By the end of 1941, Germany had suffered few setbacks in the war.

Mark scheme

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

1. [1] Germany controlled Scandinavian countries like Denmark and Norway.
2. [1] Belgium and the Netherlands.
3. [1] France and Paris.
4. [1] Poland and Danzig.
5. [1] The Channel Islands.
6. [1] Luxembourg.
7. [6] Level 4: Explains two reasons.
8. [4-5] Level 3: Explains one reason.
9. [5] Hitler thought that Germany did not have enough land and needed to be economically stronger. He wanted living space for the German people so that Germany could survive and prosper. He was worried about Germany's lack of resources and was annoyed that in 1939 Germany was having to depend on grain and oil from the Soviet Union. He decided it would be better if Germany invaded the Soviet Union and took control of these resources.
10. [2-3] Level 2: Identifies or describes valid reason(s); addresses the question but does not explain.
11. [1] To use Russia's resources to make Germany economically stronger.
12. [1] To increase living space for the German people.
13. [1] Hitler regarded Slavs as subhuman and hated communism.
14. [1] Hitler claimed that the Soviet Union was ruled by Jewish Bolsheviks.
15. [1] Hitler's beliefs about racial superiority were used to justify it.
16. [1] Hitler saw the Soviet Union as a threat to Germany.
17. [1] Level 1: Writes about the topic but does not address the question.
18. [1] Germany did this because Hitler thought it would be a good move and would help his long-term aims. It was called Operation Barbarossa.
19. [10] Level 5: Explains both sides and supports a valid judgement on 'how far'.
20. [10] Although Dunkirk raised the spirits of the British people, it was really a defeat for Britain. It had to leave mainland Europe and only had remnants of its army left. It looked as if Germany would win the war. However, the Battle of Britain made sure that Britain was safe from a German invasion and could be seen as the turning point of the war. It was a major defeat for Germany.
21. [7-9] Level 4: Explains both sides.
22. [4-6] Level 3: Explains one side.
23. [6] Dunkirk was important because it was a moral victory for Britain that raised the spirits of the country. The story of little boats rescuing thousands of British troops was shown by newspapers and the government almost as a victory, and the idea of the 'Dunkirk Spirit' was used to show that Britain would fight on until it had won.
24. [6] OR The Battle of Britain was more important because if the German air force had won it would have had control of the skies over the English Channel and the North Sea. This would have meant that the German army could have invaded because it already controlled French ports. With air cover the Germans would have been able to send troops across the Channel and start an invasion. Without control of the air, the Germans knew that their ships full of troops would be destroyed before they reached the British coast.
25. [2-3] Level 2: Identifies or describes valid points; addresses the question but does not explain.
26. [1] Dunkirk was a major boost to British morale.
27. [1] Huge amounts of military equipment were lost by the British army.
28. [1] Dunkirk meant that Britain had the beginnings for re-building its army.
29. [1] Dunkirk meant that there was little left to stop the Germans taking Paris.
30. [1] The Battle of Britain made the Germans call off the idea of invading Britain.
31. [1] The Battle of Britain meant that the German air force did not have control of the skies.
32. [1] The Battle of Britain helped Britain survive and extended the war.
33. [1] Hundreds of thousands of British and French troops were saved.
34. [1] Level 1: Writes about the topic but does not address the question.
35. [1] The Battle of Britain was far more important because it was a massive struggle between the air forces of Britain and Germany.