From 1945, the United States and the USSR became more suspicious of each other.

Mark scheme

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

1. [1-4] (a) e.g. 'Soviet troops stayed in Poland.'
2. '(a) Non-communist leaders were arrested, exiled and murdered.'
3. '(a) The Soviet Union rigged the elections in 1947 to ensure the communists won a huge victory.'
4. '(a) The Soviet Union dismantled the Polish army.'
5. '(a) Polish resistance was crushed.'
6. '(a) Some Polish citizens were placed in concentration camps.'
7. '(a) The Lublin government did not recognise the exiled government in London.'
8. '(a) Stalin did not follow the terms agreed at Yalta.'
9. '(a) Stalin refused to allow free elections.'
10. '(a) Poland was banned from accepting Marshall Aid.'
11. '(a) Poland had to join Cominform in 1947.'
12. '(a) Poland had to join Comecon in 1949.'
13. '(a) Poland had to join the Warsaw Pact in 1955.'
14. [4-5] (b) They were determined to defeat the Berlin Blockade because the alternative was that the USA, France and Britain would have to leave Berlin. This would be disastrous because it would mean handing over control of Berlin to the USSR. Berlin was very useful to the West because it stood as a symbol of freedom and pointed out the contrast between life in the West and life under communist control. This would be lost if the Blockade forced the West out.
15. [2-3] (b) e.g. 'They needed to supply goods to West Berlin.'
16. '(b) They did not want to leave Berlin under communist control/taking a stand against communism.'
17. '(b) They thought that if they lost over this then Stalin would move on the western zones of Germany.'
18. '(b) A defeat would be a big sign of weakness and encourage Stalin to go further.'
19. '(b) Success would be a propaganda victory for the Allies.'
20. '(b) Berlin represented a sign of freedom behind the Iron Curtain.'
21. '(b) Berlin was a 'hotspot' for espionage.'
22. [4-6] (c) 'I agree. For the USA the Marshall Plan was a way of establishing US control over western Europe. It made western Europe dependent on the US and drew it into the capitalist system. However, for western Europe it was about helping it out of the terrible economic position it was in after the Second World War. Europe owed billions, there was rationing and a shortage of goods. It needed help to get out of this situation.'
23. OR
24. '(c) I disagree with this statement. The USA wanted to help Europe out of a desperate economic situation. Europe was close to collapse after the Second World War and people were hungry and often without electricity in the winter. The USA was being very generous to its allies in the war. Western Europe saw Marshall Aid in the same way. It desperately needed help and the USA was providing the support.'
25. [2-3] (c) e.g. 'For the USA it was a way of gaining economic control of Europe.'
26. '(c) It was important for the USA because it would help keep communism out of western Europe.'
27. '(c) For the USA it was a way of preventing an economic slump across the world.'
28. '(c) For the USA it was a way of making western Europe dependent on the US dollar.'
29. '(c) The USA wanted to create markets for US exports.'
30. '(c) Western Europe wanted to improve their economies.'
31. '(c) They both thought it was important because western Europe was in a terrible economic situation.'
32. '(c) They both saw the importance in re-building Western European cities.'
33. '(c) They both thought it was important because it would help stop communism spreading.'