Relationships between the Allied powers deteriorated rapidly from 1945.

Mark scheme

Marking points from the official mark scheme (Oct/Nov 2023). The mark or mark type is shown in brackets.

1. [1-4] 'Soviet troops remained in eastern European countries after liberating them from the Nazis.'
2. [1-4] 'The Red Army occupied Poland, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Bulgaria and Romania.'
3. [1-4] 'Stalin set up a communist government in Poland.'
4. [1-4] 'Political opponents were eliminated.'
5. [1-4] 'Elections were rigged to ensure communists gained control.'
6. [1-4] 'Stalin set up Cominform.'
7. [2-3] 'The Western Allies were seen as a threat inside the Soviet zone.'
8. [2-3] 'The Western Allies did not want to give total control of Berlin to the USSR.'
9. [2-3] 'The West could spy on Soviet activity behind the Iron Curtain.'
10. [2-3] 'Britain and the USA formed 'Bizonia' by combining their zones.'
11. [2-3] 'Marshall Aid was invested in the western zones of Berlin.'
12. [2-3] 'The Western Allies introduced a new currency without informing Stalin.'
13. [2-3] 'Stalin blockaded all rail and road routes into West Berlin.'
14. [2-3] 'The Western Allies produced an airlift to supply West Berlin.'
15. [4-5] 'Berlin had been divided into four zones with each of the Allied powers having one sector. However, Berlin itself was within the Soviet zone of Germany and this was a source of tension. Stalin felt that the USA's handling of West Berlin was provocative. He could do nothing about the reorganisation of the western zones or stop a new currency being issued. However, he felt he could drive the western powers out of West Berlin by blocking off rail and road routes to western Germany. This escalated tension.'
16. [6] Level 4 Explains TWO reasons (e.g., Berlin's divided status within the Soviet zone and Western actions).
17. [2-3] 'Russia had been invaded from the West before and Stalin wanted to prevent that from happening again.'
18. [2-3] 'Stalin wanted to gain reparations from countries in Eastern Europe to help recover from Soviet losses during the war.'
19. [2-3] 'Stalin wanted to create a buffer zone between Russia and the West.'
20. [2-3] 'Stalin wanted to weaken Germany to prevent it being capable of invading again.'
21. [2-3] 'Stalin thought that his 'sphere of influence' in the East would be acceptable to the Allies.'
22. [4-6] 'Stalin was afraid of invasion from the West and this was one reason for his policy towards Eastern Europe. He was suspicious of the intentions of the Western powers. In 1917, US and British forces had intervened in the Civil War on the side of the Whites. In the 1930s, Stalin thought the Western powers would be happy to let Hitler expand his territory in the East. This meant that he wanted to establish a buffer zone between the USSR and the West to protect from future invasion.'
23. [4-6] 'Stalin had economic motives for his policy towards the Eastern European states. Russia had suffered heavy losses in manpower and industrial equipment during the war. Making sure Eastern European states were loyal to communism was one way in which Stalin hoped to regain resources. He was especially keen to remove factories from the Communist sector of Germany and took industrial plant by train back to the Soviet Union.'
24. [7-9] Level 4 Explanation of both sides (A L4 answer will have a minimum of three explanations (2 on one side; 1 on the other). Fuller explanation of one issue to be given two marks. An answer which only has one explanation on one side of the argument cannot be awarded more than 8.)
25. [10] Level 5 Explains with evaluation of 'how far' (As Level 4 plus evaluation.)