O Level History: Depth Study E, The Second World War — Practice Questions (Cambridge 2147)

These are original questions written for Marlbridge, for revision and practice on this content. They are not reproduced past-paper questions. The wording below is invented for practice purposes, but the structure follows the syllabus’s own: Depth Studies are examined only on Paper 1, Section B, which sets two questions on each Depth Study (candidates answer one), each a three-part structured essay split (a), (b), (c). Depth Studies are not set on Paper 2, so this page contains no source questions. Cambridge International holds copyright in its own papers; use these alongside the official past papers available through your school or Cambridge directly.

Related: Depth Study E revision notes | Depth Study E study guide

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Depth Study E of Cambridge O Level History 2147 is examined in Paper 1, Section B: two questions are set on it and you answer one, worth 20 marks – (a) 4, (b) 6, (c) 10. These four questions cover all four key questions, in both theatres of war.

Question 1: The war in Europe (key question 1)

(a) Describe the evacuation from Dunkirk in 1940. [4]

(b) Explain why Hitler invaded the Soviet Union in 1941. [6]

(c) “Germany failed to conquer Britain in 1940 mainly because of the RAF.” How far do you agree? Explain your answer. [10]

Worked answer

(a) British and French troops were trapped at the port of Dunkirk after the German breakthrough in May 1940; the evacuation (Operation Dynamo) took place between late May and early June; Royal Navy ships and hundreds of small civilian boats took part; over 300,000 soldiers were rescued; the Luftwaffe attacked the beaches; tanks, guns and vehicles were left behind.

(b) Hitler wanted Lebensraum for Germans in the east, as set out in Mein Kampf; he hated communism and saw Slavs as inferior; he wanted Soviet resources – Ukrainian grain and Caucasus oil – for a long war; he believed the Red Army, weakened by Stalin’s purges and its poor performance against Finland, would collapse quickly; and defeating the USSR would leave Britain without hope of an ally in Europe.

(c) RAF: radar gave early warning; Fighter Command controlled squadrons efficiently; Spitfires and Hurricanes shot down more German aircraft than they lost; pilots from the Empire and occupied Europe reinforced the RAF; air superiority, essential for Sea Lion, was never won. Other factors: the Royal Navy was far stronger than the German navy; the Channel was a barrier; Germany’s change of target to London in September 1940 relieved RAF airfields – a German mistake; Hitler’s growing interest in attacking the USSR. Judgement: the RAF was the main reason, but German errors and British sea power made its victory decisive.

Question 2: The Asia-Pacific (key question 2)

(a) What happened at Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941? [4]

(b) Explain why relations between the USA and Japan deteriorated in 1940-41. [6]

(c) “Midway was the turning point of the war in the Pacific.” How far do you agree? Explain your answer. [10]

Worked answer

(a) Japanese aircraft launched from six carriers attacked the US Pacific Fleet’s base in Hawaii without a declaration of war; eight battleships were sunk or damaged; many aircraft were destroyed on the ground; over 2,000 Americans were killed; the US carriers were away at sea; the next day the USA declared war on Japan.

(b) Japan’s war in China since 1937 angered the USA; Japan signed the Tripartite Pact with Germany and Italy in 1940; Japanese troops moved into French Indochina; the USA responded by freezing Japanese assets and stopping oil exports in 1941; Japan imported most of its oil and saw the embargo as a threat to its survival; negotiations failed because the USA demanded withdrawal from China.

(c) Midway: in June 1942 Japan lost four aircraft carriers and many experienced pilots; it could no longer launch major offensives; the USA took the initiative. Other turning points: Pearl Harbor brought American industrial power into the war; Guadalcanal (1942-43) was the first land defeat for Japan and began the US advance; later campaigns such as Okinawa and the atomic bombs ended the war. Judgement: Midway ended Japanese expansion, so it was the turning point at sea, while Guadalcanal confirmed it on land.

Question 3: Civilians (key question 3)

(a) Describe the impact of Japanese control on people in Malaya and Singapore. [4]

(b) Explain why the Allies bombed German cities in 1943-45. [6]

(c) “Resistance movements in France and Malaya achieved little.” How far do you agree? Explain your answer. [10]

Worked answer

(a) The Sook Ching massacres killed many Chinese men in 1942; the Kempeitai arrested, tortured and executed suspects; rice and medicine were scarce; Japanese occupation currency became almost worthless; men were taken for forced labour, including on the Burma-Thailand railway; different ethnic groups were treated differently to divide them.

(b) To damage war industry and transport; to destroy oil supplies; to lower German civilian morale and weaken support for the war; to help the USSR by opening another front in the air before D-Day; and in revenge for German raids such as the Blitz. Area bombing was used because night raids could not hit precise targets accurately.

(c) Little: resistance could not defeat occupying armies; reprisals were savage, such as the destruction of French villages; groups were divided politically; in Malaya the MPAJA was small and mostly Chinese. Much: French resistance provided intelligence and sabotaged railways and communications before and after D-Day, slowing German reinforcements; escape lines rescued Allied airmen; the MPAJA kept Japanese troops busy and gained support that shaped post-war Malaya. Judgement: resistance did not win the war, but it helped Allied operations, so “little” is too harsh.

Question 4: Allied victory (key question 4)

(a) Describe the D-Day landings of 6 June 1944. [4]

(b) Explain why Nazi Germany was on the point of collapse by April 1945. [6]

(c) “The atomic bomb was the main reason Japan surrendered in 1945.” How far do you agree? Explain your answer. [10]

Worked answer

(a) Allied forces landed on five beaches in Normandy; American, British and Canadian troops took part, commanded by Eisenhower; airborne troops landed first; huge naval and air support; deception had led Germany to expect a landing at Calais; over 150,000 troops landed on the first day; it opened a second front in the west.

(b) The Red Army had advanced from the east to the outskirts of Berlin; Western Allied armies had crossed the Rhine; bombing had destroyed oil supplies, factories and transport; Germany was short of men, fuel and aircraft; its allies had been defeated or had changed sides; Hitler refused to surrender and left no realistic plan.

(c) The bomb: Hiroshima (6 August) and Nagasaki (9 August) showed that Japan’s cities could be destroyed without invasion; Emperor Hirohito referred to a “new and most cruel bomb” when announcing surrender. Other factors: the Soviet declaration of war on 8 August ended hopes of Soviet mediation and threatened Manchuria; the US naval blockade and submarine campaign had cut imports; fire-bombing had devastated cities; island-hopping had brought US forces close to Japan. Judgement: the bombs and Soviet entry together forced a quick surrender, on top of a Japan that was already defeated militarily.

Where marks are usually lost

• Writing narrative of campaigns without answering “why”.
• Forgetting one theatre in questions that ask about both.
• Using no named case study for civilians.

Frequently asked questions

How long should I spend? About 40 minutes on your Section B question, giving most time to part (c).

Does Section B include sources? No. Section B questions are structured essays; source work is on Paper 2.

Official syllabus

Cambridge O Level History (2147) syllabus for examination in 2024, 2025 and 2026 – cambridgeinternational.org (Depth study E; Details of the assessment, Paper 1).