Topic 1 Causes, practices and effects of war

War was a major feature of the 20th century. In this topic the various types of war should be identified, and the causes, nature, effects and results should be studied. Questions will be set on major themes. Some of these will require knowledge of two regions.

Major themes

Different types of 20th century warfare

• civil, guerrilla, limited, revolutionary

• total war

Origins and causes of war

• long-term and short-term causes, failure of diplomacy

• economic, ideological, political, religious causes

• Comparison between WW1 and WW2

Nature of 20th century wars

• technological developments, tactics and strategies, air, land, sea

• the home front, the role of women

• resistance and revolutionary movements

Effects and results

• treaties, and wars ending without treaties

• political repercussions, territorial changes

• social and cultural effects, changes in the status of women

• post-war economic problems

Examples of material for detailed study

Candidates should study a selection from the material listed below, ensuring that two

regions are included. Questions set on specific, named wars will be confined to those

listed below. Alternative examples can be studied and used in answers to open-ended

questions.

• Arab–Israeli wars

• Chinese Civil War

• First and Second World Wars

• Korean War

• Mexican Revolution

• Nigerian Civil War

• Russian revolutions and civil war

• Spanish Civil War

• Vietnam War

Topic 3 The rise and rule of single-party states

The 20th century produced many single-party states. The origins, ideology, form of government, organization, nature and impact of these should be studied in this topic.

Questions will be set on major themes. Some of these will require knowledge of two

regions.

Major themes

 Origins of single-party states

• conditions which produce single-party states

• emergence of leader: aims, ideology, support

Establishment of single-party states

• methods: force, legal

• form of government, ideology (left and right wing)

• totalitarianism, treatment of opposition

Rule of single-party states

• political, economic and social policies

• role of education, the arts, the media, propaganda

• status of women, treatment of minorities and religious groups

Regional and global impact

• foreign policy as a means of maintaining the regime

• impact of regime outside the state

• as a factor in the Cold War

 Examples of material for detailed study

Candidates should study a selection from the material listed below, ensuring that two

regions are included. Questions set on specific, named rulers and states will be

confined to those listed below. Alternative examples can be studied and used in

answers to open-ended questions.

Juan Perón  -                                            Argentina

Mao Zedong (Mao Tse-tung)                  China

Fidel Castro                                              Cuba

Gamal Abdel Nasser                                 Egypt

Adolf Hitler                                              Germany

Benito Mussolini                                        Italy

Julius Nyerere                                          Tanzania

Vladimir Lenin and Josef Stalin              USSR