Edexcel IGCSE History: The League and the UN, 1919–c2011 — Practice Questions

These are original questions written for Marlbridge, for revision and practice on this content. They are not reproduced past-paper questions, and they do not replicate the exam’s exact structure, question count or mark tariffs — examination boards hold copyright in their own papers. Use these alongside the official past papers available free from your board.

Related: B5 revision notes | B5 study guide

These questions practise the three Breadth Study question types of Pearson Edexcel International GCSE History 4HI1 Paper 2, Section B — two differences (6), two causes (8) and a 16-mark change-over-time essay — across the five key topics and themes of Breadth Study B5.

---

Set 1

1(a) Explain two ways in which the League’s response to the Greek–Bulgarian War (1925) was different from its response to the Italian invasion of Abyssinia (1935–36). [6]

1(b) Explain two causes of the League’s failure in Manchuria (1931–33). [8]

1(c) “The attitude of the great powers was the main reason for the failures of international organisations in the years 1930–1989.” How far do you agree? [16]

You may use the following in your answer:

• Abyssinia (1935–36)
• the veto in the Security Council

You must also use information of your own.

Set 2

2(a) Explain two ways in which UN peacekeeping in the Congo (1960–64) was different from UN action in Korea (1950–53). [6]

2(b) Explain two causes of the UN’s difficulties in Bosnia (1992–95). [8]

2(c) “The specialised agencies were the most successful part of the League and the UN in the years 1919–2011.” How far do you agree? [16]

You may use the following in your answer:

• the Refugee Committee
• the WHO

You must also use information of your own.

---

Answers and mark guidance

1(a) [6]

• Outcome: in 1925 the League’s ceasefire order was obeyed and Greece withdrew and paid compensation; in 1935–36 Italy ignored the League and conquered Abyssinia.
• Great-power stake: in 1925 the aggressor was a small state and Britain and France backed the League; in 1935 the aggressor was a great power, and Britain and France limited sanctions (no oil ban, Suez Canal left open) and made the Hoare–Laval Pact.

1(b) [8]

• Japan’s power and distance: Japan was a permanent Council member and a great power; no member was willing to send forces to the Far East.
• Slow procedure and economic crisis: the Lytton Commission took about a year to report; in the Depression, Britain and France would not risk trade or war with sanctions, so Japan left the League in 1933 and kept Manchukuo.

1(c) [16]

Great powers: Britain and France’s self-interest over Abyssinia; Japan’s and Italy’s withdrawals; the USA’s absence from the League; in the UN, Cold War vetoes blocked action; P5 interests in the Middle East (Resolutions 242 and 338 not enforced). Other factors: structural weaknesses — no League army, unanimity, slow procedures; the Depression; the scale of aggression by dictators; in the UN, lack of troops and funds, unclear mandates (Congo, Lebanon); local actors unwilling to make peace. Judgement: great-power attitudes were usually decisive, because structure and resources depended on them. Range across both organisations.

2(a) [6]

• Type of conflict: Korea was a war between states, with the UN force fighting North Korean and Chinese armies; the Congo was a civil war and secession crisis inside one newly independent state.
• Leadership and role: in Korea the USA commanded the UN force; in the Congo the Secretary-General organised a multinational peacekeeping force (ONUC) that tried to restore order and end Katanga’s secession.

2(b) [8]

• Weak mandate and resources: peacekeepers were lightly armed and not authorised to fight, so they could not defend the “safe areas”, as at Srebrenica (1995).
• Divisions among the powers: disagreements on the Security Council and reluctance to send troops meant decisive action came only with NATO air strikes in 1995.

2(c) [16]

Agencies: the Refugee Committee and Nansen passports; the Drugs, Health, Child Welfare and slavery commissions; the ILO across both eras; UNICEF, UNHCR, FAO, UNESCO; the WHO’s eradication of smallpox (1980). Other successes: League settlements of the 1920s (Aaland, Upper Silesia, Greece–Bulgaria); UN action in Korea, Namibia and Mozambique; the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Limits of the agencies: dependent on funding and member cooperation; could not prevent war. Judgement: the agencies achieved more consistent, lasting success, while peacekeeping succeeded only when the great powers agreed.

Set 3 — extra practice

3(a) Explain two ways in which the structure of the UN in 1945 was different from the structure of the League in 1920. [6]

3(b) Explain two causes of the UN’s success in Mozambique (1992–94). [8]

3(a) [6]

• Decision-making: the League Council needed unanimity; the UN Security Council decides by majority but each of its five permanent members has a veto.
• Enforcement: the League had no means of raising forces; the UN Charter allows the Security Council to authorise military action and member states to provide peacekeeping troops.

3(b) [8]

• Willingness of the parties: after a long civil war, the government and the rebel movement had both signed the 1992 peace agreement and wanted it to work.
• Clear mandate and support: the UN mission had a clear task — monitoring the ceasefire, demobilisation and elections — and enough troops and funding; the 1994 elections were held peacefully.

Where marks are usually lost

• In (a), describing two events separately without making the difference explicit.
• In (b), naming causes without detail.
• In (c), discussing only the League or only the UN.

Source: question patterns modelled on the Pearson Edexcel International GCSE History (4HI1) specification, Issue 5, February 2026, Paper 2, Section B.

Frequently asked questions

How is the Paper 2 breadth study question structured? Part (a) asks you to explain two ways something was different at two dates (6 marks), part (b) to explain two causes (8 marks) and part (c) is a 16-mark essay on change, continuity or significance across the period.

How did the League’s response differ in 1925 and 1935–36? In 1925 its ceasefire order was obeyed and Greece withdrew and paid compensation; in 1935–36 Italy ignored the League and conquered Abyssinia.

What is a common mistake in part (a)? Describing two events separately without making the difference between them explicit.

Are these real Edexcel past-paper questions? No. They are original questions written in the style of Pearson Edexcel International GCSE History 4HI1; use them alongside the official past papers and mark schemes.