A-level
HISTORY
Component 2K International Relations and Global Conflict, c1890–1941
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
7042/2K.
• 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/E5 7042/2K
, 2
Section A
Answer Question 01.
Source A
From a radio speech given by Molotov, 22 June, 1941. Molotov was Soviet Commissar
for Foreign Affairs in 1941.
The Soviet government and its head, comrade Stalin, have ordered me to make the
following announcement: today, at 4 o’clock in the morning, German troops entered our
country, without making any demands on the Soviet Union and without a declaration of
war. They have attacked our borders in many places and have subjected our towns to
aerial bombardments. Hostile aerial attacks and artillery barrages have also taken place 5
on Romanian and Finnish territory.
This attack is unheard of and is a treacherous act that has no equal in the history of
civilised peoples. The attack on our country was launched even though a
non-aggression treaty between the USSR and Germany had been signed and the
Soviet Union has observed all conditions of this treaty in full honesty. The German 10
government has never once been able to dispute our observance of this treaty.
The whole responsibility for this raid on the Soviet Union lies in the hands of the Nazi
German government.
Source B
From the diary of Hideki Tojo written whilst in prison shortly after the end of war. Tojo
had been the Prime Minister of Japan and ordered the attack on Pearl Harbor, 1941.
In 1941, the USA made the first step towards the escalation of war when a US naval
force was shifted to the Pacific. An American admiral provocatively declared that if war
were to break out between Japan and the United States, the Japanese navy could be
sunk in weeks. Despite our pact with Germany, Japan attempted to avoid these
circumstances by negotiation, and though Japan heaped concession upon concession, 5
there was no progress because the United States would not back down. In the end, the
United States repeated demands that Japan could not accept: a complete withdrawal of
troops from China. Japan lost all hope of reaching a resolution through diplomatic
negotiation.
It became clear that to continue in this manner was to lead Japan to disaster. With such 10
limited options, to protect and defend the nation and clear the obstacles in our path, a
decisive appeal to arms was made. We had to defend our interests in the Pacific, and
the USA and Britain were the biggest challengers there.
IB/M/Jun24/7042/2K
, 3
Source C
From a statement made to a British journalist by General von Kleist, 1948. In 1941,
von Kleist had been an army commander involved in Operation Barbarossa.
We were told that the Russian armies were about to attack in 1941, and that it was
essential for Germany to act first in order to remove the Soviet menace. It was explained
that the Führer could not proceed with other plans in Eastern Europe as too large a part
of the German forces would be pinned down by the Russians when Stalin found
Germany’s sphere of influence too large. It was argued that attack was the only way for 5
us to remove the risks of a Russian offensive. Hopes of victory were built on the
prospect that the invasion would produce a political upheaval in Russia. Too high hopes
were built on the belief that Stalin would be overthrown quickly by his own people. We
had assumed they would rise and crush communism. The belief was fostered by the
Führer’s political advisers, and we, as soldiers, didn’t know enough to dispute it. We 10
were also told that we needed to support the Japanese with their efforts in the Pacific.
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 the escalation of the
Second World War in 1941.
[30 marks]
Turn over for Section B
IB/M/Jun24/7042/2K Turn over ►
HISTORY
Component 2K International Relations and Global Conflict, c1890–1941
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
7042/2K.
• 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/E5 7042/2K
, 2
Section A
Answer Question 01.
Source A
From a radio speech given by Molotov, 22 June, 1941. Molotov was Soviet Commissar
for Foreign Affairs in 1941.
The Soviet government and its head, comrade Stalin, have ordered me to make the
following announcement: today, at 4 o’clock in the morning, German troops entered our
country, without making any demands on the Soviet Union and without a declaration of
war. They have attacked our borders in many places and have subjected our towns to
aerial bombardments. Hostile aerial attacks and artillery barrages have also taken place 5
on Romanian and Finnish territory.
This attack is unheard of and is a treacherous act that has no equal in the history of
civilised peoples. The attack on our country was launched even though a
non-aggression treaty between the USSR and Germany had been signed and the
Soviet Union has observed all conditions of this treaty in full honesty. The German 10
government has never once been able to dispute our observance of this treaty.
The whole responsibility for this raid on the Soviet Union lies in the hands of the Nazi
German government.
Source B
From the diary of Hideki Tojo written whilst in prison shortly after the end of war. Tojo
had been the Prime Minister of Japan and ordered the attack on Pearl Harbor, 1941.
In 1941, the USA made the first step towards the escalation of war when a US naval
force was shifted to the Pacific. An American admiral provocatively declared that if war
were to break out between Japan and the United States, the Japanese navy could be
sunk in weeks. Despite our pact with Germany, Japan attempted to avoid these
circumstances by negotiation, and though Japan heaped concession upon concession, 5
there was no progress because the United States would not back down. In the end, the
United States repeated demands that Japan could not accept: a complete withdrawal of
troops from China. Japan lost all hope of reaching a resolution through diplomatic
negotiation.
It became clear that to continue in this manner was to lead Japan to disaster. With such 10
limited options, to protect and defend the nation and clear the obstacles in our path, a
decisive appeal to arms was made. We had to defend our interests in the Pacific, and
the USA and Britain were the biggest challengers there.
IB/M/Jun24/7042/2K
, 3
Source C
From a statement made to a British journalist by General von Kleist, 1948. In 1941,
von Kleist had been an army commander involved in Operation Barbarossa.
We were told that the Russian armies were about to attack in 1941, and that it was
essential for Germany to act first in order to remove the Soviet menace. It was explained
that the Führer could not proceed with other plans in Eastern Europe as too large a part
of the German forces would be pinned down by the Russians when Stalin found
Germany’s sphere of influence too large. It was argued that attack was the only way for 5
us to remove the risks of a Russian offensive. Hopes of victory were built on the
prospect that the invasion would produce a political upheaval in Russia. Too high hopes
were built on the belief that Stalin would be overthrown quickly by his own people. We
had assumed they would rise and crush communism. The belief was fostered by the
Führer’s political advisers, and we, as soldiers, didn’t know enough to dispute it. We 10
were also told that we needed to support the Japanese with their efforts in the Pacific.
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 the escalation of the
Second World War in 1941.
[30 marks]
Turn over for Section B
IB/M/Jun24/7042/2K Turn over ►
