Secondary 4 History Preliminary Examination Paper 4

Answer Key & Marking Scheme - History Secondary 4 (Prelim V4)

Section A: Structured Response

Question 1(a): Why Germans felt the Treaty was a "Diktat"

• Marking Guide: 8 marks. L1 (1-3): Basic listing of terms. L2 (4-6): Explanation of why these terms caused resentment. L3 (7-8): Comprehensive explanation linking terms to the feeling of humiliation.
• Expected Points:
  • Lack of Negotiation: Germany was excluded from the peace talks; they were forced to sign or face invasion.
  • War Guilt Clause (Article 231): Forced Germany to accept sole responsibility, which was seen as an unfair moral condemnation.
  • Reparations: The massive sum (£6.6 billion) was seen as an attempt to cripple the German economy permanently.
  • Territorial Loss: Loss of the Polish Corridor and Alsace-Lorraine felt like a violation of national sovereignty.

Question 1(b): Clemenceau vs. Lloyd George

• Marking Guide: 8 marks. Requires contrast between French security and British stability.
• Expected Points:
  • Clemenceau (France): Wanted to permanently weaken Germany to prevent another invasion (France shared a border). Focused on harsh reparations and demilitarization of the Rhineland.
  • Lloyd George (Britain): Wanted a balance of power. Feared that if Germany were too weak, it would lead to communism or a future war of revenge. Wanted Germany to remain a trading partner.

Question 2(a): Great Depression and Nazi Rise

• Marking Guide: 8 marks. Causal link between economic collapse $\rightarrow$ political desperation $\rightarrow$ Hitler's appeal.
• Expected Points:
  • Economic Collapse: Hyperinflation and then the 1929 crash led to mass unemployment.
  • Failure of Weimar: The democratic government couldn't solve the crisis, making them look weak/ineffective.
  • Hitler's Promise: Nazis promised "Work and Bread," appealing to the desperate middle and working classes.
  • Fear of Communism: Wealthy industrialists supported Hitler as a bulwark against the rising KPD (Communists).

Question 2(b): Japan's Aggressive Foreign Policy

• Marking Guide: 8 marks. Link between resources/population $\rightarrow$ expansionism.
• Expected Points:
  • Resource Scarcity: Japan lacked oil, rubber, and iron; needed "autarky" (self-sufficiency).
  • Overpopulation: Needed "living space" for its growing population.
  • Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere: Ideological justification to remove Western colonial powers and lead Asia.
  • Militarism: Army's influence over the government pushed for the invasion of Manchuria (1931).

Question 3(a): US Containment Policy

• Marking Guide: 8 marks. Explanation of the Truman Doctrine/Marshall Plan logic.
• Expected Points:
  • Domino Theory: Belief that if one nation fell to communism, neighbors would follow.
  • Soviet Expansion: Fear of Stalin's influence in Eastern Europe (satellite states).
  • Economic Stability: Using the Marshall Plan to rebuild Europe so that poverty wouldn't drive people toward communism.

Question 3(b): Korean War as a Proxy War

• Marking Guide: 8 marks. Definition of proxy war + application to Korea.
• Expected Points:
  • Indirect Conflict: US and USSR did not fight each other directly (avoiding nuclear war).
  • Support for Clients: USSR/China supported North Korea; US/UN supported South Korea.
  • Ideological Battle: The war was a test of whether Communism (North) or Capitalism (South) would prevail in the region.

Section B: Essay

Question 4: Stalin's Rule (Beneficial vs. Disastrous)

• Marking Scheme:
  • L1 (1-6): Descriptive account of Stalin's policies.
  • L2 (7-12): One-sided argument (either only benefits or only costs).
  • L3 (13-20): Balanced argument with a reasoned conclusion.
• Framework:
  • Agree (Beneficial): Rapid industrialization (Five Year Plans) turned USSR into a superpower; victory in WWII; improved literacy/education.
  • Disagree (Disastrous): Human cost of Collectivization (Holodomor famine); The Great Purges (terror/paranoia); Gulag system; loss of individual liberties.
  • Conclusion: Weigh industrial/military strength against the catastrophic human cost.

Question 5: Japan's Defeat (Atomic Bombs vs. Other Factors)

• Marking Scheme:
  • L1 (1-6): Description of the bombs or the war's end.
  • L2 (7-12): One-sided argument (e.g., "Yes, the bombs ended it").
  • L3 (13-20): Balanced evaluation of multiple factors.
• Framework:
  • Agree (Atomic Bombs): Provided the "face-saving" excuse for the Emperor to surrender; psychological shock of total destruction.
  • Disagree (Other Factors): US Island Hopping strategy; naval superiority (Battle of Midway); Soviet entry into the Pacific War (August 1945) which threatened Manchuria; depletion of Japanese resources/oil.
  • Conclusion: The bombs were the catalyst for surrender, but the inevitability of defeat was established by conventional military failure.