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 wh