JPJC H2 P1 History Answer Key Prelim 2021

Jurong Pioneer Junior College 1 Proposed J2 H2 Paper 1 History Prelim Exams Answer Key 2021 Section A You must answer Question 1. CAUSES OF THE KOREAN WAR, 1950 – 1953 (a) Compare and contrast Sources A and B as evidence regarding the involvement of the United States in the Korean War. [10] L1 (1-3m) Answer compares sources through paraphrasing; comparison is superficial, partial or confusing. L2 (4-6m) Comparison between sources is made through correct interpretation and deduction from the content only. For example, the sources agree that the United States has intervened militarily in the war; on the other hand, Source A implied that American military intervention was defensive in nature, while Source B accused America for being the aggressor in the war. L3 (7-8m) Answer is uneven, meaning insights are shown only in the discussion of one source or the comparison and contrast are not attempted equally w ell, but the response as a whole contains valid contextualisation. L4 (9-10m) Analysis of both sources, demonstration of compare and contrast skills, are performed well with valid contextualisation. The answer can mention how, on surface, both sources are similar in showing how American intervention in the Korean War has been through its military, as they were describing American role in the war during the same period. Given their purpose however, the nature of American involvement has been explained differently. Source A sought to justify the reason for USA support of the United Nations’ collective security action to be undertaken against the incursion of North Korean troops across the 38th parallel. It is a message made by President Truman 2 days after the Pyongyang crossed the line. Source B on the other hand was a North Korean propaganda narrating the military actions already executed by the American forces against North Korean targets, by 30 th June 1950. It was produced as an accusation against supposed American invasion of the north.

Jurong Pioneer Junior College 2 (b) To what extent do Sources A – F show that the Soviet Union should bear the primary responsibility for starting the Korean War? [30] L1 (1-4m) Sources are not used sufficiently or correctly; overall response has been uneven and underdeveloped. L2 (5-10m) Only relevant information from content of the sources is extracted but the overall response is not contextualised. Answers use sources in isolation belong to this level. L3 (11-15m) Sources are studied in sets with attempts to triangulate them to answer the question based on deduction from the content only. There will be no contextualisation. L4 (16-20m) Sources are discussed in sets but only some of these materials are assessed with contextualisation. Quality of challenge and support sets will not be equally good. L5 (21-25m) Support set – Sources A, D and F. Source D, a South Korean propaganda cartoon distributed at the height of the Korean War in 1952, claimed that Soviet Union was the mastermind of the invading Korean troops, illustrated the insinuation made in Source A, a proclamation made by President Truman to justify US intervention in the war, three days after the invasion from the north, that “communism has passed beyond the use of subversion to conquer independent nations and will now use armed invasion and war.” Soviet leadership at initiating the Korean War has been validated from hindsight by Source F, published long after the truce in 2010, that Stalin’s calculation was key to the battle plans of DPRK. Challenge set – Sources B, C and E instead believe that the USA should be held primarily responsible for starting the Korean War. Sources B and E exhibit the continuation of DPRK perspective from the beginning to the truce of the war between 1950 and 1953, that it was the Americans who were responsible for invading the Korean peninsula in order to assert their imperialistic rule. Both sources corroborate with Source C, a letter from Stalin in 1950, which exonerated the USSR from starting the war and putting the blame squarely on the shoulders of the Americans instead, as evident in “(few) honest people can doubt that America is now acting as an aggressor in Korea”. Evaluation – The set that supports the statement in question is a more valid. While Sources B and E place the blame on the USA for starting the war, they were merely propaganda made to justify DPRK invasion. This perspective was challenged by Source A, where Truman vowed American support for th e collective security action by the United Nations to repel DPRK invasion, which is validated by my contextual knowledge, that the DPRK did in fact invaded ROK on 25 June 1950. Sources B and E have therefore distorted facts to serve their political purpose. Source C on the other hand is a less objective source, as Stalin spoke in politically self -righteous terms blaming Americans for the war, yet betrayed Soviet to his reader as he mentioned “(the) reason we eventually allowed the war in Korea is because: l et us suppose that the U.S. continues to be tied down in the Far East and also pulls China into the struggle. ” This has

Jurong Pioneer Junior College 3 indirectly confirmed Source F assertion that the war could not have happened without the endorsement of Stalin. L6 (26-30m) In addition to L5, answers at this level may elaborate upon source details with relevant contextual knowledge to enrich their discussion on the thesis statement. Relations between both sets of sources will be explored and if necessary, the statement in question is to be modified. If choose to modify the thesis statement, students can argue that all the sources seem to bring about the broader narrative that even though the supporting set has been stronger, it is not entirely reliable. Source A was made before the clouds of war were cleared, while Source D too, like Sources B and E, was propaganda with exaggerated view. It was from Source F that one can tell that the Soviets were merely the endorser of Kim Il -Sung’s decision to invade the south. Stalin might be key to s tarting the war, but he should not bear the primary responsibility as invading the south was an idea persistently pushed by, and with its brunt also bore by DPRK. Section B Band Marks Quality of the Answers 0 0 No evidence submitted or response does not address the question. 1 1-8 The essay will be characterised by significant irrelevance or argument that does not begin to make significant points. The essay may mention historical concepts but these will not be understood. The answers may be largely fragmentary and incoherent. 2 9-12 The essay will not be properly focused on the requirements of the question. There may be many unsupported assertions and commentaries that lack sufficient factual support. The essay may include references to historical concepts but these may not be fully understood. Where appropriate, the essay may mention the existence of other historical interpretations but this may not be explained. The argument may be of limited relevance to the topic and there may be confusion about the implications of the question. 3 13-15 The essay will offer some appropriate factual material but there will be little attempt generally to link factual material to the requirements of the question. The approach will lack analysis. The essay will include some references to historical concepts but these may not be used to develop the analysis. Where appropriate, the essay may mention the existence of other historical interpretations, though this may be implicit. The quality of the description or narrative, although sufficiently accurate and relevant to the topic if no t the particular question, will not be linked e