2.3 Mark Scheme

Finally, here are the comments and mark scheme from IB for:

6. Assess the importance of each of the following in causing the First or the Second World War:
nationalism; alliances; economic factors.

The basic structure for the essay is established by the task itself. Candidates are not required to deal with this as a “to what extent” question – there is no need to address other factors although some students with a pre-planned essay on the causes of the First World War will no doubt be determined to write all they have learned as a learned response.

The task is to identify and assess the nature, and hence the importance of the stated factors in explaining the cause of either war. This could include dealing with origins and outbreak of the conflict.
Candidates might do well to clarify/define the factors to aid in their “assessment” task – for example “nationalism” depending on the war chosen, could be interpreted and dealt with in a variety of ways: aggressive nationalism which sought to expand the nation’s political and territorial spheres of influence; revanchist–based based nationalism which sought to gain vengeance for past losses or defeats; thwarted nationalism (attempts to achieve self-determination); the attempt by empires to suppress nationalism to ensure self–preservation etc. Similarly, the “alliances” can be dealt with as both symptoms and also precipitants of war in either case. Whether alliances and alliance systems were responsible for exacerbating tensions or allowing for the extension of regional into continental or global conflicts could be addressed. “Economic factors” may be interpreted as the desire of particular states to achieve economic gains (raw materials, markets etc.) through a policy of war and aggrandisement – or possibly as solutions, in the case of some states, to existing socio – economic crises, which could be solved (war of distraction?) by resort to war.

Most candidates who choose to deal with the Second World War will probably identify 1939 as the start of the conflict. However if candidates comment on, for example, Germany’s war against the USSR or Japan’s attack on the USA in 1941 in an attempt to deal with nationalism – or more likely – economic factors in determining the causes for conflict, accept. Between 1939 and up to June and December 1941, there is a case to be made that the conflict was not arguably a world war.

If only one factor is addressed, mark out of a maximum of [7 marks]. If only two factors are addressed, mark out of a maximum of [14 marks].

World War I Resources
IB Teacher's Page Stockholm, Sweden
The Great War, Beginnings and Progressions PBS Series

World War II
IB Teacher's Page Stockholm Sweden

Economics of World War I & II

You may also be interested in the following stories looking towards the Centennial Anniversary of World War I:   A World Without World War I, Featuring Health-Nut Hitler and
How Bad Directions (And A Sandwich) Started WW I