YIJC JC1 H1 History WA1 Suggested Approach 2025

HISTORY UNIT / DEPARTMENT OF HUMANITIESH1 International History [1945-2000](Syllabus 8838/01) 1JC1 / Term 2 / 2025Done by Jasper Goh (2025). JC1 H1 History Weighted Assessment 1 (WA1) Suggested PerspectiveNote: I did not split the answer into parts or boxes, so this is the full version of what you can/might be expected to write! (The first paragraph deals with the “how are the sources similar and why are they similar” bit, while the second and third deal with the “how are the sources different and why are they different” bit. You can, of course, opt to arrange/organise it differently.)You will also notice that there’s usually more to say for ‘why are they different’ compared to ‘why are they similar’ – this is pretty logical too because it’s highly unlikely that you will get 2 sources that are very similar! I also gave some alternative and bonus points to highlight other possible things you could raise. As always, remember that history is an ARTS subject; there are always multiple possible answers!Sources A and B are similar in blaming the US for the outbreak of the Cold War as their actions were seen to be aggressive to the Soviet Union and the rest of the world. Source A highlights that US actions make it seem as though they were trying to “build up a large amount of force to intimidate the rest of mankind”, with their actions in Eastern Europe looking like an “attempt to encircle” the USSR with “unfriendly neighbours.” Source B corroborates this by stating that the building of US bases around the world, particularly the “numerous bases against the USSR”, were clear examples of “military aggression” from the US. The reasons for this similarity could be found in the context of America’s actions in the initial post-war period. Source A was clearly informed by Kennan’s Long Telegram in 1946 and US responses toward the Sovietisation of Eastern Europe, as Wallace was clearly concerned over the direction that US policies were taking and how aggressive these must appear to the Soviets. In a similar vein, Source B was written in the context of US containment policies in 1947, particularly the Truman Doctrine and Marshall Plan, which to Zhdanov were evidently acts of US aggression and desire for world domination. The context of US policies in the post-war world could thus explain why two politicians from seemingly different sides of the divide were in agreement on seeing US actions as to blame for the outbreak of the Cold War.However, Sources A and B differ in the aspect of US foreign policy which they focus on in blaming the US for the Cold War. Source A focuses mainly on the strategic and military aspects of US foreign policy, as it addresses their “continued production of bombs”, and their attempts to “secure air bases spread over half the globe”. Source B, however, also highlights the economic dimension to US policy, suggesting that US economic aid to Europe was just “taking advantage” of the post-war situation to bring “Europe into bondage to Amer