CCHM 2025 H(E) MS Prelim

1 Name: Class: Register Number: PRELIMINARY EXAMINATION 2025 SECONDARY 4 HUMANITIES (HISTORY) 2261/02 Paper 2 The Making of the 20th Century Modern World, 1910s – 1991 26 August 2025 1 hour 50 minutes No Additional Materials are required. MARKING GUIDE

2 Section A: Source-Based Case Study Questions 1(a) Mark Study Source A. What is the message of the source? Explain your answer. [5] L1 1 Invalid message/ Answer based on provenance/ Describes source i.e., Truman was hiding the atomic bomb/Truman was proposing a plan L2 2 Sub-Message / Literal E.g., The message of the source is that the Allied countries (USA, Britain, USSR) will cooperate to achieve peace. L3 3 Valid Message, unsupported i.e., Idea of Truman’s hypocrisy E.g., The message of the source is that Truman is contributing to the Cold War tensions by pretending to promote peaceful cooperation while concealing a major threat. (not being sincere/honest about promoting cooperation) (Alternative message: The message of that source is that Truman was entirely to blame for the Cold War.) L4 4-5 Valid Message, supported Award 5 marks for a well-developed answer which considers the context. E.g., The message of the source is that Truman is contributing to the Cold War tensions by pretending to promote peaceful cooperation while concealing a major threat. Source A shows Truman offering “The 12 Points” (a peace plan ) but holds an atomic bomb behind his back labelled “PRIVATE.” This suggests that while the USA appears to outwardly support diplomacy and cooperation with other powers, it was actually relying on its atomic power to intimidate others, especially the USSR. [context] This cartoon was published in November 1945, shortly after World War II ended and tensions between the USA and USSR began to surface. The USA ha d not informed the USSR that it had developed the atomic bomb technology, and by November 1945, the USA had dropped two atomic bombs on Japan. This shows that the USA clearly had the upper hand since they refused to share the knowledge of the bomb with its so-called ‘Allies’, resulting in distrust among the former allies. Hence, although the USA proposed cooperation, its actions suggested otherwise, marking the early signs of the Cold War.

3 1(b) Mark Study Sources B and C. How far does Source C prove that Source B is wrong? Explain your answer. [6] L1 1 Proves/Does not prove based on topic or provenance E.g., Source C proves that Source B is wrong because Source C is by a Communist politician whereas Source B is by the American President. L2 2 – 3 Proves it is wrong due to difference in content OR Does not prove it is wrong due to similarity in content E.g., Source C proves that Source B is wrong as they differ in terms of the role played by the USA in this Cold War . Source B suggests that the USA is the protector of freedom and democracy, whereas Source C suggests that the USA is an aggressor using economic aid to gain political control. Source B states, “ I believe it must be the policy of the United States to support free peoples who are resisting subjugation by armed minorities or by outside pressures.” This suggests that the USA wanted to help other countries stay f ree if they are pressured or attacked by the communists, either from inside their country or outside. However, Source C states, “ But it soon became clear that this plan was not merely economic. It was an attempt to draw Czechoslovakia into a political grouping directed against our friends in the East.” This suggests that although the Marshall Plan seemed like USA’s efforts to help Czechoslovakia, it was actually a trick to make Czechoslovakia take sides against the USSR (forced into an anti -Soviet stance). As the sources differ in terms of the role played by the USA in the Cold War, Source C proves that Source B is wrong. OR E.g., Source C does not prove that Source B is wrong because both sources are similar in suggesting that the post-war world is ideologically divided. Source B states, “ At the present moment in world history, nearly every nation must choose between alternative ways of life. ” This suggests that the world was becoming increasingly divided by ideologies, with each country having to choose between two opposing systems of democracy (led by the USA) and communism (led by the USSR). Similarly, Source C states, “ It was an attempt to draw Czechoslovakia into a political grouping directed against our friends in the East.” This suggests that there is a political division between the East and the West, with the USA trying to get Czechoslovakia to take sides in the political conflict. As the sources are similar in terms of the world being divided into two ideological camps, Source C does not prove that Source B is wrong. L3 4 Both aspects of L2 L4 5 Proves/Does not prove because of Source C’s (un)reliability E.g., Source C proves that Source B is wrong because Source C is reliable when I cross-refer to Source D. Source C suggests that the USA used economic aid (Marshall Plan) to gain political control. Source C states, “ But it soon became clear that this plan was not merely economic. It was an attempt to draw

4 Czechoslovakia into a political grouping directed against our friends in the East.” This suggests that although the Marshall Plan seemed like USA’s efforts to help Czechoslovakia, it was actually a trick to make Czechoslovakia take sides against the USSR. This is supported by Source D which suggests that USA’S foreign policy was aggressive and expansionist. Source D states, “American imperialism is using the Marshall Plan and other economic aid programmes as weapons to subjugate European countries and tur n them into colonies.” This suggests that the USSR believed that the Marshall Plan and other forms of aid were tools to increase American control and influence in the region. Hence, as Source D corroborates what Source C says about the intention of the USA in Europe, Source C is reliable and thus proves that Source B is wrong. L5 6 Does not prove because both sources have purposes that are unreliable E.g., Source C does not prove that Source B is wrong because both sources have purposes that are unreliable. Source C was a speech made by a Communist politician in July 1947 because he wanted to convince the Czechoslovak parliament and public that the US Marshall Plan was not neutral or helpful, but just a political trap by the USA to weaken ties with the USSR, so that they would support the government’s decision to turn away from the West and align itself with the USSR. This speech was delivered just a month after the announcement of the Marshall Plan, and the Communist politician was discrediting USA’s seemingly generous offer by exposing its underlying political motives. The purpose of Source C is unreliable because it stems from a highly politicised, ideologically driven agenda aimed at swaying public opinion against the USA and in favour of Soviet influence. Source B was a speech by then US President Truman because he wanted to promote the USA as the defender of democracy and freedom to the American public an d Congress, in order to gain their support for the containment of communism abroad and to justify increased American involvement in global affairs as a moral responsibility . This speech is part of the Truman Doctrine announced in 1947, which pledged American political, military, and economic support to countries threatened by communism. The purpose of Source B is unreliable because it is shaped by President Truman’s political agenda, ideological stance, and his need to gain support for the Truman Doctrine. As both sources have purposes that are unreliable, Source C does not prove that Source B is wrong.

5 1(c) Mark Study Source D. Ar