1. PEACEMAKING, PEACEKEEPING & INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS 1918-36:
HOW TO SURVIVE PAPER 1

2. WHAT PAPER ONE IS ABOUT
This prescribed subject addresses international relations from 1918 to 1936 with emphasis on the Paris Peace Settlement—its making, impact and problems of enforcement—and attempts during the period to promote collective security and international cooperation through the League of Nations and Multilateral agreements (outside the League mechanism), arms reduction and the pursuit of foreign policy goals without resort to violence. The prescribed subject also requires consideration of the extent to which the aims of peacemakers and peacekeepers were realized and the obstacles to success.

3. QUESTION TOPIC AREAS:
Areas on which the source-based questions will focus are:
aims of the participants and peacemakers: Wilson and the Fourteen Points
terms of the Paris Peace Treaties 1919‑20: Versailles, St Germain, Trianon, Neuilly, Sèvres/Lausanne 1923
the geopolitical and economic impact of the treaties on Europe; the establishment and impact of the mandate system

4. ...AND THERE’S MORE
enforcement of the provisions of the treaties: US isolationism—the retreat from the Anglo–American Guarantee; disarmament—Washington, London, Geneva conferences
the League of Nations: effects of the absence of major powers; the principle of collective security and
early attempts at peacekeeping (1920‑5)
the Ruhr Crisis (1923); Locarno and the “Locarno Spring” (1925)
Depression and threats to international peace and collective security: Manchuria (1931‑3) and Abyssinia (1935‑6).

5. VERY, VERY USEFUL ADVICE!
Study each of the bullet points carefully
Do mini essays on each of them (share the workload, organise a group and allocate a bullet point each)

6. DIFFICULTIES WITH CARTOON QUESTIONS
Generally the cartoon questions will be on David Low, so research him and his cartoons
Do as many OPVL exercises on them as you can

7. VERY, VERY USEFUL ADVICE!
Maximise the five minute reading time by:
Reading the questions first – Start with Q4
Then read the blurb (information about the source)
Finally, read the sources
Don’t forget the timing and the mark allocation
Paraphrasing is sufficient to make your point, unless you quote accurately, briefly and to support your point, it is not necessary to quote

8. Q1: COMMON PITFALLS
Students don’t get the balance right – they write too much or too little
They don’t show sufficient comprehension
Q1a) is three marks, generally it is a mark per point, so normally there are three points for you to make

9. Q2 COMMON PITFALLS Students tend to: Badly structured answers
generalise too much and not make sufficient references to the sources
Describe the documents not analyse them
Badly structured answers
Content of source not dealt with

10. Q2 VERY, VERY USEFUL ADVICE!
Use highlighter/s (one for compare, one for contrast)
THE SOURCE BOOKLET SHOULD LOOK LIKE A MESS
Useful phrases: Source A backs, supports, refutes...
Avoid an end-on approach: do not analyse each document separately
ADD DIRECT QUOTES but make sure they are selective, focusing on relevant words and phrases

11. Q2 ADVICE contd.- Do not waste time saying unnecessary things:
No need to state the provenance of the sources
When contrasting, look more at the how, rather than the why they are different

12. Q3: COMMON PITFALLS (two slides for this!)
Answers dealing with content rather than opvl
Historians are often dismissed as being biased, useless
The importance of purpose is neglected (if in doubt, say one of the purposes appears to be..)
Students evaluate the book the source (speech, cartoon etc.) is in, rather than the speech, cartoon etc. itself.

13. Q3: COMMON PITFALLS Contd.-
Written in bullet points/grid
Many do not identify the date of the source
Many dismiss a source as a translation

14. Q3 VERY, VERY USEFUL ADVICE!
If it is a quotation, speech etc. inserted in a book, look at the source – the original, not the book it is in for the value and limitation
Note when the information was recorded – during the event, immediately after the event, or after some lapse of time, how large a lapse of time?
The ‘blurb’ is very important, particularly for cartoons
Please note the date
Ask what is the value of this information to a historian studying this topic - remember during the H.I. You had to choose what sources were useful and what were not

15. Q4: COMMON PITFALLS
This is the hardest question to get top marks in because:
Structure
Timing
Ability to select material
Ability to synthesise

16. Q4:VERY,VERY USEFUL ADVICE
Read this question first and jot down a few facts for the ‘own knowledge’ aspect
Do not start with this question
Allocate minutes to the question
It is an essay with an advantage – you make the points, but you already have the evidence to prove them!
Answer the question asked, do not write
everything you know about the topic
If you run out of time (but don’t you dare) just write on the sources – easier, the information is already
there, just compile it