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Question 1 Report
Study this source.
Source E
'The League of Nations is often dismissed as a complete failure, but this view ignores its genuine achievements. In the 1920s, it successfully resolved several international disputes and its specialist agencies made real improvements to public health, refugee welfare and working conditions worldwide. The League's true failure was its inability to prevent aggression by major powers in the 1930s, but this was largely because its most powerful potential member, the United States, never joined.'
From a modern history textbook, published in 2008.
'The League of Nations was a complete failure.' How far do you agree with this statement? Explain your answer using details of the sources and your knowledge. [12]
Source analysis
Source E is from a modern history textbook published in 2008. It presents a balanced view of the League of Nations, arguing that dismissing it as a 'complete failure' ignores 'genuine achievements.' The source identifies successes in the 1920s (resolving disputes, specialist agencies improving health, refugee welfare, and working conditions) and attributes the League's failure in the 1930s partly to the absence of the United States. As a secondary source written with hindsight, it benefits from access to evidence from multiple perspectives, but its textbook format means it simplifies complex debates. The source suggests the League should be judged as a partial failure rather than a total one.
Contextual knowledge
To support the view that the League was not a complete failure, consider its successes in the 1920s: it resolved the Aaland Islands dispute between Sweden and Finland (1921), settled the Upper Silesia dispute between Germany and Poland (1921), and its Refugee Commission under Fridtjof Nansen helped 400,000 prisoners of war return home after World War One. The Health Organisation worked to combat diseases including malaria and leprosy. The International Labour Organisation improved working conditions worldwide.
To support the view that the League did fail, consider its inability to stop aggression by major powers in the 1930s: Japan's invasion of Manchuria (1931), Italy's invasion of Abyssinia (1935-36), and Germany's remilitarisation of the Rhineland (1936). Sanctions against Italy were half-hearted and ineffective, excluding oil. Structural weaknesses were fundamental: the USA never joined, the League had no armed forces of its own, decisions required unanimity, and Britain and France were unwilling to act against aggressors when their own interests were at stake. The World Disarmament Conference (1932-1934) collapsed when Germany withdrew.
Mark scheme (Levels of Response) [12 marks]
Exam reminder: For 12-mark 'how far do you agree' questions, you must argue both sides using both source material and your own knowledge, then reach an evaluated conclusion. Answers that only agree or only disagree cannot reach Level 3.
Answer Details
Source analysis
Source E is from a modern history textbook published in 2008. It presents a balanced view of the League of Nations, arguing that dismissing it as a 'complete failure' ignores 'genuine achievements.' The source identifies successes in the 1920s (resolving disputes, specialist agencies improving health, refugee welfare, and working conditions) and attributes the League's failure in the 1930s partly to the absence of the United States. As a secondary source written with hindsight, it benefits from access to evidence from multiple perspectives, but its textbook format means it simplifies complex debates. The source suggests the League should be judged as a partial failure rather than a total one.
Contextual knowledge
To support the view that the League was not a complete failure, consider its successes in the 1920s: it resolved the Aaland Islands dispute between Sweden and Finland (1921), settled the Upper Silesia dispute between Germany and Poland (1921), and its Refugee Commission under Fridtjof Nansen helped 400,000 prisoners of war return home after World War One. The Health Organisation worked to combat diseases including malaria and leprosy. The International Labour Organisation improved working conditions worldwide.
To support the view that the League did fail, consider its inability to stop aggression by major powers in the 1930s: Japan's invasion of Manchuria (1931), Italy's invasion of Abyssinia (1935-36), and Germany's remilitarisation of the Rhineland (1936). Sanctions against Italy were half-hearted and ineffective, excluding oil. Structural weaknesses were fundamental: the USA never joined, the League had no armed forces of its own, decisions required unanimity, and Britain and France were unwilling to act against aggressors when their own interests were at stake. The World Disarmament Conference (1932-1934) collapsed when Germany withdrew.
Mark scheme (Levels of Response) [12 marks]
Exam reminder: For 12-mark 'how far do you agree' questions, you must argue both sides using both source material and your own knowledge, then reach an evaluated conclusion. Answers that only agree or only disagree cannot reach Level 3.
Question 2 Report
Study this source.
Source B
'Japan's occupation of Manchuria has exposed the League of Nations as powerless. The Lytton Commission spent an entire year investigating before condemning Japan's actions, yet Japan simply withdrew from the League and kept Manchuria. No country was willing to send troops, and economic sanctions were never applied. If a great power can simply ignore the League without consequence, what purpose does the organisation serve?'
From an editorial in an American newspaper, March 1933.
What is the message of this source? Explain your answer using the source and your knowledge. [7]
This is a "what is the message" question worth [7 marks]. You must identify the message, support it with source details, and use your own knowledge.
Identifying the message [up to 3 marks]:
The message of this source is that the Manchurian Crisis proved the League of Nations was fundamentally powerless. The editorial argues that if a great power could simply ignore the League without facing consequences, then the organisation had no real purpose or authority.
Supporting with source details and own knowledge [up to 4 marks]:
Using own knowledge, the fact that this is an American newspaper is significant. The United States had never joined the League, and the editorial's criticism implicitly justifies America's decision to stay out. The crisis was also shaped by the context of the Great Depression: Britain and France, the League's leading members, were preoccupied with their own economic problems and unwilling to risk conflict in the Far East. The crisis set a dangerous precedent that encouraged Mussolini's invasion of Abyssinia in 1935 - if Japan could act with impunity, so could Italy.
Exam technique: For "message" questions, always look for rhetorical devices the author uses to reinforce their point. Here, the rhetorical question at the end is designed to make the reader agree that the League was pointless. Identifying these techniques and explaining their purpose shows the examiner you understand how sources work as pieces of communication, not just as factual records.
Answer Details
This is a "what is the message" question worth [7 marks]. You must identify the message, support it with source details, and use your own knowledge.
Identifying the message [up to 3 marks]:
The message of this source is that the Manchurian Crisis proved the League of Nations was fundamentally powerless. The editorial argues that if a great power could simply ignore the League without facing consequences, then the organisation had no real purpose or authority.
Supporting with source details and own knowledge [up to 4 marks]:
Using own knowledge, the fact that this is an American newspaper is significant. The United States had never joined the League, and the editorial's criticism implicitly justifies America's decision to stay out. The crisis was also shaped by the context of the Great Depression: Britain and France, the League's leading members, were preoccupied with their own economic problems and unwilling to risk conflict in the Far East. The crisis set a dangerous precedent that encouraged Mussolini's invasion of Abyssinia in 1935 - if Japan could act with impunity, so could Italy.
Exam technique: For "message" questions, always look for rhetorical devices the author uses to reinforce their point. Here, the rhetorical question at the end is designed to make the reader agree that the League was pointless. Identifying these techniques and explaining their purpose shows the examiner you understand how sources work as pieces of communication, not just as factual records.
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