A-level
HISTORY
Component 2T The Crisis of Communism: the USSR and the
Soviet Empire, 1953–2000
Friday 7 June 2024 Afternoon Time allowed: 2 hours 30 minutes
Materials
For this paper you must have:
• an AQA 16-page answer book.
Instructions
• Use black ink or black ball-point pen.
• Write the information required on the front of your answer book. The Paper Reference is
7042/2T.
• Answer three questions.
In Section A answer Question 01.
In Section B answer two questions.
Information
• The marks for questions are shown in brackets.
• The maximum mark for this paper is 80.
• You will be marked on your ability to:
– use good English
– organise information clearly
– use specialist vocabulary where appropriate.
Advice
• You are advised to spend about:
– 1 hour on Question 01 from Section A
– 45 minutes on each of the two questions answered from Section B.
IB/M/Jun24/G4006/E4 7042/2T
, 2
Section A
Answer Question 01.
Source A
From an official letter sent to Leonid Brezhnev by Richard Nixon, June 1973. This letter
preceded Brezhnev’s visit to Washington DC the same month.
I have read with great interest of your visit to the Federal Republic of Germany and your
conversations with Chancellor Brandt. The visit was evidently fruitful and both you and
the Chancellor are to be congratulated.
We are now preparing for your historic visit to the USA. I am sure the outcome will
further strengthen the beneficial relations between our two countries. We have already 5
drafted an agreement on the prevention of nuclear war. I profoundly hope, as I know you
do, Mr General Secretary, that in signing it, we will be taking a significant step, not only
towards reducing the danger of a devastating nuclear war, but also towards creating
conditions in the world where wars of any kind and the use of force will no longer afflict
mankind. 10
The effect of our prospective agreement would undoubtedly be further enhanced by
additional progress towards the limitation of strategic armaments.
We look forward to repaying the splendid hospitality shown to us in the Soviet Union last
year.
Source B
From speeches on Afghanistan given to the Central Committee by Leonid Brezhnev and
his Minister of Foreign Affairs, Andrei Gromyko, 23 June 1980. These speeches were
minuted for the CPSU.
Brezhnev: Washington is trying to revive the spirit of the Cold War. The ruling circles of
the USA stop at nothing, including armed aggression, to try to keep the Afghans from
building a new life, in accordance with the ideals of their revolution of April 1978. When
we helped our neighbour, Afghanistan, at the request of its government, Washington
raised an unprecedented uproar. They accused the Soviet Union of wanting to reach 5
warm waters and make a grab for foreign oil. But in the Soviet assistance to Afghanistan
there was no greed whatsoever.
Gromyko: It is said the Soviet Union has changed its policy and threatens the West and
its interests. No – it is the USA and NATO that have sharply increased their military
budgets and whipped up the arms race. In the post-war years it required considerable 10
effort from the Soviet Union to persuade the USA to accept peaceful coexistence. Now
Washington is again attempting to do whatever it takes to achieve military superiority
over us.
IB/M/Jun24/7042/2T
, 3
Source C
From a letter to a 10-year-old American, Samantha Smith, from Yuri Andropov, April
1983. This reply to a letter sent to Andropov by Samantha was given widespread
international media coverage.
You write that you are anxious about a nuclear war between our two countries.
Samantha, we in the Soviet Union are trying to do everything so that there will not be war
on Earth. We know what a terrible thing war is. We want very much to live in peace, to
trade and cooperate with all our neighbours, far and near, and certainly the USA. In
America and in our country there are nuclear weapons that can kill millions of people in 5
an instant. We do not want them to be ever used. We have solemnly declared we will
never use nuclear weapons first against any country. We propose to discontinue further
production of these and want the abolition of all the stockpiles on Earth. You ask why we
want to wage war. We want nothing of the kind. We are occupied with growing wheat,
building and inventing, writing books and flying into space. We want peace for ourselves 10
and for all peoples – for our children and for you, Samantha.
0 1 With reference to these sources and your understanding of the historical context,
assess the value of these three sources to an historian studying Soviet foreign and
international policy in the years 1973 to 1983.
[30 marks]
Turn over for Section B
IB/M/Jun24/7042/2T Turn over ►
HISTORY
Component 2T The Crisis of Communism: the USSR and the
Soviet Empire, 1953–2000
Friday 7 June 2024 Afternoon Time allowed: 2 hours 30 minutes
Materials
For this paper you must have:
• an AQA 16-page answer book.
Instructions
• Use black ink or black ball-point pen.
• Write the information required on the front of your answer book. The Paper Reference is
7042/2T.
• Answer three questions.
In Section A answer Question 01.
In Section B answer two questions.
Information
• The marks for questions are shown in brackets.
• The maximum mark for this paper is 80.
• You will be marked on your ability to:
– use good English
– organise information clearly
– use specialist vocabulary where appropriate.
Advice
• You are advised to spend about:
– 1 hour on Question 01 from Section A
– 45 minutes on each of the two questions answered from Section B.
IB/M/Jun24/G4006/E4 7042/2T
, 2
Section A
Answer Question 01.
Source A
From an official letter sent to Leonid Brezhnev by Richard Nixon, June 1973. This letter
preceded Brezhnev’s visit to Washington DC the same month.
I have read with great interest of your visit to the Federal Republic of Germany and your
conversations with Chancellor Brandt. The visit was evidently fruitful and both you and
the Chancellor are to be congratulated.
We are now preparing for your historic visit to the USA. I am sure the outcome will
further strengthen the beneficial relations between our two countries. We have already 5
drafted an agreement on the prevention of nuclear war. I profoundly hope, as I know you
do, Mr General Secretary, that in signing it, we will be taking a significant step, not only
towards reducing the danger of a devastating nuclear war, but also towards creating
conditions in the world where wars of any kind and the use of force will no longer afflict
mankind. 10
The effect of our prospective agreement would undoubtedly be further enhanced by
additional progress towards the limitation of strategic armaments.
We look forward to repaying the splendid hospitality shown to us in the Soviet Union last
year.
Source B
From speeches on Afghanistan given to the Central Committee by Leonid Brezhnev and
his Minister of Foreign Affairs, Andrei Gromyko, 23 June 1980. These speeches were
minuted for the CPSU.
Brezhnev: Washington is trying to revive the spirit of the Cold War. The ruling circles of
the USA stop at nothing, including armed aggression, to try to keep the Afghans from
building a new life, in accordance with the ideals of their revolution of April 1978. When
we helped our neighbour, Afghanistan, at the request of its government, Washington
raised an unprecedented uproar. They accused the Soviet Union of wanting to reach 5
warm waters and make a grab for foreign oil. But in the Soviet assistance to Afghanistan
there was no greed whatsoever.
Gromyko: It is said the Soviet Union has changed its policy and threatens the West and
its interests. No – it is the USA and NATO that have sharply increased their military
budgets and whipped up the arms race. In the post-war years it required considerable 10
effort from the Soviet Union to persuade the USA to accept peaceful coexistence. Now
Washington is again attempting to do whatever it takes to achieve military superiority
over us.
IB/M/Jun24/7042/2T
, 3
Source C
From a letter to a 10-year-old American, Samantha Smith, from Yuri Andropov, April
1983. This reply to a letter sent to Andropov by Samantha was given widespread
international media coverage.
You write that you are anxious about a nuclear war between our two countries.
Samantha, we in the Soviet Union are trying to do everything so that there will not be war
on Earth. We know what a terrible thing war is. We want very much to live in peace, to
trade and cooperate with all our neighbours, far and near, and certainly the USA. In
America and in our country there are nuclear weapons that can kill millions of people in 5
an instant. We do not want them to be ever used. We have solemnly declared we will
never use nuclear weapons first against any country. We propose to discontinue further
production of these and want the abolition of all the stockpiles on Earth. You ask why we
want to wage war. We want nothing of the kind. We are occupied with growing wheat,
building and inventing, writing books and flying into space. We want peace for ourselves 10
and for all peoples – for our children and for you, Samantha.
0 1 With reference to these sources and your understanding of the historical context,
assess the value of these three sources to an historian studying Soviet foreign and
international policy in the years 1973 to 1983.
[30 marks]
Turn over for Section B
IB/M/Jun24/7042/2T Turn over ►
