Thesis Statement
Advice
Content
Perspectives
November 2019
Evaluate the impact of the Congress of Berlin on the European Alliance system.
Compare and contrast the impact of the First World War on the civilian populations in two countries up to 1918.
May 2019
“German foreign policy did not lead to the outbreak of the First World War.” Discuss.
Discuss the factors that led to the defeat of Germany and the other Central Powers in the First World War.
November 2018
Evaluate the importance of the long- and short-term causes of the First World War.
To what extent did US entry into the First World War contribute to Allied victory?
May 2018
To what extent was Balkan nationalism a significant cause of the First World War?
With reference to the period up to 1918, discuss the reasons for, and the impact of, US entry into the First World War.
November 2017
“The Congress of Berlin (1878) was the greatest achievement of European diplomacy between 1871 and 1914.” To what extent do you agree with this statement?
“The failure to manage the international crisis of July 1914 led to the outbreak of the First World War.” To what extent do you agree with this statement?
May 2017
With reference to the period up to 1914, examine the impact of Kaiser Wilhelm II’s foreign policy on Britain, France, Russia and Austria-Hungary
“Domestic instability was the main factor in Germany requesting an armistice in 1918.” Discuss.
Previous Examination Questions
1. Discuss the role of the Alliance system in causing the First World War
TS – The alliance system did not cause the First World War because countries had their own agendas when entering into conflict in 1914.
2. Examine the impact of the decline of the Ottoman Empire in the changing balance of power in Europe.
TS – The Ottoman Empire’s power had been declining since the early nineteenth century. This affected the balance of power in Europe because Russia and Austria-Hungary wanted to fill the vacuum left by her dwindling empire.
3. To what extent did Austria-Hungary, Russia and Balkan nationalism lead to the First World War?
TS – The political problems in the Balkans and theExamine the role of the arms race and diplomatic crises in causing tension between European states up to 1914.
4. Discuss the long and short term causes of the First World War.
5. ‘It was the fatal decisions made during the July Crisis of 1914 that led to a general European War’ To what extent do you agree with this statement?
6. Did the allies win or the central powers lose the First World War?
Isabelle – Although the Allied Powers suffered major casualties and economic losses, the Central Powers lost the First World War as they were unable to sustain their loss in both human and economic resources.
Ben – The Central Powers could not sustain their losses in human resources and hence led to their downfall in the war.
The Central Powers lost, because the losses sustained overpower any form of gain that the allies reaped. The allies suffered major casualties and economic losses (other than the US), and only gained some territory as a result. The Central Powers lost due to a culmination of economic deprivation, strategic errors, influence of foreign powers (i.e entry of US, weak German allies), domestic instability, as well as various land, naval and aerial failures that contributed to their loss in the grand scheme of the war.
Charisse – The strategic errors of the central powers resulted in their domestic weakness and instability, leading to their inability to sustain their losses, pinning them as the losers of the First World War.
Teck – The Central Powers could not sustain their losses and hence led to their downfall in the war, as a result of human resources interfering with the agenda of the powers, therefore they surrender and lost the First World War.
Amir – Consider the allied win because of their varieties forming of there military and contributions of their alliances in world war 1 had helped them to fight over the Battle against the Central Power. The strength in strategies and technologies such as tanks and navy had pushed the allies to beat the Central Power in any form of warfare.
7. The entry of the United States into the First World War decided its outcome. How accurate is this statement?
8. To what extent has any twentieth century war changed the role of women?
9. To what extent can it be said that the First World War was caused by the alliance system?
10. Explain the impact of war on two of the following: women, the arts, the media.
11. Assess the importance of nationalism and selfish ambition as causes of twentieth-century wars. Reference must be made to at least two wars.
Evaluate the relative importance of imperialism, the arms race and the failure of diplomacy in causing the First World War.
Why did Germany and her allies lose the First World War?
Using examples from two countries, which suffered the greater civilian impact during the First World War?
“Wars frequently begin ten years before the first shot is fired.” To what extent does this statement explain the outbreak of the First World War?