Paper 1 - Section A Topics

1. Why did a Cold War begin after WWII? (Who / what was responsible?)

The Origins of the Cold War: How and why did the Grand Alliance of WWII break down? What changed between Yalta and Potsdam? What were Stalin's aims for the post war settlement? 
What actions did the USSR take after WWII to spread communism? 
How did the West respond to the Soviet actions in Eastern Europe? Why did the USA adopt the policy of containment? What was the significance of this for East / West relations?
 What was the Marshall Plan? Why was it introduced?  What was Stalin's response to it? What was it's impact on East / West relations?
The first 'flashpoint' - Berlin. What happened to Berlin and Germany after WWII? Why did Stalin blockade Berlin in 1948? What was the West's response? What was the significance of this crisis on East / West relations?

2. How successful was the US Policy of Containment?

Questions on this topic could be based on all three of these topics so you need to cover them all. The focus is on the 'relative success' of the containment policy.
Case Studies: Korea, Cuba and Vietnam
The Cuban Revolution and Crisis of 1959 - 62: Why / how did Castro become leader of Cuba what changes did he make and why did the US want to overthrow him? What was the Monroe Doctrine?
The Cuban Missile Crisis: Why did it come about? Was JFK or Khrushchev responsible?
How did JFK respond? As you listen to this think about it in terms of 'containment'.
How did the crisis end? Did the US manage to 'contain' the situation? Could either side claim a 'victory'? 
The Vietnam War: Why did Vietnam become involved? How successful was US aid to France? Why did the US support the South? Why did the US put ground troops into Vietnam?
 Why couldn't the US win the military struggle against the VC?
Containment in Tatters - Essential listening - why did the USA lose the war in Vietnam?

3. Why did the Gulf matter?

How did Saddam Hussein rise to power? How did he create a power base? Who did he depend upon?
How did Saddam Hussein maintain power? What methods did he utilise to maintain power? Was it a dictatorship?
Why was there a Revolution in Iran? (1979) What were the circumstances in bring Ayatollah Khomeini to power in Iran? Why did the Shah flee?
 Causes and consequences: Why did Saddam Hussein go to war against Iran? 
 The First Gulf War: Why did Saddam Hussein invade Kuwait? (1980)
The course and consequences of the First Gulf War

Paper 1 Depth Study, USA

Introduction - what do we mean by the Roaring 20s?
What was the economic boom?  (Essays often ask why was there a boom? You need to be able to explain a variety of factors)
Who didn't share in the boom of the  1920s? (Important when answering an essay question on the boom)
How did the lives of women change in the 1920s?
Prohibition: Why was it introduced, what were its consequences, why was it repealed? Was it really such a 'noble experiment?'
Prejudice and persecution:  Was the US a 'melting pot or salad bowl?
What was the Red Scare? Why were Americans so paranoid  about communism? (Who were Sacco and Vanzetti and what happened to them?)
What was the experience of African Americans and Native Americans? 
The Wall Street Crash: Why did the economy collapse? What ere the social, economic and political consequences?
Why did Roosevelt win the Presidential Campaign of 1932 with a landslide victory? Has the US had enough of Republican 'laissez faire' politics?
What did President Roosevelt do in his first 100 days in office and what was the First New Deal?
Why was there a Second New Deal?
Who criticized the New Deal and why? (Some critics saw it as a waste of money and made Roosevelt into a 'dictator'!
How successful was the New Deal? (A fairly straightforward essay question - it had successes and failures)