.

Source A

The following is an extract from Stalin’s speech about the Soviet policy in Eastern Europe after the

Second World War.

Source B

The following is an extract from the American President Truman’s speech in March 1947.

I believe that it must be the policy of the United States to support free peoples who are resisting attempted subjugation by armed minorities or by outside pressures. ... I believe that our help should be primarily through economic and financial aid. ... I therefore ask the Congress for assistance to Greece and Turkey in the amount of $400 million. In addition, I ask the Congress to authorize the detail of American civilian and military personnel to Greece and Turkey. ...

The following circumstance should not be forgotten. The Germans made their invasion of the Soviet Union through Finland, Poland, Rumania, Bulgaria and Hungary. ... Governments hostile to the Soviet Union existed in those countries. As a result of the German invasion, the Soviet Union has lost irrecoverably. ... In other words, the Soviet Union’s loss of life has been several times greater than that of Britain and the United States put together. ... And so what can be surprising about the fact that the Soviet Union, anxious for its future safety, is trying to make sure that governments loyal in their attitude to the Soviet Union should exist in these countries?

126

History Data-based Questions and Essays Theme B Book 1

Source C

The following diagram shows Europe in the late 1940s.

(a) Identify from Source A one cause which can explain the Soviet Union’s high casualties in the Second World War. (2 marks)

(b) According to Source B, what do ‘free peoples’ and ‘armed minorities’ refer to? (2 marks)

(c) What are the differences between the Soviet and US governments’ policies towards the post-war European countries? Explain your answer with reference to Sources A and B and the relevant historical facts in the period 1945 — 47. (4 marks)