Practice Exam Questions

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Paper 3 is an essay paper based on the 12 Asian History topics of which students at Island School study three. The paper consists of two questions for each of the 12 topics. China and Korea 1910 - 1950 is one of those topics. 

​Students must answer any three questions. Ideally you should answer one question from each of the three topics you have studied however you are free to answer both questions from a single topic. 

Paper 3 is 2 hours 30 minutes in duration which leaves about 50 minutes per essay question. The maximum mark for this paper is 45, with a maximum of 15 marks awarded per essay question. Try these exam essay questions from past papers:

May 2019

Evaluate the role of Mao Zedong's leadership in the rise of Communism in China to 1935.

Discuss the social, political and economic impact of Japanese annexation (1910) on Korea to 1937.

Nov 2018	Evaluate the contribution of the Treaty of Versailles (1919) to the rise of national identity in China.	To what extent did the mistakes of the Nationalists lead to their defeat in the Chinese Civil War (1946–1949)?
​May 2018	"Jiang Jieshi's domestic policies during the Nanjing decade (1927-1937) were largely successful." To what extent do you agree with this statement?	​With reference to the period up to 1950, evaluate the impact of the Sino-Japanese War (1937-1945) on Korea.
Nov 2017	Discuss the factors that helped and hindered the rise of communism in China in the 1920s.	"Japanese rule of Korea had an entirely negative impact on Korea's economy and society." To what extent do you agree with this statement?
​May 2017	​Evaluate the impact of the May Fourth movement (1919) on China.	"Brutal and a failure." Discuss with reference to Jiang Jieshi's rule in Taiwan up to 1950.
Nov 2016	"The conflict between Yuan Shikai and the Guomindang, undermined the principles of the Chinese Republic." Discuss.	"The importance of the Long March to the survival of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in the 1930s has been exaggerated." To what extent do you agree with this statement?
​May 2016	Examine the impact of the 21 Demands (1915) and the Treaty of Versailles (1919) on cultural and political developments in China up to 1924.	"Jiang Jieshi's (Chiang Kai-shek's) rule between 1927 and 1937 unified and modernized China." Discuss.
Spec ​Paper	“The First United Front was of more benefit to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) than to the Guomindang (GMD).” To what extent do you agree with this statement?	Evaluate the reasons why the Nationalists were defeated in the Chinese Civil War 1946-1949.

Nov ​2015	“The Long March (1934–1935) was a complete failure but the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) managed to transform it into a propaganda victory.” To what extent do you agree with this statement?	“Jiang Jieshi (Chiang Kai-shek) was a cruel leader who did little to address the needs of the Chinese people.” With reference to the period 1927 to 1937, to what extent do you agree with this statement?
May 2015	Examine the significance of the Northern Expedition (1926–1927) and the Jiangsi (Kiangsi) Soviet (1928-1934) in the emergence of Mao Zedong (Mao Tse-tung) as leader of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) by 1935.	“The Second United Front (1936–1945) was responsible for the survival of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).” To what extent do you agree with this statement?
Nov 2014	Compare and contrast the aims and policies of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) with those of the Guomindang, GMD (Kuomintang, KMT) during the First United Front (1924–1927).​	Evaluate the effectiveness of the methods used by the Guomindang, GMD (Kuomintang, KMT) and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) against the Japanese during the Fifteen-Year War (1931–1945).
May 2014	“Yuan Shikai (Yuan Shih-k’ai) can be held responsible for the disunity of the Warlord Era that followed his death in 1916.” To what extent do you agree with this statement about China between 1912 and 1927?	To what extent was the victory of the Chinese Communist Party over the Guomindang (Kuomintang) in 1949 a triumph of nationalism rather than of Communism?
Nov 2013	“The response in China to the Versailles Treaty (1919) was a defining moment in the history of modern China.” To what extent do you agree with this statement?	How significant was the Japanese invasion and occupation of China from 1931 to 1945 in ensuring the ultimate victory of the Communists in 1949?
May 2013	To what extent was the New Culture Movement (1915–1924), which included the 1919 May Fourth Movement, an intellectual revolution that changed the course of Chinese politics?	“Jiang Jieshi’s (Chiang Kai-shek’s) rule in China between 1927 and 1937 betrayed the Guomindang’s (Kuomintang’s) ideals.” To what extent do you agree with this statement?
Nov 2012	​In what ways, and to what extent, was Yuan Shikai (Yuan Shih-k’ai) responsible for the rise of warlordism in China in the early twentieth century?	​How and why did the Chinese Communist Party survive between 1927 and 1937 despite serious threats to its existence?
May 2012	Why did the First United Front (1924–1927) between the Chinese Communist Party and the Guomindang (Kuomintang) fail?	“The main reason why the Guomindang (Kuomintang) lost the Chinese Civil War (1946–1949) to the Communists was that they were exhausted after fighting the Japanese in the Sino–Japanese War (1937–1945).” To what extent do you agree with this statement?
Nov 2011	“Neither the Chinese Communist Party nor the Guomindang (Kuomintang) entered the First United Front in 1924 believing that it would survive for very long.” To what extent do you agree with this statement?	“Mao’s leadership was the crucial factor in leading the Communists to victory in the Chinese Civil War (1946–1949).” Discuss the validity of this claim.
May 2011	In what ways, and with what consequences, did Yuan Shikai (Yuan Shih-k’ai) betray the 1912 Chinese Republic?	“The Long March (1934 –1935) was a retreat that changed the destiny of China.” To what extent do you agree with this statement?
Nov 2010	Analyse the factors that led to the rise of warlordism in China in the period from 1911 to 1926.	“The Nationalists failed to attend to China’s urgent problems.” Examine the nature of these problems between 1926 and 1937. To what extent do you agree that these failures led to the eventual downfall of the Nationalists?
May 2010	To what extent was the May Fourth Movement (1919) significant in determining the future of China?	To what extent did Jiang Jieshi’s (Chiang Kai-shek’s) government address the problems facing China in the period between 1927 and 1937?
Nov 2009	To what extent did the experiences of the Jiangxi (Kiangsi) Soviet (1929–1934) and the Long March (October 1934–October 1935) influence the development of the Chinese Communist Party?	Why was Manchuria of such importance in international affairs in the region during the period 1918 to 1931?
May 2009	“The role of Sun Yatsen (Sun Yat-sen) in the emergence of modern China has been greatly exaggerated.” To what extent do you agree with this statement?	Compare and contrast the aims and policies of the Communists and the Nationalists in China during the First United Front established in 1924.
Nov 2008	In what ways, and for what reasons, was the period 1928 to 1937 a turning point in Chinese history?	Why did the Communists win the civil war in China between 1945 and 1949?
May 2008	Analyse the impact of Japanese rule on the development of Korea between 1910 and 1945.	​Compare and contrast the attitudes of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and the Guomindang (Kuomintang) to the First United Front (1924–1927).
Nov 2007	In what ways, and to what extent, was Yuan Shikai (Yuan Shih-k’ai) responsible for the rise of warlordism in China in the early twentieth century?	Why were the Communists able to defeat the Nationalists in China in 1949?
May 2007	To what extent was “warlordism” in China defeated by Jiang Jieshi (Chiang Kai-shek) in the period 1926 to 1937?	“May 4th 1919 is a more significant date in Chinese history than October 10th 1911.” How far do you agree with this statement?
Nov 2006	“The United Front between the Chinese Communist Party and the Guomindang (Kuomintang), formed after the Xian (Sian) Incident in 1936, was never likely to last.” How far do you agree with this assessment?	Analyse the impact of Japanese rule on Korea between 1910 and 1945.
May 2006	​“The achievements of the Nationalist Government of China between 1928 and 1937 have been greatly under-estimated.” To what extent do you agree with this statement?	Evaluate the contribution of the Long March (1934–6) to the final victory of the Communist Party.
Nov 2005	​'The May 4th Movement was of greater importance for China than the Revolution of 1911' To what extent do you agree with this assessment?	​Compare and contrast the policies and tactics of the Guomindang (Kuomintang) and the Chinese Communist Party during the Sino-Japanese War (1937-1945).
May 2005	Assess the successes and failures of Guomindang (Kuomintang) rule in China between 1928 and 1937.	​"Only international rivalry saved China from complete subjection and partition in the period 1875 to 1918." How far do you agree with this assessment?