IGCSE History (9–1) 0977 · Topic 4

Core content: Option B: past paper questions

35 real questionsasked in 4 of the last 6 exam series2024–2025usually: Explain, Describe, Use

Real questions on core content: option b

The newest 20 of 35 written questions. Open one to see it on the real paper.

0977/11 · October/November 2025 · Q5a[4]
What were Wilson’s aims at Versailles?
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0977/11 · October/November 2025 · Q5b[6]
Why was Clemenceau disappointed with the Treaty of Versailles?
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0977/11 · October/November 2025 · Q5c[10]
‘In the Treaty of Versailles, Lloyd George achieved what he wanted.’ How far do you agree with this statement? Explain your answer.
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0977/11 · October/November 2025 · Q6a[4]
Describe how the League worked to improve public health.
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0977/11 · October/November 2025 · Q6b[6]
Why did the League fail to introduce sanctions when Japan invaded Manchuria?
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0977/11 · October/November 2025 · Q6c[10]
How far do you agree that France’s desire to maintain Italian friendship was to blame for the failure of the League over Abyssinia? Explain your answer.
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0977/11 · October/November 2025 · Q7a[4]
What agreements were reached at the Potsdam Conference?
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0977/11 · October/November 2025 · Q7b[6]
Why was the Warsaw Pact established in 1955?
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0977/11 · October/November 2025 · Q7c[10]
How far do you agree that differences in ideology were to blame for the Cold War? Explain your answer.
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0977/11 · October/November 2025 · Q8a[4]
What was the Strategic Hamlet Program?
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0977/11 · October/November 2025 · Q8b[6]
Why was the Gulf of Tonkin Incident important?
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0977/11 · October/November 2025 · Q8c[10]
‘The United States withdrew from Vietnam because of American public opinion.’ How far do you agree with this statement? Explain your answer. SECTION B: DEPTH STUDIES Answer one question from this section. Depth study A: The First World War, 1914–18
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0977/21 · October/November 2025 · Q2a[7]
Study Source A. Why did Hitler make this speech at that time? Explain your answer using details of the source and your knowledge.
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0977/21 · October/November 2025 · Q2b[8]
Study Sources B and C. Does Source B make Source C surprising? Explain your answer using details of the sources and your knowledge.
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0977/21 · October/November 2025 · Q2c[8]
Study Sources D and E. How similar are these two cartoons? Explain your answer using details of the sources and your knowledge.
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0977/21 · October/November 2025 · Q2e[9]
Study all the sources. How far do these sources provide convincing evidence that Hitler was justified in remilitarising the Rhineland? Use the sources to explain your answer.
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0977/12 · May/June 2025 · Q5a[4]
What happened to Germany’s colonies in the Treaty of Versailles?
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0977/12 · May/June 2025 · Q5b[6]
Why was the fact that the Treaty of Versailles was a ‘diktat’ important to the Germans?
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0977/12 · May/June 2025 · Q5c[10]
Who was more disappointed with the Treaty of Versailles: Clemenceau or Lloyd George? Explain your answer.
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0977/12 · May/June 2025 · Q6a[4]
Describe German rearmament in the 1930s.
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What examiners said

There were mixed responses to this question. Some candidates misinterpreted the word ‘colonies’ and wrote about Germany’s territorial losses in Europe, including details such as Alsace Lorraine went to France and West Prussia went to Poland. A number of candidates wrote generally about other terms of the Treaty of Versailles, including the reparations and military terms. The strongest responses de...
— Examiner report, May/June 2025, 0977/12 Q5(a) (Cambridge)

The key to this question was clearly explaining what a ‘diktat’ was in relation to the Treaty of Versailles and why it was important to the Germans. A number of candidates either neglected to write about the ‘diktat’ or did not understand what it meant and wrote generally about why the terms of the Treaty were important. Others did understand that a ‘diktat’ was a ‘dictated peace’ but would have i...
— Examiner report, May/June 2025, 0977/12 Q5(b) (Cambridge)

There were mixed responses to this question. The strongest responses identified specific terms from the Treaty of Versailles and explained why Clemenceau and Lloyd George were satisfied or disappointed with them. For example, Clemenceau aimed for France to be secure against future threats from Germany and wanted the Rhineland to be an independent state. He was disappointed because this did not hap...
— Examiner report, May/June 2025, 0977/12 Q5(c) (Cambridge)

Practise this topic

Answer these questions online and get each one marked against the official mark scheme, with what you missed and how to fix it.

Download 0977 papers

In the syllabus

1 0470.4.1.01 — What were the motives and aims of the Big Three at Versailles?.

What were the motives and aims of the Big Three at Versailles?.
Why did the victors not get everything they wanted?.
What was the impact of the Treaty on Germany up to the end of 1923?.
Could the Treaty be justified at the time?.
The roles of Wilson, Clemenceau and Lloyd George in the peacemaking process.
The terms of the Treaty.
Social, economic and political impact of the Treaty in Germany to the end of 1923.
Contemporary opinions about the Treaty.

2 0470.4.1.02 — Why did the victors not get everything they wanted?.

Why did the victors not get everything they wanted?.

3 0470.4.1.03 — What was the impact of the Treaty on Germany up to the end of 1923?.

What was the impact of the Treaty on Germany up to the end of 1923?.

4 0470.4.1.04 — Could the Treaty be justified at the time?.

Could the Treaty be justified at the time?.

5 0470.4.1.05 — The roles of Wilson, Clemenceau and Lloyd George in the peacemaking process.

The roles of Wilson, Clemenceau and Lloyd George in the peacemaking process.

6 0470.4.1.06 — The terms of the Treaty.

The terms of the Treaty.

7 0470.4.1.07 — Social, economic and political impact of the Treaty in Germany to the end of 1923.

Social, economic and political impact of the Treaty in Germany to the end of 1923.

8 0470.4.1.08 — Contemporary opinions about the Treaty.

Contemporary opinions about the Treaty.

9 0470.4.2.01 — How far did weaknesses in the League’s organisation and membership make failure inevitable?.

How far did weaknesses in the League’s organisation and membership make failure inevitable?.
How successful were the League’s attempts at peacekeeping in the 1920s?.
How important was the League’s humanitarian work?.
How far did the Depression make the work of the League more difficult in the 1930s?.
The structure, aims and membership of the League.
Successes and failures in peacekeeping during the 1920s:; Vilna 1920; Aaland Islands 1920–21; Corfu 1923; Bulgaria 1925.
The League’s humanitarian work:; refugees; health; working conditions; slavery.
The League in the 1930s:; causes, events and consequences of the Manchurian crisis and of the Abyssinian crisis.

10 0470.4.2.02 — How successful were the League’s attempts at peacekeeping in the 1920s?.

How successful were the League’s attempts at peacekeeping in the 1920s?.

11 0470.4.2.03 — How important was the League’s humanitarian work?.

How important was the League’s humanitarian work?.

12 0470.4.2.04 — How far did the Depression make the work of the League more difficult in the 1930s?.

How far did the Depression make the work of the League more difficult in the 1930s?.

13 0470.4.2.05 — The structure, aims and membership of the League.

The structure, aims and membership of the League.

14 0470.4.2.06 — Successes and failures in peacekeeping during the 1920s:; Vilna 1920; Aaland Islands 1920–21; Corfu 1923; Bulgaria 1925.

Successes and failures in peacekeeping during the 1920s:; Vilna 1920; Aaland Islands 1920–21; Corfu 1923; Bulgaria 1925.

15 0470.4.2.07 — The League’s humanitarian work:; refugees; health; working conditions; slavery.

The League’s humanitarian work:; refugees; health; working conditions; slavery.

16 0470.4.2.08 — The League in the 1930s:; causes, events and consequences of the Manchurian crisis and of the Abyssinian crisis.

The League in the 1930s:; causes, events and consequences of the Manchurian crisis and of the Abyssinian crisis.

17 0470.4.3.01 — What were the long-term consequences of the Treaty of Versailles?.

What were the long-term consequences of the Treaty of Versailles?.
What were the consequences of the failures of the League of Nations in the 1930s?.
Was the policy of appeasement justified?.
How important was the Nazi–Soviet Pact?.
Why did Britain and France declare war on Germany in September 1939?.
Hitler’s foreign policy aims.
Rearmament.
The Saar.
Remilitarisation of the Rhineland.
The Rome–Berlin Axis and the Anti-Comintern Pact.
German and Italian involvement in the Spanish Civil War.
Anschluss with Austria.

18 0470.4.3.02 — What were the consequences of the failures of the League of Nations in the 1930s?.

What were the consequences of the failures of the League of Nations in the 1930s?.

19 0470.4.3.03 — Was the policy of appeasement justified?.

Was the policy of appeasement justified?.

20 0470.4.3.04 — How important was the Nazi–Soviet Pact?.

How important was the Nazi–Soviet Pact?.

21 0470.4.3.05 — Why did Britain and France declare war on Germany in September 1939?.

Why did Britain and France declare war on Germany in September 1939?.

22 0470.4.3.06 — Hitler’s foreign policy aims.

Hitler’s foreign policy aims.

23 0470.4.3.07 — Rearmament.

Rearmament.

24 0470.4.3.08 — The Saar.

The Saar.

25 0470.4.3.09 — Remilitarisation of the Rhineland.

Remilitarisation of the Rhineland.

26 0470.4.3.10 — The Rome–Berlin Axis and the Anti-Comintern Pact.

The Rome–Berlin Axis and the Anti-Comintern Pact.

27 0470.4.3.11 — German and Italian involvement in the Spanish Civil War.

German and Italian involvement in the Spanish Civil War.

28 0470.4.3.12 — Anschluss with Austria.

Anschluss with Austria.

29 0470.4.3.13 — The crisis over Czechoslovakia and the Munich Agreement.

The crisis over Czechoslovakia and the Munich Agreement.

30 0470.4.3.14 — The Polish crisis and the outbreak of war.

The Polish crisis and the outbreak of war.

31 0470.4.4.01 — Why did the US–Soviet alliance begin to break down in 1945?.

Why did the US–Soviet alliance begin to break down in 1945?.
How had the USSR gained control of Eastern Europe by 1948?.
How did the United States react to Soviet expansionism?.
What were the consequences of the Berlin Blockade?.
Who was more to blame for starting the Cold War: the United States or the USSR?.
The origins of the Cold War:; the 1945 summit conferences and the breakdown of the US–Soviet alliance in 1945–46; Soviet expansion into Eastern Europe to 1948, and American reactions to it; the occupation of Germany and the Berlin Blockade; NATO and the Warsaw Pact.

32 0470.4.4.02 — How had the USSR gained control of Eastern Europe by 1948?.

How had the USSR gained control of Eastern Europe by 1948?.

33 0470.4.4.03 — How did the United States react to Soviet expansionism?.

How did the United States react to Soviet expansionism?.

34 0470.4.4.04 — What were the consequences of the Berlin Blockade?.

What were the consequences of the Berlin Blockade?.

35 0470.4.4.05 — Who was more to blame for starting the Cold War: the United States or the USSR?.

Who was more to blame for starting the Cold War: the United States or the USSR?.

36 0470.4.4.06 — The origins of the Cold War:; the 1945 summit conferences and the breakdown of the US–Soviet alliance in 1945–46; Soviet expansion into East

The origins of the Cold War:; the 1945 summit conferences and the breakdown of the US–Soviet alliance in 1945–46; Soviet expansion into Eastern Europe to 1948, and American reactions to it; the occupation of Germany and the Berlin Blockade; NATO and the Warsaw Pact.

37 0470.4.5.01 — The United States and events in Korea, 1950–53.

The United States and events in Korea, 1950–53.
The United States and events in Cuba, 1959–62.
American involvement in Vietnam, 1955–75.
Case studies of:; American reactions to North Korea’s invasion of South Korea, the involvement of the UN, the course of the war to 1953; American reactions to the Cuban Revolution, including the Missile Crisis and its aftermath; American involvement in the Vietnam War, including reasons for involvement, tactics and strategy, reasons for withdrawal.

38 0470.4.5.02 — The United States and events in Cuba, 1959–62.

The United States and events in Cuba, 1959–62.

39 0470.4.5.03 — American involvement in Vietnam, 1955–75.

American involvement in Vietnam, 1955–75.

40 0470.4.5.04 — Case studies of:; American reactions to North Korea’s invasion of South Korea, the involvement of the UN, the course of the war to 1953; Ame

Case studies of:; American reactions to North Korea’s invasion of South Korea, the involvement of the UN, the course of the war to 1953; American reactions to the Cuban Revolution, including the Missile Crisis and its aftermath; American involvement in the Vietnam War, including reasons for involvement, tactics and strategy, reasons for withdrawal.

41 0470.4.6.01 — Why was there opposition to Soviet control in Hungary in 1956 and Czechoslovakia in 1968, and how did the USSR react to this opposition?.

Why was there opposition to Soviet control in Hungary in 1956 and Czechoslovakia in 1968, and how did the USSR react to this opposition?.
How similar were events in Hungary in 1956 and in Czechoslovakia in 1968?.
Why was the Berlin Wall built in 1961?.
What was the significance of Solidarity in Poland for the decline of Soviet influence in Eastern Europe?.
How far was Gorbachev personally responsible for the collapse of Soviet control over Eastern Europe?.
Soviet power in Eastern Europe:; resistance to Soviet power in Hungary (1956) and Czechoslovakia (1968); the Berlin Wall; Solidarity in Poland; Gorbachev and the collapse of Soviet control over Eastern Europe Depth studies Candidates must study at least one of the following Depth studies: A The First World War, 1914–18 B Germany, 1918–45 C Russia, 1905–41 D The United States, 1919–41 E The Second World War in Europe and the Asia–Pacific, 1939–c.1945.

42 0470.4.6.02 — How similar were events in Hungary in 1956 and in Czechoslovakia in 1968?.

How similar were events in Hungary in 1956 and in Czechoslovakia in 1968?.

43 0470.4.6.03 — Why was the Berlin Wall built in 1961?.

Why was the Berlin Wall built in 1961?.

44 0470.4.6.04 — What was the significance of Solidarity in Poland for the decline of Soviet influence in Eastern Europe?.

What was the significance of Solidarity in Poland for the decline of Soviet influence in Eastern Europe?.

45 0470.4.6.05 — How far was Gorbachev personally responsible for the collapse of Soviet control over Eastern Europe?.

How far was Gorbachev personally responsible for the collapse of Soviet control over Eastern Europe?.

46 0470.4.6.06 — Soviet power in Eastern Europe:; resistance to Soviet power in Hungary (1956) and Czechoslovakia (1968); the Berlin Wall; Solidarity in Pola

Soviet power in Eastern Europe:; resistance to Soviet power in Hungary (1956) and Czechoslovakia (1968); the Berlin Wall; Solidarity in Poland; Gorbachev and the collapse of Soviet control over Eastern Europe Depth studies Candidates must study at least one of the following Depth studies: A The First World War, 1914–18 B Germany, 1918–45 C Russia, 1905–41 D The United States, 1919–41 E The Second World War in Europe and the Asia–Pacific, 1939–c.1945.

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