The 1930s saw several developments taking Europe closer to war.

Mark scheme

Marking points from the official mark scheme (May/June 2025). The mark or mark type is shown in brackets.

1. [1] In 1933 Germany left the Disarmament Conference.
2. [1] For a time, German rearmament was kept secret.
3. [1] In 1935 the Nazis held a rearmament rally.
4. [1] In 1935 Hitler reintroduced conscription for the German army.
5. [1] In 1935 the Anglo-German Naval Treaty allowed Germany to increase its navy.
6. [1] In 1936 the Four-Year Plan was introduced to get the German economy ready for war.
7. [1] In 1936 Hitler sent troops into the Rhineland.
8. [1] German rearmament went against the terms of the Treaty of Versailles.
9. [1] They built warships, tanks and planes.
10. [1] The rearmament programme provided lots of jobs.
11. [1] Factories and shipyards were changed so that they could produce military products.
12. [1] Germany used the Spanish Civil War to test its new weapons.
13. [6] Level 4: Explains two reasons.
14. [4-5] Level 3: Explains one reason.
15. [5] One reason for this was that Japan, Germany and Italy had much in common. They all had nationalist governments that wanted to expand their countries. They were all militaristic countries and were strongly against communism.
16. [2-3] Level 2: Identifies or describes valid reason(s); addresses the question but does not explain.
17. [1] It was directed against communism.
18. [1] Germany, Italy and Japan were all strongly anti-communist.
19. [1] Japan and Germany had similar ideologies.
20. [1] Japan needed an ally against the Soviet Union.
21. [1] Both Japan and Germany wanted to build huge empires.
22. [1] Italy joined in 1937 because it shared a similar ideology with Germany.
23. [1] Germany and Italy had supported Franco and the Nationalists in the Spanish Civil War.
24. [1] Germany needed Italy's support to achieve Anschluss.
25. [1] Level 1: Writes about the topic but does not address the question.
26. [1] It was agreed then because the countries involved thought it was the right time to make such an agreement.
27. [10] Level 5: Explains both sides and supports a valid judgement on 'how far'.
28. [10] I think that the Nazi–Soviet Pact was more important. It was the German invasion of Poland that led to Britain and France going to war against Germany, and Hitler would not have done this without the Pact. This allowed him to invade Poland knowing that Russia would not interfere. The Pact sparked off the start of the Second World War.
29. [7-9] Level 4: Explains both sides.
30. [4-6] Level 3: Explains one side.
31. [6] The Nazi-Soviet Pact was when Germany and Russia agreed not to attack each other and to divide Poland between them. This was important because it meant that if Hitler invaded Poland he would not have to fight on two fronts, as Russia would let him go ahead. It enabled Hitler to go ahead with the invasion.
32. [6] OR The Munich Agreement was more important. In September 1938, after several meetings, it was agreed that Germany would be given the Sudetenland, part of Czechoslovakia. The Czechs were not consulted about this. This was important because it showed Hitler that Britain would do almost anything to avoid war. It encouraged him to go on with his policies, and a few months later Germany invaded the rest of the country. The Munich Agreement persuaded Hitler he could get away with this.
33. [2-3] Level 2: Identifies or describes valid points; addresses the question but does not explain.
34. [1] Through the Nazi-Soviet Pact, Hitler could invade Poland without worrying about Russia.
35. [1] For Hitler this reduced the threat of a war on two fronts.
36. [1] It gave Stalin time to build up Russia's forces.
37. [1] It divided Poland between Germany and Russia.
38. [1] It was a turning point in Russia's relations with Britain and France.
39. [1] It was an extremely unlikely alliance.
40. [1] In the Munich Agreement, Germany was given the Sudetenland.
41. [1] Hitler thought that Britain and France would not stand up to him.
42. [1] It gave Britain and France a year to prepare for war.
43. [1] Level 1: Writes about the topic but does not address the question.
44. [1] They were both very important because they helped make big changes in the 1930s.