MGS 2026 HIST PRELIM P1 MS

METHODIST GIRLS’ SCHOOL Founded in 1887 PRELIMINARY EXAMINATION 2026 Secondary 4 HISTORY Paper 1 Extension of European control in Southeast Asia and 2174/01 challenges to European dominance, 1870s-1942 Levels of Response Marking Scheme (LORMS) 1

Source-Based Case Study Why did Hitler purge the SA in 1934? 1 (a) Study Source A. How surprised are you by this source? Explain your answer. [5] Level (L) Descriptor Marks L1 Answers based on undeveloped provenance or do not consider the concept of surprise e.g., Source A is not surprising as it is from a Nazi Field-Marshal who was an army commander describing the events of June 1934. 1 L2 Surprised OR Not Surprised without explanation e.g., I am surprised that the Field-Marshal shared information with the SA. 2 L3 Surprised OR Not Surprised based on the content of the source e.g., Source A is not surprising as it shows the growing tension between the SA and the army in June 1934. Source A states that "I was warned that an attack by the SA on the army was imminent" and that the local SA leader "had only put his men on alert to resist my attack." This is not surprising as it confirms that both the army and the SA were suspicious of each other and feared an attack, which fits with the mounting tensions before the Night of the Long Knives. AND e.g., Source A is surprising as it reveals that the conflict may have been manufactured rather than a genuine SA plot. Source A states that "the army and the SA were being egged on against each other by Himmler." This is surprising because it suggests that Röhm was not actually planning to seize power, but that Himmler was deliberately provoking the two sides against each other for his own purposes. 3 L3 Surprised AND Not Surprised based on cross-reference to other sources/contextual knowledge AND critical analysis of provenance Award 5 marks for surprised and the lack of it. e.g., Source A is not surprising when cross-referenced with Source F. Source A claims that "the army and the SA were being egged on against each other by Himmler," while Source F confirms that "Enemies of Röhm in the SS were already involved in a plot to destroy him" and that Himmler "convinced Hitler that Röhm was about to stage a revolution." Both sources consistently suggest that the threat was 4-5 2

Level (L) Descriptor Marks engineered by Himmler and the SS rather than a real SA plot, so Source A is not surprising. AND e.g., Source A is surprising given the context and the provenance of the source. As a Nazi Field-Marshal and army commander, I would not expect the army commander who was supposed to despise the three-million-strong SA to exchange information with the local SA leader about knowing the SA plans of attack during the period of growing tensions between the two groups in June 1934. 3

(b) Study Sources B and C. Having read Source B, why do you think Hitler made the radio broadcast in Source C? Explain your answer. [6] Level (L) Descriptor Marks L1 Answers based on undeveloped provenance/source content e.g., Hitler made the radio broadcast in Source C because he wanted to explain his actions to the Reichstag on 13 July 1934. 1 L2 Answers based on the content of Source C (the purpose of the broadcast) without linking to Source B Award the higher mark for more developed answers. e.g., Hitler made the radio broadcast to justify the killings and warn others against opposing him. In Source C, Hitler declares that "if he lifts his hand against the state, certain death is his fate" and that he "became the Supreme Judge of the German people." This shows that Hitler wanted to justify acting outside the law and to threaten anyone who might challenge his authority. 2 L3 Answers which use Source B to explain the purpose of the broadcast in Source C, supported by source content and/or contextual knowledge Award 3 marks for explaining the purpose of Source C in relation to Source B. Award 4 marks for a well-developed answer supported by contextual knowledge. e.g., Having read Source B, Hitler made the broadcast in Source C to justify the secretive and violent way in which the purge was carried out. In Source B, Hitler's driver describes how Hitler arrived at the hotel silently, ordered his men to "drive on" past any SA guard, and entered Röhm's bedroom with detectives to arrest him with the words "Röhm, you are under arrest," claiming "Röhm wants to carry out a coup." As these arrests and killings were carried out without any trial, Hitler needed the broadcast in Source C to explain why he did not "resort to the regular courts of justice" and to present himself as the "Supreme Judge of the German people." In the context of the Night of the Long Knives (30 June - 2 July 1934), in which up to 200 people were killed without trial, Hitler used the broadcast to legitimise these actions and to deter future opposition by warning that "certain death" awaited anyone who "lifts his hand against the state." Thus, the broadcast was a piece of propaganda designed to turn an illegal purge into an act of justified, decisive leadership. 3 - 4 4

Level (L) Descriptor Marks L4 L3 + Answers based on a critical analysis of the provenance of BOTH Source B and Source C to reach a supported judgement on why Hitler made the broadcast Award 6 marks for a sustained evaluation that weighs the provenance of each source to explain Hitler's true purpose. e.g., [As L3 plus] Set against each other, the two provenances make Hitler's purpose clear. Because Source B—a private, first-hand account—shows that the purge was a violent, lawless act with no proven plot, Hitler needed the public, broadcast platform of Source C to re-cast that same event as legitimate justice and to deter future dissent. The very fact that a leader would broadcast a several-hours-long justification of killings he carried out in secret shows that the purpose of Source C was propaganda: to control how the nation understood the Night of the Long Knives. Thus, evaluating the provenance of both sources shows Hitler made the broadcast to transform an illegal purge into an act of decisive, justified leadership in the eyes of the German people. 5-6 5

(c) Study Source D. What is the message of this cartoon? Explain your answer using details from the cartoon. [5] Level (L) Descriptor Marks L1 Describes the source, but no message identified e.g., Source D shows Hitler giving a Nazi salute over the Storm Troopers (SA). 1 L2 Identifies valid sub-messages Sub-messages address only one side of the cartoon, that is, either Hitler acknowledging the SA who helped him rise to power or Hitler betraying the SA after he had risen to power. Award 3 marks for support from source content e.g., Source D sho