DIOCESAN COLLEGE
HISTORY PAPER
GRADE 8
1.5 HOURS
MAY/JUNE 2015
EXAMINER: Mr W Wallace
INSTRUCTIONS AND INFORMATION
Read the following instructions carefully before answering the questions:
1.
This question paper consists of TWO Sections:
SECTION A: SOURCE-BASED QUESTION (COMPULSORY)
-
The War at Sea
SECTION B: ESSAY QUESTIONS (COMPULSORY)
-
The Western Front in 1917
-
1918 the beginning of the end
2.
A candidate needs to answer THREE questions: as follows:

ONE SOURCE-BASED question which counts 40 marks (40 marks)

TWO ESSAY questions which count 20 marks each (40 marks)

The total mark for the paper is 80
3.
When candidates answer questions, they are required to demonstrate
application of knowledge, skills and insight
4.
Please write neatly and legibly
5.
Please start each question on a new page
SECTION A: SOURCE – BASED SECTION
ANSWER THE SOURCE – BASED QUESTIONS
QUESTION ONE
Refer to Source 1A and your own knowledge.
1.1
Give another name for the British and German navies? (2x1)(2)
1.2
Use the map to outline Admiral van Scheer’s plan of action. (2 x 2) (4)
1.3
Was his plan successful? Explain (1+2) (3)
1.4
Explain how the British reacted to the squadron ships led by Admiral Hipper.
(2)
[11]
Refer to Source 1B and your own knowledge.
15.
Who according to the source suffered the first casualty? Quote from the
source to support your answer. (2)
1.6
Assess the reliability of this source. (2x1)(2)
[4]
Refer to Source 1C and your own knowledge.
1.7
Using the source, who appears to have won the battle, say why? (2)
1.8
Who won the Battle is a matter of opinion. Why do you think the British
believed they had won the battle? (3 x 1) (3)
[5]
Refer to Source 1D and your own knowledge.
1.8
What was Germany’s aim when she declared the seas around Britain a
“war zone” and how would she achieve this? (2 x 2) (4)
1.9
The sinking of the Lusitania (depicted in the source 1D). Why do you think
Germany decided to sink this passenger liner? (2)
1.10
How did the British try to combat the menace of the U-boats? (2 x 1)(2)
1.11
How useful is this source to a historian studying ‘the war under the sea’? (2)
[10]
Refer to Source 1D and 1E
1.12
Why do you think new Prime Minister, David Lloyd George introduced this
system? (2 x 1) (2)
1.13. How are Sources 1D and 1E similar? (2x1)(2).
1.14
Using sources 1A, 1B, 1C, 1D and 1 E, write a paragraph of 5-6 lines to
explain the significance of the war at sea and how tilted the land war in favour
of the Allies. (6)
[10]
TOTAL for Source-based questions: (40)
SECTION B: ESSAY WRITING
YOU MUST ANSWER BOTH ESSAY QUESTIONS. EACH ESSAY SHOULD BE
APPROXIMATELY 1-1½ PAGES LONG (ABOUT 250-300 WORDS)
QUESTION TWO
The Western Front in 1917
To what extent can the mid-1917’s onwards, be considered a turning point for
the Allies on the Western Front, in World War One.
Discuss with reference to the US (entry into the war), French (Nivelle offensive
and mutiny) and British role (at Messines, Passchendale and Cambria). (20)
AND
QUESTION THREE
1918 the beginning of the end
In 1918 Ludendorff announced that if Germany was to win the war then the
allies had to be defeated on the Western Front. Although his offensive was
initially successful the allies held ground and counter attacked. With the failed
Ludendorff Offensive and with the country in the state of revolution, the
Germans could not go on fighting. They made and unconditional surrender
and signed a harsh armistice agreement on 11am, on the eleventh day, of the
eleventh month, 1918.
Do you agree with this statement? (20)
TOTAL for ESSAYS 40
SOURCES
Source 1 A
Ever since WW1 began British ships had an upper hand. It destroyed most of Germany's
surface ships. In desperation the Germans took to using U-Boats to sink allies’ ships. One of
the conflicts was the Battle of Jutland, it was the only major confrontation between
British and German ships during WW1.
The Fleets' movements at the Battle of Jutland, May 1916
Source 1 B
The Future King George VI's Account of the Battle of Jutland, 1916
On 31 May and 1 June 1916, British and German naval forces met off the coast of Denmark, in what
was to be the largest naval battle of the First World War, with heavy losses on both sides. Among
those serving in the British Fleet was King George V's second son Prince Albert, the future King
George VI (1895-1952).
http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/jutland.htm
The document reads:
… We went to “Action Stations” at 4.30 p.m. and saw the Battle
Cruisers in action ahead of us on the starboard bow. Some of the other
cruisers were firing on the port bow. As we came up the “Lion”
leading our Battle Cruisers, appeared to be on fire the port side of the
forecastle, but it was not serious.
…As far as one could see only 2 German Battle Squadrons and all their
Battle Cruisers were out. The “Colossus” leading the 6th division with
the “Collingwood” her next astern were nearest the enemy. The whole
Fleet deployed at 5.0 and opened out. We opened fire at 5.37 p.m. on
some German light cruisers. The “Collingwood”’s second salvo hit one
of them which set her on fire, and sank after two more salvoes were
fired into her …
I was in A turret and watched most of the action through one of the
trainers telescopes, as we were firing by Director, when the turret is
trained in the working chamber and not in the gun house. At the
commencement I was sitting on the top of a turret and had a very good
view of the proceedings. I was up there during a lull, when a German
ship started firing at us, and one salvo “straddled” us. We at once
returned the fire. I was distinctly startled and jumped down the hole in
the top of the turret like a shot rabbit!! I didn’t try the experience again
…
Source 1 C
As can be seen from the table below, the British lost more ships than the Germans, but
the German navy had suffered more long term damage and importantly, Admiral
Scheer’s plan of exterminating Beatty’s battle cruisers had failed.
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/battle-of-jutland
Total losses in the battle of Jutland
Great Britain Casualties
German Empire
6,094 killed
510 wounded
177 captured
2,551 killed
507 wounded
3 battle cruisers
3 armoured cruisers
8 destroyers
1 battle cruiser
1 pre-dreadnought
4 light cruisers
5 torpedo-boats
(61,180 tons sunk)
(115,025 tons sunk)
Source 1D
By early 1915 a new threat began to materialize: submarines. At first they were used by
the Germans only to attack naval vessels, and sometimes spectacular successes. Then
the U-boats began to attack merchant vessels. Desperate to gain an advantage on the
German government decided to step up their submarine campaign.
https://www.google.co.za/?gws_rd=ssl#q=importance+of+german+u+boats+in+ww1
Source 1E
The Germans almost won the war with the use of U-boats. In April they sank nearly one
million tons of merchant shipping. It took the looming U-boat crisis, following the entry of the
USA into the war in April 1917 to bring about a re-think. The situation was saved by Lloyd
George who introduced the convoy system.
http://uboat.net/ops/convoys/system.htm