Attempts by the United States to stop communism spreading were sometimes successful.

Mark scheme

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

1. [1] In January 1968/during New Year celebrations, communist attacks were launched all over South Vietnam.
2. [1] This was a surprise attack.
3. [1] The communists were at first successful and took cities like Hue.
4. [1] The communists besieged the US embassy in Saigon.
5. [1] The Americans and South Vietnamese launched a counterattack and won back control of the cities.
6. [1] Casualties were high on both sides.
7. [1] In the USA, the media showed the offensive as a defeat for the US.
8. [1] It increased opposition to the war in the USA.
9. [6] Level 4: Explains two reasons.
10. [4-5] Level 3: Explains one reason.
11. [5] I think it was important because of the damage it did to Khrushchev. By removing the missiles from Cuba, he had backed down. There were many in the Soviet government who were unhappy with this and the damage it did to the reputation of the Soviet Union. It led to Khrushchev's removal from power in 1964.
12. [2-3] Level 2: Identifies or describes valid reason(s); addresses the question but does not explain.
13. [1] There was a serious threat of nuclear war.
14. [1] It was a challenge to the policy of containment.
15. [1] It improved Kennedy's reputation.
16. [1] Cuba remained communist.
17. [1] The threat of attack from Cuba was removed.
18. [1] Khrushchev appeared to be a responsible peacemaker.
19. [1] Cuba was safe from US attack.
20. [1] Khrushchev's position in Russia was weakened.
21. [1] A hotline phone link was set up between the White House and the Kremlin.
22. [1] Level 1: Writes about the topic but does not address the question.
23. [1] It was important because it was very dangerous and could have led to a disaster.
24. [10] Level 5: Explains both sides and supports a valid judgement on 'how far'.
25. [10] The United States achieved some of its aims but not all. Its original aim was to drive the communists out of South Korea. This was achieved. However, after the initial success of US troops, Truman then decided he wanted to drive the communists out of North Korea as well. This was not achieved, and the North remained communist and remained a threat to South Korea.
26. [7-9] Level 4: Explains both sides.
27. [4-6] Level 3: Explains one side.
28. [6] The Korean War was a success for the USA. After the North attacked the South in 1950, nearly all of South Korea was overrun by the communists. By the time of the armistice in 1953 the US and UN troops had pushed the communists back to the original border at the 38th parallel. This meant that they had been pushed out of South Korea, which was now safe. This shows that the USA had successfully contained communism.
29. [6] OR The USA did not achieve its aims. Truman and MacArthur wanted to push the communists out of North Korea altogether. The US troops fought back and got to the border with China. However, China launched an enormous counter-attack with hundreds of thousands of troops and pushed the Americans back. Eventually a stalemate was reached around the original border between North and South, and there was an armistice. The border was almost the same as when the war had started, and so the Americans had failed to drive the communists out of North Korea and it remained a threat to the South.
30. [2-3] Level 2: Identifies or describes valid points; addresses the question but does not explain.
31. [1] The communists were pushed out of South Korea.
32. [1] The USA had contained communism.
33. [1] The USA had prevented surrounding states falling to communism.
34. [1] The communists remained in control of North Korea.
35. [1] North Korea remained a threat to South Korea and a problem for the USA.
36. [1] The war ended with the border in the same place as at the start of the war.
37. [1] There were high casualties on both sides.
38. [1] Level 1: Writes about the topic but does not address the question.
39. [1] It did achieve its aims. It had several important victories against the communists.