Get exam-ready with our Edexcel IGCSE History Predicted Papers! 🎯📚

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• Paper 1 | Option 3 | Germany: development of dicta …

• Paper 1 | Option 6: A World Divided: Superpower Re …

• Paper 1 | Option 7: A Divided Union: Civil Rights …

• Paper 2 | Option A1: The Origins and Course of the …

• Paper 2 | Option A2: Russia and the Soviet Union, …

• Paper 2 | Option A3: The USA, 1918–41

• Paper 2 | Option B2: Changes in Medicine, c1848–c1 …

• Paper 2 | Option B4: China: Conflict, Crisis and C …

• Paper 2 | Option B6: The Changing Nature of Warfar …

Paper 1 | Option 3 | Germany: development of dictatorship, 1918–45

Youth Resistance to the Nazi Regime

🧒📢
Not all young people supported the Nazis! Groups like the Edelweiss Pirates and Swing Youth rebelled by rejecting Nazi ideals, listening to banned music, refusing to join Hitler Youth, and even distributing anti-Nazi leaflets. Although small in number, their resistance showed that not everyone was brainwashed. The Nazis responded with harsh punishments to crush dissent.

Revise:

• Who resisted and how?

• Why was this dangerous?

• How did the Nazis respond?

The Effects of the Great Depression on Germany

💰📉
The 1929 Wall Street Crash hit Germany hard. American loans were recalled, businesses failed, unemployment soared (over 6 million by 1932!), and poverty spread. This economic chaos created fertile ground for extremist parties like the Nazis, who promised jobs and stability.

Revise:

• Economic and social impact

• Political consequences

• Why did this help the Nazis rise to power?

Weaknesses of the Weimar Republic, 1919–23

⚖️🇩🇪
The Weimar Republic was born into crisis – blamed for signing the Treaty of Versailles, it faced uprisings from the left (Spartacists) and right (Kapp Putsch, Munich Putsch), hyperinflation in 1923, and struggled with a weak constitution. Proportional representation meant coalition governments that often couldn’t agree on anything.

Revise:

• Political instability

• Economic challenges

• Public perception of the government

Nazi Policies Towards the German People, 1933–39

🏛️👥
The Nazis controlled all aspects of life:

• Youth: Indoctrinated through Hitler Youth and school curriculum

• Women: Encouraged to focus on “Kinder, Küche, Kirche” (children, kitchen, church)

• Workers: Schemes like Strength Through Joy offered rewards, but no real say

• Terror: SS and Gestapo enforced conformity

• Propaganda: Media, art, and even radio used to spread Nazi ideals

Revise:

• How life changed under Nazi rule

• Who benefited and who suffered?

• The role of fear and control

Paper 1 | Option 6: A World Divided: Superpower Relations, 1943–72

The Prague Spring, 1968

🌸🕊️
Led by Alexander Dubček, Czechoslovakia introduced reforms aiming for "socialism with a human face" – loosening censorship, allowing opposition, and giving more freedom. The USSR, under Brezhnev, saw this as a threat to communist control. In August 1968, Soviet troops invaded to crush the movement.

Revise:

• What were Dubček’s reforms?

• Why did the USSR react so strongly?

• Impact on the Eastern Bloc and Brezhnev Doctrine

The Effects of the Yalta Conference on Relations Between the USSR and the West

📜🇷🇺🇬🇧🇺🇸
Held in February 1945, the Yalta Conference brought Churchill, Roosevelt, and Stalin together. Agreements were made on splitting Germany, free elections in Eastern Europe, and setting up the UN. But tensions simmered – especially over Poland and Soviet intentions.

Revise:

• Key agreements made

• Areas of disagreement

• How Yalta set the stage for Cold War rivalry

The Consequences of the Berlin Crisis, 1948–49

✈️🧱
When the USSR blockaded West Berlin to force out the Allies, the West responded with the Berlin Airlift – supplying the city by air for nearly a year. Stalin backed down, but this crisis had lasting effects.

Revise:

• What caused the blockade?

• How did the airlift work?

• Long-term consequences: NATO formed, Germany split more permanently

Features of the Cold War in the 1950s

🧊💣
The 1950s saw the Cold War heat up despite no direct conflict:

• Arms Race: Both sides developed nuclear weapons

• Propaganda: Each side portrayed the other as evil

• Spying & Espionage: CIA vs KGB

• Korean War (1950–53): Proxy war between capitalist and communist ideologies

• Warsaw Pact (1955): Response to NATO

Revise:

• Key Cold War tensions and events

• Why it was “cold” not “hot”

• Impact on global politics and daily life

Paper 1 | Option 7: A Divided Union: Civil Rights in the USA, 1945–74

Desegregation of Education

🏫🧑‍🤝‍🧑
The fight to desegregate schools was a key moment in the civil rights movement. The Brown v. Board of Education (1954) Supreme Court case ruled that segregation in schools was unconstitutional, overturning Plessy v. Ferguson. This decision sparked resistance in the South and highlighted the federal government’s role in enforcing civil rights.

Revise:

• What was the Brown decision?

• How did states react?

• Link to Little Rock, 1957 – federal vs state power

Effects of the National Organization for Women (NOW) on Women’s Rights

♀️📢
Founded in 1966 by Betty Friedan and others, NOW pushed for equality in work, education, and law. They campaigned for the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA), fought against gender discrimination, and supported legal abortion rights.

Revise:

• Aims and methods of NOW

• Achievements and challenges

• Impact on women's role in society

Reasons for the Growth of Anti-Communism, 1945–54

🕵️‍♂️🔴
After WWII, fear of communism spread rapidly – known as the Red Scare. Events like the Soviet atomic bomb, China turning communist (1949), and the Korean War fuelled paranoia. In the USA, Senator McCarthy led aggressive investigations into suspected communists in government, media, and education.

Revise:

• International events causing fear

• Role of McCarthyism

• Impact on American society and politics

Features of the Civil Rights Protests in the 1960s

🚶‍♂️✊🚌
The 1960s were packed with bold, peaceful (and sometimes more militant) protest:

• Sit-ins (e.g., Greensboro, 1960)

• Freedom Rides (testing desegregation laws)

• March on Washington (1963) – MLK’s “I Have a Dream” speech

• Selma to Montgomery marches (1965)

• Rise of Black Power and groups like the Black Panthers

Revise:

• Key events and methods (non-violent vs militant)

• Role of leaders like MLK and Malcolm X

• Government response and impact on laws (Civil Rights Act, Voting Rights Act)

Paper 2 | Option A1: The Origins and Course of the First World War, 1905–18

Weapons Used on the Western Front

🔫💥
Trench warfare led to a brutal arms race.

• Machine Guns: Devastatingly effective – key reason for stalemate

• Artillery: Caused most casualties; long-range, used in barrages

• Gas: First used in 1915 (chlorine, phosgene, mustard gas); terrifying but unpredictable

• Tanks: Introduced in 1916, broke through barbed wire but often broke down

• Planes: Used for reconnaissance and later combat (dogfights!)

Revise:

• Strengths and weaknesses of each weapon

• Impact on soldiers and trench conditions

• How weapons shaped strategies and outcomes

The Ludendorff Spring Offensive (1918)

⚔️🗺️
Germany’s final gamble – launched March 1918 to break the stalemate before US troops arrived. They used stormtrooper tactics (speed and surprise) and made big early gains, pushing Allies back 64km. BUT – it overstretched supply lines and exhausted German troops. By summer, the Allies counterattacked.

Revise:

• Aims and strategy of the offensive

• Short-term success, long-term failure

• How it led to Germany’s defeat later in 1918

The Growth of Balkan Nationalism

🇷🇸🔥
Ethnic groups in the Balkans (like Serbs, Croats, Bosnians) wanted independence from empires like Austria-Hungary and the Ottoman Empire. Serbia was especially nationalist and supported Slavs across the region. This created huge tensions, especially with Austria-Hungary, who feared losing control of its diverse empire.

Revise:

• What nationalism meant in the Balkans

• Role of Serbia and the idea of “Greater Serbia”

• How this created friction with Austria-Hungary

The Reasons for Increased Tensions in the Balkans

💣🌍
Several factors fuelled instability:

• Decline of the Ottoman Empire left a power vacuum

• Austro-Hungarian expansion into Bosnia (1908) angered Serbia

• Balkan Wars (1912–13) made Serbia stronger and more confident

• Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand (1914) was the breaking point

Revise:

• Events from 1905 to 1914

• How each event escalated tensions

• Link to the outbreak of WWI

Paper 2 | Option A2: Russia and the Soviet Union, 1905–24

Tsarist Rule in 1905

👑📉
Tsar Nicholas II ruled as an autocrat – total power, no parliament. But Russia was struggling:

• Economic issues: Poverty, poor working conditions, and famine

• Political unrest: Calls for reform, growing support for revolutionary groups (e.g. Social Revolutionaries, Social Democrats)

• Russo-Japanese War (1904–05): Humiliating defeat, sparked unrest at home

• 1905 Revolution: Triggered by Bloody Sunday – strikes, mutinies, and protests. Tsar promised reforms in the October Manifesto, but backtracked soon after.

Revise:

• Features of Tsarist rule

• Causes and outcomes of the 1905 Revolution

• Impact on Tsar’s authority

The Petrograd Soviet

🗳️⚙️
Set up during the February Revolution (1917), the Petrograd Soviet represented workers and soldiers. It shared power with the Provisional Government in a situation called Dual Power. Though the Provisional Government had official control, the Soviet had real influence – especially with its Order No.1, which gave it authority over the army.

Revise:

• What it was and who it represented

• Role during Dual Power

• Influence on the downfall of the Provisional Government

The Russian Civil War (1918–21)

⚔️🟥🟦
After the Bolsheviks seized power, civil war broke out between the Reds (Bolsheviks) and Whites (a mix of monarchists, liberals, and foreign powers). The war was brutal – famine, disease, and violence were widespread.

Revise:

• Who fought and why

• Role of foreign intervention

• Impact on the Russian people

Reasons for Bolshevik Victory in the Russian Civil War

🏅🚂
The Reds had key advantages:

• Leadership: Trotsky organised the Red Army efficiently and used former Tsarist officers

• Geography: Controlled central Russia – easier to move troops/supplies

• Unity: Reds had one aim; Whites were divided and disorganised

• War Communism: Harsh but kept Red forces supplied

• Terror: Cheka crushed opposition brutally

Revise:

• Strategic and leadership strengths

• Weaknesses of the Whites

• Role of propaganda and terror

Paper 2 | Option A3: The USA, 1918–41

The Changing Position of Women in the 1920s

💃📣
The 1920s saw big changes for some women, especially in cities:

• Flappers: Young, urban women who embraced fashion, jazz, and independence

• Voting rights: Gained in 1920 (19th Amendment)

• Work: More jobs in offices and shops, though most women still had traditional roles

• Limitations: Rural areas and ethnic minorities saw far fewer changes

Revise:

• What changed for women (social, political, economic)

• Who benefited the most?

• Continuing inequalities

The ‘Monkey Trial’

🐒⚖️
In 1925, teacher John Scopes was put on trial for teaching evolution in Tennessee, against state law. The case became a national spectacle, highlighting the clash between modern science and religious fundamentalism.

• Scopes was found guilty, but the trial damaged the fundamentalist image.

Revise:

• Why was the trial important?

• What did it reveal about US society and values in the 1920s?

• Long-term impact on education and science

The Impact of the Great Depression

📉🍞
Following the 1929 Wall Street Crash, the economy collapsed:

• Unemployment soared to 13 million

• Homelessness and poverty rose (shanty towns called "Hoovervilles")

• Farmers hit by the Dust Bowl and falling prices

• Social impact: Decline in living standards, increase in crime, family strain

Revise:

• Who was affected and how?

• Link economic problems to social consequences

• Regional variations (cities vs rural)

Hoover’s Response to the Great Depression

🤝📜
President Herbert Hoover initially believed in rugged individualism – that people should help themselves. His early response was limited:

• Encouraged businesses to keep wages high

• Set up Reconstruction Finance Corporation (RFC) to lend money to banks and businesses

• But... he resisted direct aid to individuals and was criticised for being out of touch

• The Bonus Army incident (1932) made him even more unpopular

Revise:

• What Hoover did and why it was seen as “too little, too late”

• Public reaction to Hoover’s policies

• How this led to Roosevelt’s election in 1932

Paper 2 | Option B2: Changes in Medicine, c1848–c1948

Public Health Reform, 1848–75

🚰🧼
The Industrial Revolution brought overcrowded cities, poor sanitation, and frequent outbreaks of disease (like cholera).

• 1848 Public Health Act: Created a central board of health – limited impact

• John Snow: Proved cholera was waterborne (1854)

• Joseph Bazalgette: Built London’s sewer system

• 1875 Public Health Act: Made local councils responsible for clean water, sewage, and housing

Revise:

• Key individuals and their contributions

• Government attitude shifts (laissez-faire to intervention)

• Impact on public health

The Role of Women in Medicine

👩‍⚕️💪
Women faced barriers but made big contributions:

• Elizabeth Garrett Anderson: First female doctor in Britain (1865)

• Sophia Jex-Blake: Helped open up medical education for women

• WWI gave women chances to work in medicine, nursing, and surgery

• By 1919, women could enter medical professions more freely

Revise:

• Key pioneers and what they achieved

• Impact of WWI on opportunities

• Long-term changes in attitudes and access

Developments in Surgery

🔪🛌
Surgery transformed thanks to three big breakthroughs:

• Anaesthetics: Ether and chloroform allowed longer, pain-free operations

• Antiseptics: Joseph Lister used carbolic acid to prevent infection

• Aseptic surgery: Operating theatres became sterile (gloves, masks, clean tools)

Revise:

• Key individuals and methods

• How public and medical opinions changed over time

• Impact on surgical success rates

The Development of Penicillin

🧫💊

• Alexander Fleming discovered penicillin in 1928 by accident

• Didn’t have the tools to mass-produce it

• Florey and Chain developed ways to produce it on a large scale in the 1940s

• Mass production helped save lives in WWII and revolutionised medicine

Revise:

• The roles of Fleming, Florey, and Chain

• Importance of government and US funding

• Impact on infection treatment and antibiotics

Paper 2 | Option B4: China: Conflict, Crisis and Change, 1900–89

Chiang Kai-shek’s Response to Political Opposition Compared to Mao’s Response

🛡️🧨
Chiang Kai-shek (Nationalists):

• Suppressed communists during the White Terror (1927)

• Used military force to crush opposition

• Relied on the Blue Shirts (secret police)

• Focused on unifying China but failed to win mass support

Mao Zedong (Communists):

• Used mass campaigns (e.g. Thought Reform, Anti-Rightist Movement)

• Controlled opposition through propaganda, re-education, and violence

• Cultural Revolution targeted anyone seen as a threat, using Red Guards

Revise:

• Methods of control (violent vs ideological)

• Effectiveness and public support

• Long-term consequences for each leader

Causes of the Great Leap Forward

🌾🏭🔥
Launched in 1958, Mao’s aim was to modernise China rapidly by transforming agriculture and industry.
Key causes:

• Desire to rival Western economies quickly

• Belief in mass mobilisation over expertise

• Mao’s confidence after success of the First Five-Year Plan

• Political reasons: to assert Mao’s authority within the CCP

Revise:

• Mao’s ideology vs reality

• Influence of Soviet-style planning

• Over-ambition and propaganda-fuelled targets

The Impact of Foreign Influence on the Way China Was Governed, 1911–49

🌍⚔️
This period saw major foreign influence:

• 1911 Revolution ended the Qing Dynasty – partly due to Western pressure for reform

• Warlord Era (1916–27): Weak central control, foreign powers (Japan, Britain) had economic zones

• May Fourth Movement (1919): Protested foreign interference, especially Japan’s gains post-WWI

• Sino-Japanese War (1937–45): United Nationalists and Communists temporarily

• Post-WWII US and USSR backed rival sides (KMT vs CCP)

Revise:

• Political instability caused by foreign presence

• Growth of nationalism and anti-imperialism

• How foreign events shaped CCP rise

Changes in Education in China, 1965–89

📚🚫➡️🔄
During the Cultural Revolution (1966–76):

• Schools and universities were closed

• Focus on political indoctrination rather than learning

• Intellectuals persecuted, teachers attacked

Post-Mao Reforms (after 1976):

• Under Deng Xiaoping, education was rebuilt

• More focus on science, maths, and technology

• Exam system restored, emphasis on merit and modernisation

• Less political influence, more practical skills

Revise:

• Contrast between Cultural Revolution and Deng’s era

• Impact on students and teachers

• Role of education in China’s modernisation

Paper 2 | Option B6: The Changing Nature of Warfare and International Conflict, 1919–2011

The Use of Atomic Bombs on Japan (1945)

☢️🇯🇵
The USA dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945 to force Japan to surrender and end WWII. Over 100,000 civilians died, and both cities were devastated.
Reasons for use:

• Avoid a costly land invasion

• Demonstrate power to the USSR

• Japan’s refusal to surrender

Revise:

• Impact on warfare and diplomacy

• Ethical debate and long-term effects

• How it changed future military strategy (start of nuclear age)

Changes in the Nature of Warfare, 1939–45

🪖🛩️💣
WWII saw rapid evolution in warfare:

• Blitzkrieg: Fast, mechanised attacks used by Germany

• Aerial warfare: Mass bombing (e.g. Blitz, Dresden) and aircraft carriers

• Technology: Tanks, radar, and code-breaking (Enigma)

• Civilians became targets: Total war concept

• Nuclear weapons by 1945

Revise:

• Comparison with WWI methods

• Role of science and industry in war

• Effects on soldiers and civilians

The Role of the UN in Peacekeeping

🕊️🌐
Formed in 1945 to maintain peace and prevent future wars.
Successes:

• Peacekeeping missions in Cyprus, Congo, East Timor

• Humanitarian aid and refugee support
  Failures:

• Inaction during Rwanda genocide (1994) and Srebrenica massacre (1995)

• Limited by Security Council vetoes

Revise:

• How peacekeeping works (troops, mandates, diplomacy)

• Case study examples

• Strengths and limitations

The Gulf War (1990–91)

🛢️🪖
Iraq invaded Kuwait in 1990. A US-led coalition launched Operation Desert Storm to liberate Kuwait.

• High-tech war: Precision bombing, satellite-guided missiles

• Heavy use of air power before ground assault

• Coalition victory in six weeks

Revise:

• Reasons for conflict (oil, aggression, UN role)

• Impact on warfare (technology, media coverage)

• Consequences for Iraq and the Middle East