TKGS 4E5N Answer Scheme 2023

1 TKGS SECONDARY 4 PRELIMINARY EXAMINATIONS 2023 MARK SCHEME FOR HISTORY ELECTIVE Section A: Source-Based Case Study 1(a) Study Source A. Why do you think Khruschev wrote this letter? Explain your answer. [5] Level Descriptors Marks 1 Describes the Source / Misinterpretation of the Source 1 2 Based on Message • Award 2 marks for valid message, unsupported. • Award 3 marks for valid message, supported. Khruschev wrote this letter to show that the US actions were provocative. [2] From the source, he wrote that Kennedy had threatened to “use force” if the Soviet Union did “not obey (the US) orders.” Thus, Khrushchev wrote this letter to show Kennedy that he was being escalating the tensions between them. [3] 2-3 3 Based on Purpose • Award 5 marks for purpose linked to context. Khruschev wrote this letter to convince Kennedy that the US actions were provocative so that Kennedy would understand that the Soviet Union was in a difficult position. From the source, Khruschev wrote that Kennedy was “not appealing to reason” and “want to intimidate (the Soviet Union)” instead. As such he appealed to Kennedy that if “( Kennedy) was in (Khruschev)’s place, (he) would do the same” and to “weigh the present situation with a cool head without giving way to passion.” [4] The letter was written on 24 October after Kennedy had announced the quarantine against Cuba and had demanded the removal of the missiles in Cuba. As such, by appealing to Kennedy, Khruschev would have wanted him to withdraw his demands. [5] 4-5

2 1(b) Study Source B. How useful is this source to a historian studying the reasons why the Soviet Union assisted Cuba? Explain your answer. [5] Level Descriptors Marks 1 Useful / Not Useful Based on Provenance 1 2 Useful / Not Useful Based on Content • Award 2 marks for unsupported explanation. • Award 3 marks for supported explanation. Source B is useful as it shows that the Soviet Union had assisted Cuba for noble reasons which was to help Cuba’s defence. [2] From the source, Gromyko stated that “ Soviet specialists were training Cubans in handling certain types of armaments which were only defensive” and that “if it were otherwise the Soviet Union would never have agreed to render such assistance.” Thus, it shows how the Soviet Union had no intention of escalating tensions between the US and the Soviet Union and had only assisted Cuba purely for noble intentions. [3] 2-3 3 L2 + Useful / Not Useful Based on Based on Cross-Reference / Contextual Knowledge Source B is useful as it is supported by my contextual knowledge. Based on my contextual knowledge, the Soviet Union had only come to Cuba’s aid after Castro had publicly announced that Cuba would adopt communism. He had done so after the invasion of the Bay of Pigs. Feeling threatened, it was Castro who seek Khruschev’s help to strengthen Cuba’s defence. Th erefore, as my contextual knowledge supports Source B, it is reliable and thus, useful. [4] OR Source B is not useful as it is challenged by my contextual knowledge. Based on my contextual knowledge, the armaments that was in Cuba was not entirely defensive in nature. By October 1962, the first nuclear warheads had arrived in Cuba and the constructi on of launch sites and military bases had begun. Therefore, as my contextual knowledge challenges Source B, it is unreliable and thus, limited in its utility. [4] 4 4 L2 + Not Useful Based on Motive Source B is not useful as it has a self -serving agenda . Source B is a memorandum of a conversation between President Kennedy and Soviet Foreign Minister Andrei Gromyko on 18 October 1962. At that time, the tensions between the two countries were at its peak. As such, Gromyko would have wanted to reassure President Kennedy that the Soviet presence in Cuba was not a threat to US security so that President Kennedy would not take offensive measures that might worsened the tensions further. [5] 5

3 1(c) Study Sources C and D. How are the two sources similar? Explain your answer. [6] Level Descriptors Marks 1 Similarity based on Source Type / Provenance / Topic 1 2 Similarity in Content • Award 3 marks for one valid similarity, unsupported. • Award 4 marks for one valid similarity, supported. Sources C and D are similar in highlighting that the Soviet Union’s actions had threatened the US security interests. [2] From Source C, there was a label on Khruschev’s shirt that stated, “offensive missile bases in Cuba”. This shows how the US security was threatened due to the placement of nuclear weapons that could decimate the country. Similarly in Source D, Khruschev was portrayed as a knife thrower and Kennedy was seen with many knives around his silhouette. The cartoon is implying that Khruschev is endangering the USA. [3] OR Sources C and D are similar in highlighting that Cuba was being made use of by the Soviet Union. [2] From Source C, the cartoon shows that Khruschev was actually the mastermind behind the placement of missiles in Cuba. This is seen from the reveal of Khruschev’s face after the US had pulled Castro’s beard. This suggests that Cuba was being made use of by the Soviet Union to further the Soviet Union’s agenda. Similarly, in Source D, Khruschev was seen holding a knife labelled “Cuba” and he looked like he was getting ready to throw it at Kennedy. This also shows how the Soviet Union is using Cuba to hurt the USA. [3] 2-3 3 Two Similarity in Content • Award 4 marks for two similarities, unsupported. • Award 5 marks for two similarities, supported. 4-5 4 L2 + Similarity Based on Intention of Sources Sources C and D are similar in their intentions. Both sources are trying to justify the US implementation of the quarantine against Cuba by showing how the Soviet Union was making use of Cuba to endanger US security. Both sources are produced in October 1962 after the US had discovered the missiles in Cuba and had announced the quarantine against Cuba, demanding the removal of the missiles. In Source C, there is a paper labelled “the Quarantine” on the table with the US pulling at Castro’s beard to expose the Soviet Union as the mastermind behind the offensive missiles in Cuba. Thus, this is meant to explain why the US imposed the Quarantine as a defensive measure. Similarly, in Source D, Kennedy was portrayed as having said, “Okay, that’s enough!” to the countless of knives that the Soviet Union had thrown at the USA. While all of the knives had missed Kennedy, it is trying to show that the USA had had enough of the Soviet Union’s provocative actions and hence imposing the quarantine. [6] 6

4 (d) Study Sources E and F. Does Source F make you surprised by Source E? Explain your answer. [6] Level Descriptor Mark 1 Yes / No. Based on Provenance 1 2 Yes / No, Based on Source Content, Supported • Award 2 marks for details from one source • Award 3 marks for details from both sources Yes, Source F makes me surprised by Source E as they differ on the security threat that the Soviet Union posed. In Source E, Kennedy was dismissing the Soviet as a threat by stating that the “Russians are sufficiently experienced people to understand that the military equipment which they are supplying to Cuba, or can supply in the future, would make little difference if the USA were to consider itself forced to take military action against it. ” [2] However, in Source F, Kennedy portrayed the Soviet Union as a big security threat. He stated that the “missiles in Cuba add to an already clear and present danger.” Hence , Source F makes me surprised by Source E. [3] 2-3 3 L2 + Yes / No, Based on Cross-Referenced to Othe