China and Japan, 1912–45: past paper questions
Real questions on china and japan, 1912–45
The newest 20 of 53 written questions. Open one to see it on the real paper.
- 9489/11 · May/June 2026 · Q3a[15]
Read Source B and Source C. To what extent do Sources B and C agree about the Kuomintang government?
See it on the paper → - 9489/11 · May/June 2026 · Q3b[25]
Read all of the sources. How far do the sources support the view that, during the war with Japan, the policies of the Communists were popular with the Chinese people?
See it on the paper → - 9489/12 · May/June 2026 · Q2b[25]
Read all of the sources. How far do the sources support the view that Americans on both sides agreed with the introduction of conscription? Section C: International option China and Japan, 1912–45
See it on the paper → - 9489/12 · May/June 2026 · Q3a[15]
Read Source B and Source D. To what extent do Sources B and D agree about the New Fourth Army?
See it on the paper → - 9489/12 · May/June 2026 · Q3b[25]
Read all of the sources. How far do the sources support the view that the Kuomintang and Communists were united in waging war with Japan after 1937?
See it on the paper → - 9489/13 · May/June 2026 · Q3a[15]
Read Source B and Source D. To what extent do these sources agree as evidence about the character of Chiang Kai-shek?
See it on the paper → - 9489/13 · May/June 2026 · Q3b[25]
Read all of the sources. ‘Chiang Kai-shek and his government worked for the benefit of the Chinese people’. How far do the sources support this view?
See it on the paper → - 9489/31 · May/June 2026 · Q1[40]
Read the extract and then answer the question. The great powers plunged into war for the sake of a quick victory. Afterwards people looked back and puzzled how it could have happened. There was a varied list of possible ‘war criminals’. The Allies wished to blame Kaiser Bill. This was unreasonable. As the record shows,...
See it on the paper → - 9489/41 · May/June 2026 · Q1[30]
‘Mussolini’s policies towards women had only a limited impact on their lives.’ Discuss this view.
See it on the paper → - 9489/41 · May/June 2026 · Q2[30]
Analyse the impact of Stalin’s policies towards non-Russian nationalities in the years 1928–41.
See it on the paper → - 9489/41 · May/June 2026 · Q10[30]
Evaluate the extent to which the USSR was responsible for the Sino–Soviet split.
See it on the paper → - 9489/41 · May/June 2026 · Q11[30]
‘Superpower rivalry was the main reason for conflict in Ethiopia between 1950 and 1991.’ Discuss this view.
See it on the paper → - 9489/41 · May/June 2026 · Q12[30]
‘Oil was the main reason for US involvement in the Middle East in the period 1948–91.’ Evaluate this view.
See it on the paper → - 9489/22 · October/November 2025 · Q9a[10]
Explain why the appointment of General Tojo as Japanese Prime Minister was significant in the Japanese decision to go to war in 1941.
See it on the paper → - 9489/22 · October/November 2025 · Q9b[20]
How important was the support of the USSR in the success of the Northern Expedition?
See it on the paper → - 9489/23 · October/November 2025 · Q9a[10]
Explain why the Xi’an incident was important.
See it on the paper → - 9489/23 · October/November 2025 · Q9b[20]
To what extent were economic factors responsible for the decline of democracy in Japan?
See it on the paper → - 9489/23 · May/June 2025 · Q9a[10]
Explain why Japan’s international policies during the 1930s became increasingly aggressive.
See it on the paper → - 9489/23 · May/June 2025 · Q9b[20]
To what extent was Yuan Shih-kai responsible for the failure to establish a strong central government in China after the 1911 Revolution?
See it on the paper → - 9489/22 · February/March 2025 · Q7a[10]
Explain why the Treaty of Shimonoseki led to the Triple Intervention.
See it on the paper →
What examiners said
How far do the sources support the view that the Chinese authorities sympathised with the Boxers? Most responses made effective use of the sources and developed a balanced argument. However, some showed uncertainty over the terms ‘authorities’ and ‘sympathised’ and this led to some misreading and confusion about the meaning of the sources. Source A could be used on both sides of the argument. To...
— Examiner report, October/November 2023, 9489/11 Q3(b) (Cambridge)
Explain why the Japanese army occupied Manchuria in 1931. Responses to this question were often very good. Factors ranged from the conflict between democratic government to the rising tide of militarism in Japan. Most responses were clear on the extent to which this was fuelled by the effects of the Great Depression which caused significant problems in Japan and led many to blame the democratic g...
— Examiner report, October/November 2023, 9489/23 Q9(a) (Cambridge)
To what extent was the increasing support for the Chinese Communist Party in the 1930s a result of the policies of Chiang Kai-shek? Strong responses each produced a well-balanced analysis of the factors leading to growing support for the CCP. These often covered clearly the developing relationship between Chiang and the CCP from the breach over the Shanghai massacres of 1927 to the war against th...
— Examiner report, October/November 2023, 9489/23 Q9(b) (Cambridge)
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