Study this source. Source C 'France has buried 1,400,000 of its sons in this war. Our northern departments lie in ruins. The coal mines of Lens and Bethune ...

Understanding the question type: 'Why was this source published at this time?' asks you to connect the content and purpose of the source to the specific historical moment when it appeared. You must explain both what the source says and why that message was relevant in October 1919.

Analysing the source: The source is a speech by a French senator during the ratification debate in the French Parliament. The senator lists France's wartime losses in graphic detail: 1,400,000 dead, ruined northern departments, flooded coal mines at Lens and Bethune, dismantled factories at Lille and Roubaix, and 300,000 destroyed houses. He then defends the military restrictions imposed on Germany (100,000 soldiers, no air force, no submarines, a demilitarised Rhineland) as 'the minimum guarantee' against future invasion. The speech ends with a warning: 'If we are lenient now, we will be punished for it within a generation.'

Why published at this time - the political context: The speech was made during October 1919 because the French Parliament was actively debating whether to ratify the Treaty of Versailles. The senator's purpose was to persuade fellow legislators to approve the treaty by arguing that its terms were justified by France's enormous suffering. This was a moment of genuine political division in France.

Using your own knowledge: Many in France believed the treaty was not harsh enough. Marshal Foch famously declared, 'This is not peace. It is an armistice for twenty years.' There was pressure from French nationalists who wanted permanent occupation of the Rhineland and even the break-up of Germany. Clemenceau, who had negotiated the treaty, faced criticism for making too many concessions to Wilson and Lloyd George. He was voted out of the presidency in January 1920, partly because many French voters felt he had given away too much. The senator's speech therefore sits at the centre of this debate: he is defending the treaty as a reasonable compromise against those who wanted even tougher terms.

Mark scheme breakdown:

• Level 1 [1-2 marks]: Simple statements about the source being published because the treaty was being discussed, with no real explanation or use of source detail.
• Level 2 [3-5 marks]: Explains the timing with some support from the source. For example, linking the speech to the ratification debate and noting that the senator uses France's losses to argue for approval. Uses source details but may lack own knowledge.
• Level 3 [6-7 marks]: Full explanation connecting source details to the specific political moment, supported by own knowledge. Explains that France was divided over whether the treaty was harsh enough, that Clemenceau faced criticism, and that the senator was intervening in a live political argument. Uses specific evidence from both the source (casualty figures, military restrictions, the warning about leniency) and contextual knowledge (Foch's criticism, Clemenceau's political fate, the broader debate about enforcement).

Exam tip: For 'why published at this time' questions, always identify the specific event or debate that triggered the source, explain the author's purpose in addressing that moment, and then use your own knowledge to show what was at stake politically or socially.