Past Paper (1) Questions for 2022
Tips
Origins of the Cold War
(a) What were Stalin’s main achievements at the Yalta Conference? [4]
(a) What decisions about Germany were made at the Yalta Conference of 1945? [4]
(a) What actions had Stalin taken, by the end of 1945, to extend Soviet power across Eastern Europe? [4]
(a) What decisions, in relation to Germany, were agreed at Yalta and Potsdam? [4]
(a) What was the ‘Iron Curtain’? [4]
(b) Why was it difficult to reach agreement over the future of Germany after World War Two? [6]
(b) Why was the wartime unity of the Allies beginning to break down by the time of the Yalta Conference? [6]
(b) Why was it difficult to deal with Poland after the Second World War? [6]
(b) Why was the Truman Doctrine significant? [6]
(b) Why was Berlin a cause of tension between East and West after the Second World War? [6]
(c) ‘The main reason for the formation of NATO was the Berlin Crisis of 1948–49.’ How far do you agree with this statement? Explain your answer. [10]
(c) ‘The USA was responsible for starting the Cold War.’ How far do you agree with this statement? Explain your answer. [10]
(c) ‘It was the Soviet expansion in Eastern Europe that caused the Cold War.’ How far do you agree with this statement? Explain your answer. [10]
c) How successful was the West in containing communism in Europe up to 1949? Explain your answer [10]
(c) ‘The Berlin Blockade was the main reason for increasing Cold War tension in the years 1947–9.’ How far do you agree with this statement? Explain your answer. [10]
Containment
(a) What was the ‘domino effect’ in relation to Vietnam? [4]
(a) What was Eisenhower’s policy towards Vietnam? [4]
(a) What was the importance of the 38th parallel in relation to Korea? [4]
(a) Describe relations between the USA and Cuba between 1959 and the end of March 1961. [4]
(a) What was the 38th Parallel in relation to the Korean War? [4]
(a) Describe the Bay of Pigs invasion. [4]
(a) What did the Geneva Agreements of 1954 propose for Vietnam? [4]
(a) What part did the Ho Chi Minh Trail play in the Vietnam War? [4]
(b) Why did Nixon find it difficult to withdraw from Vietnam? [6]
(b) Why was the USA unhappy with the changes Castro introduced immediately following the Cuban Revolution? [6]
(b) Why did the USA become involved in resisting the invasion of South Korea? [6]
(b) Why was Kennedy humiliated by the failure of the Bay of Pigs invasion of April 1961? [6]
(b) Why did North Korea invade South Korea in June 1950? [6]
(b) Why was the Cuban Revolution seen as a threat to the USA? [6]
(b) Why did the USA become involved in the conflict in Vietnam? [6]
(b) Why was the Tet Offensive important? [6]
(c) ‘In Vietnam, Kennedy was more successful than Johnson.’ How far do you agree with this statement? Explain your answer. [10]
(c) ‘The American policy of containment between 1950 and 1973 was successful.’ How far do you agree with this statement? Explain your answer. [10]
(c) How effectively did the American policy of containment limit the spread of Communism between 1950 and 1973? Explain your answer. [10]
(c) ‘The Cuban Missile Crisis was a success for the USA’s policy of containment.’ How far do you agree with this statement? Explain your answer. [10]
(c) ‘America was more successful in Korea than it was in Vietnam.’ How far do you agree with this statement? Explain your answer. [10]
(c) ‘The US policy of containment was more successful in Korea than in Cuba.’ How far do you agree with this statement? Explain your answer. [10]
(c) How successful was the USA’s containment policy? Explain your answer. [10]
(c) ‘The US withdrew from Vietnam because of public opinion in America.’ How far do you agree with this statement? Explain your answer. [10]
The Gulf War
(a) Describe how Saddam Hussein dealt with the Kurds between 1987 and 1991. [4]
(a) Describe the events of the ‘July Revolution’ in Iraq in 1968. [4]
(a) What was Operation Desert Shield? [4]
(a) Describe how Saddam Hussein ruled Iraq. [4]
(a) Describe the involvement of the Western Powers in the Iran-Iraq War, 1980–88. [4]
(b) Why was Saddam Hussein able to become President of Iraq in 1979? [6]
(b) Why did Saddam Hussein, after becoming President, use force on his own people? [6]
(b) Why did the Iraqi people suffer greatly from the First Gulf War? [6]
(b) Why did Saddam Hussein invade Kuwait in August 1990? [6]
(b) Why was there opposition within Iran to the Shah’s rule? [6]
(c) ‘The Iran–Iraq War of 1980–88 was a success for Iraq.’ How far do you agree with this statement? Explain your answer. [10]
(c) ‘The most important reason for the Iran-Iraq War of 1980–88 was Iraq’s desire to dominate the Persian Gulf region.’ How far do you agree with this statement? Explain your answer. [10]
(c) ‘The main reason for Operation Desert Storm (1991) was to reduce the power of Saddam Hussein.’ How far do you agree with this statement? Explain your answer. [10]
(c) ‘The greatest impact of the First Gulf War was on the Iraqi people themselves.’ How far do you agree with this statement? Explain your answer. [10]
(c) ‘Iraq suffered more than Iran as a result of the war between the two countries.’ How far do you agree with this statement? Explain your answer. [10]
