General Certificate of Secondary Education January 2019 - History - Unit 2: The Cold War 1945-1991 (Foundation Tier)

Sep 5, 2026

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GCSE History Unit 2 paper (Foundation Tier) for January 2019 focusing on the Cold War from 1945 to 1991. Section A requires source-based responses about superpowers and the city of Berlin, including reasons for USSR problems by 1961, Khrushchev’s views on West Berlin, and assessing source usefulness for the Berlin Wall collapse in 1989. Section B asks essays on USSR–USA relations affected by Eastern Europe events from 1945–1956, and on US efforts to stop communism spread in Asia (1949–1965).

LanguageEnglish

CategoryExam

FormatPDF

Pages16

Reading Time40 min

AccessFree to download

Section A

Question 1: Superpowers and Berlin (1950–1989)

(a) Reasons why Berlin caused problems for the USSR by 1961

(b) Reasons Khrushchev disliked West Berlin

(d) Different views on actions of the USA and USSR in Berlin (1950–1989)

Section B

Question 2: USSR–USA relations affected by events in Eastern Europe (1945–1956)

Question 3: US actions to stop the spread of communism in Asia (1949–1965)

General Certificate of Secondary Education January 2019 Centre Number | | | | | | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | Candidate Number | | | | | | --- | --- | --- | --- | History Unit 2: The Cold War 1945–1991 Foundation Tier *GHT21* [GHT21] *GHT21* WEDNESDAY 16 JANUARY, AFTERNOON TIME 1 hour 15 minutes. INSTRUCTIONS TO CANDIDATES Write your Centre Number and Candidate Number in the spaces provided at the top of this page. You must answer the questions in the spaces provided. Do not write outside the boxed area on each page or on blank pages. Complete in black ink only. Do not write with a gel pen. Answer two questions. Answer all of Section A and one question from Section B. INFORMATION FOR CANDIDATES The total mark for this paper is 55. Quality of written communication will be assessed in Section A Question 1(c) and 1(d) and in Section B. Spelling, punctuation and the accurate use of grammar will be assessed in Section B. Figures in brackets printed down the right-hand side of pages indicate the marks awarded to each question or part question. A Resource Booklet referring to Question 1 accompanies this paper. 12037 *12GHT2101* *12GHT2101* For Question 1 refer to the source material in the Resource Booklet. Section A Answer all of this section. 1 This question is about the superpowers and the city of Berlin between 1950 and 1989. (a) Study Source A. Give two reasons from Source A to explain why the city of Berlin caused problems for the USSR by 1961. 1. _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ 2. [4] 12037 *12GHT2102* *12GHT2102* (b) Study Source B. Give three reasons from Source B to explain why Khrushchev disliked West Berlin. 1. _______________________________________________________________ 2. _______________________________________________________________ 3. _______________________________________________________________ [6] 12037 [Turn over *12GHT2103* *12GHT2103* | | (c) Study Source C.
How useful is Source C in explaining the reasons for the collapse of the Berlin Wall in 1989? | | | | --- | --- | --- | --- | |
[10] | | | | | 12037 | | | | *12GHT2104* *12GHT2104* | |
(d) Study Sources A, B, C and D. | | | --- | --- | --- | | Using Sources A, B, C and D and your own knowledge, explain why there are different views about the actions of the USA and the USSR in the city of Berlin between 1950 and 1989.
| | | | 12037 | | [15]
[Turn over

| *12GHT2105* *12GHT2105* Section B Answer one question. In both questions, up to 5 additional marks may be awarded for spelling, punctuation and the accurate use of grammar. 2 Explain how relations between the USSR and the USA were affected by events in Eastern Europe between 1945 and 1956. Use the following three paragraph headings to help you with your answer: • Tensions over Eastern Europe, 1945–1947 | | | --- | | | | | | | | | | | | | 12037 *12GHT2106* *12GHT2106* | |
• The Berlin Blockade and Airlift, 1948–1949 | | | --- | --- | --- | |
• Hungary, 1956

[15]
and [SPaG 5] | | | | 12037 | | [Turn over

| *12GHT2107* *12GHT2107* | | 3 Explain the actions of the USA in trying to stop the spread of communism in Asia between 1949 and 1965.
Use the following three paragraph headings to help you with your answer:
• The Domino Theory | | | --- | --- | --- | |
• The USA and Korea

12037 | | | *12GHT2108* *12GHT2108* • The USA and Vietnam | | | --- | | | | | | | | | | | [15] and [SPaG 5] THIS IS THE END OF THE QUESTION PAPER 12037 *12GHT2109* *12GHT2109* BLANK PAGE DO NOT WRITE ON THIS PAGE 12037 *12GHT2110* *12GHT2110*

FAQs

What structure does the paper follow and how many questions must be answered?

Answer two questions: all of Section A and one question from Section B.

What does Question 1 cover in Section A?

Question 1 focuses on the superpowers and the city of Berlin between 1950 and 1989, using Sources A, B, C and D.

What topics appear in Section B if choosing Question 2 or Question 3?

Question 2 examines USSR–USA relations affected by events in Eastern Europe between 1945 and 1956; Question 3 explains US actions to stop the spread of communism in Asia between 1949 and 1965, including the Domino Theory, Korea, and Vietnam.

Sep 5, 2026

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