There were important developments in the first year of the war.

Mark scheme

Marking points from the official mark scheme (May/June 2021). The mark or mark type is shown in brackets.

1. [1-4] e.g. 'Belgium announced its neutrality in any future war.'
2. [1-4] 'Germany demanded passage through Belgium.'
3. [1-4] 'Belgium refused.'
4. [1-4] 'Britain promised military support for Belgium.'
5. [1-4] 'On 4 August, German troops invaded Belgium.'
6. [1-4] 'The Battle of Liege – the Belgians surrendered after eleven days.'
7. [1-4] 'On 17 August, the Belgians abandoned the capital, Brussels.'
8. [1-4] 'At the battle of Mons, the BEF was forced back.'
9. [1-4] 'Belgian resistance delayed the German troops in Belgium.'
10. [1-4] 'Germany conducted a policy of terror against Belgian civilians.'
11. [1-4] 'This included the burning of towns and massacres.'
12. [1-4] 'In September, Antwerp was abandoned.'
13. [1-4] 'In October, the First Battle of Ypres started.'
14. [1-4] 'By November, most of Belgium was under German occupation.'
15. [4-5] e.g. 'It created difficulties for both sides because both sides built trenches. These spread from the North Sea to Switzerland and so dominated the fighting. The great problem for both sides was that the trenches were fortified so heavily that it was almost impossible to launch a successful attack. When an attack was launched, the soldiers were mowed down by machine guns as they tried to wade through the mud and barbed wire. The casualties were high. No side could advance, and so they were stuck there for years.'
16. [2-3] e.g. 'Both sides found it impossible to attack across No Man's Land.'
17. [2-3] 'Trench warfare meant that both sides were bogged down along the trench system for years.'
18. [2-3] 'Both sides suffered from dreadful conditions in the trenches, especially rats and infection.'
19. [2-3] 'Both sides suffered from epidemics of typhus, cholera and dysentery.'
20. [2-3] 'Soldiers on both sides suffered the same conditions such as 'trench foot' when the feet swelled and went numb.'
21. [2-3] 'Soldiers on both sides suffered from shellshock.'
22. [2-3] 'New methods of warfare were introduced.'
23. [2-3] 'There were many casualties.'
24. [4-6] e.g. 'The Battle of Mons was more important. It was fought by the British Expeditionary Force and was their first battle. No one knew how the BEF would fight, and despite being outnumbered, it got the better of the fighting and this gave the soldiers great confidence. They had delayed the Germans and prevented the French Army from being outflanked.'
25. [4-6] OR e.g. 'The Battle of the Marne was clearly more important because it was a turning point in the war. It led to trench warfare which was to dominate the war for years. It was also important because it stopped the retreat of the Allies. Until then, the Germans had advanced into France and seemed to be on the way to Paris. The Allied victory at this battle meant there was a stalemate and trench warfare started. Without the Battle of the Marne the Germans might have got to Paris and been definitely on top.'
26. [2-3] e.g. 'The British were able to hold the Germans up at the Battle of Mons.'
27. [2-3] 'The British were outnumbered at Mons.'
28. [2-3] 'It was important because Mons did not stop the Germans and they continued their progress into France.'
29. [2-3] 'The Battle of the Marne led to trench warfare.'
30. [2-3] 'The Battle of the Marne was more important because it stopped the German advance to Paris.'
31. [2-3] 'The Battle of the Marne was the start of a war of attrition rather than movement.'
32. [2-3] 'The Battle of the Marne failed to drive the Germans totally out of France.'