ACJC Prelim 2025 QP

ANGLO-CHINESE JUNIOR COLLEGE PRELIMINARY EXAMINATION HIGHER 1 HISTORY 8838/01 Paper 1 The Cold War and the Modern World (1945-1991) 28 August 2025 3 hours Additional Materials: Cover Page, Answer Papers, Strings READ THESE INSTRUCTIONS FIRST You should follow the instructions on the cover page. If you need additional answer paper ask the invigilator. Section A Answer Question 1. Section B Answer two questions. Start your answer to each part question or question on a fresh sheet of paper. The number of marks is given in brackets [ ] at the end of each question or part question. Indicate your name, class and tutorial group clearly on each piece of paper. At the end of the examination, fasten your answers into three separate bundles and submit them separately: Bundle 1: Section A – Question 1(a) and 1(b) Bundle 2: Section B – Question 2/3 Bundle 3: Section B – Question 4/5 The cover page is to be completed and attached on top of your answer to Section A. This document consists of 5 printed pages and 1 blank page. © ACJC History Unit 2025 [Turn over © ACJC History Department 2020 2

Section A You must answer Question 1. THE COLLAPSE OF THE SOVIET UNION 1 Read the sources and answer the questions that follow. Source A Bush: You are living through a difficult time. Of course, I don’t want to interfere in your internal affairs in any way, but let me say this - we will try to do all we can to help you in this difficult cause. Gorbachev: Thank you. We are indeed living through a difficult time. But it cannot be otherwise, if we are implementing cardinal transformation of our society. We will be moving in the same direction as before, but we will carry out serious organisational changes. In essence, we are talking about presidential rule, a presidential system, where executive power will be directly under the President’s control. Bush: And what would Yeltsin’s place in this system be? Gorbachev: Our people are mainly in favour of political stabilisation. And in all the republics people speak in favour of the union more and more decisively. And people raise the question - what is preventing cooperation between Gorbachev and Yeltsin? I answer them honestly - nothing is preventing it. There is a great objective need for such cooperation now. Yeltsin built his reputation on negativity. People used to say - good job, he criticises Gorbachev himself. However, now he has power. And people are asking - what has changed? And he continues to blame the centre for all the problems. From a record of conversation between President Gorbachev and President George H. W. Bush, November 1990. Source B Exploding a political bombshell on live nationwide television, Boris Yeltsin issued an unprecedented call on Tuesday night for President Mikhail Gorbachev’s immediate resignation, charging that Gorbachev’s reform drive has degenerated into a quest for boundless dictatorial powers. Yeltsin said that he is severing all political ties with Gorbach