Cambridge International AS & A Level

HISTORY 9489/32
Paper 3 Interpretations Question 32 March 2021
MARK SCHEME
Maximum Mark: 40

Published

This mark scheme is published as an aid to teachers and candidates, to indicate the requirements of the
examination. It shows the basis on which Examiners were instructed to award marks. It does not indicate the
details of the discussions that took place at an Examiners’ meeting before marking began, which would have
considered the acceptability of alternative answers.

Mark schemes should be read in conjunction with the question paper and the Principal Examiner Report for
Teachers.

Cambridge International will not enter into discussions about these mark schemes.

Cambridge International is publishing the mark schemes for the March 2021 series for most Cambridge
IGCSE™, Cambridge International A and AS Level components and some Cambridge O Level components.

This document consists of 7 printed pages.

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9489/32 Cambridge International AS & A Level – Mark Scheme March 2021
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Generic Marking Principles

These general marking principles must be applied by all examiners when marking candidate answers.
They should be applied alongside the specific content of the mark scheme or generic level descriptors
for a question. Each question paper and mark scheme will also comply with these marking principles.

GENERIC MARKING PRINCIPLE 1:

Marks must be awarded in line with:

• the specific content of the mark scheme or the generic level descriptors for the question
• the specific skills defined in the mark scheme or in the generic level descriptors for the question
• the standard of response required by a candidate as exemplified by the standardisation scripts.

GENERIC MARKING PRINCIPLE 2:

Marks awarded are always whole marks (not half marks, or other fractions).

GENERIC MARKING PRINCIPLE 3:

Marks must be awarded positively:

• marks are awarded for correct/valid answers, as defined in the mark scheme. However, credit
is given for valid answers which go beyond the scope of the syllabus and mark scheme,
referring to your Team Leader as appropriate
• marks are awarded when candidates clearly demonstrate what they know and can do
• marks are not deducted for errors
• marks are not deducted for omissions
• answers should only be judged on the quality of spelling, punctuation and grammar when these
features are specifically assessed by the question as indicated by the mark scheme. The
meaning, however, should be unambiguous.

GENERIC MARKING PRINCIPLE 4:

Rules must be applied consistently, e.g. in situations where candidates have not followed
instructions or in the application of generic level descriptors.

GENERIC MARKING PRINCIPLE 5:

Marks should be awarded using the full range of marks defined in the mark scheme for the question
(however; the use of the full mark range may be limited according to the quality of the candidate
responses seen).

GENERIC MARKING PRINCIPLE 6:

Marks awarded are based solely on the requirements as defined in the mark scheme. Marks should
not be awarded with grade thresholds or grade descriptors in mind.

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General levels of response

Process for awarding marks:

• Markers review the answer against the AO4 marking criteria, and award a mark according to
these criteria.
• Generally, the subsequent mark awarded for AO1 will be the same level. In exceptional cases,
markers could award marks in different levels for the two AOs. This is because the ability to recall,
select and deploy relevant historical material will be central to any effective analysis and
evaluation of the interpretation.
• Responses that focus on contextual knowledge without reference to the interpretation cannot be
rewarded.

Underlining is used in this mark scheme to indicate the main interpretation of the extracts.

AO4 Analyse and evaluate how aspects of the past have been interpreted and Marks
represented.

Level 6 • Responses use the extract in a detailed and accurate manner and 18–20
demonstrate a complete understanding of the interpretation and of the
approach(es) used by the historian in reaching this interpretation.
• These responses explain all elements of the historian’s interpretation.

Level 5 • Responses use the extract in a detailed and accurate manner and 15–17
demonstrate a sound understanding of the interpretation and of the
approach(es) used by the historian in reaching this interpretation.
• These responses engage with elements of the historian’s interpretation, but
without explaining it as a whole – they are consistent and accurate, but not
complete and may cover less important sub-messages.

Level 4 • Responses use the extract, but only demonstrate partial understanding of 12–14
the interpretation and approach(es) of the historian.
• These answers identify elements of the historian’s interpretation, but without
adequately explaining them, typically explaining other less important
message(s) as equally or more important.

Level 3 • Responses demonstrate understanding that the extract contains 9–11

interpretations, but those explained are only sub-messages.
• Responses may use a part of the extract to argue for an interpretation that
is not supported by the whole of the extract, or may refer to multiple
interpretations, often a different one in each paragraph.

Level 2 • Responses summarise the main points in the extract. 5–8

• Responses focus on what the extract says, but explanations of the extract
as an interpretation lack validity.

Level 1 • Responses include references to some aspects of the extract. 1–4

• Responses may include fragments of material that are relevant to the
historian’s interpretation.

Level 0 No creditable content. 0

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AO1 Recall, select and deploy historical knowledge appropriately and Marks
effectively.

Level 6 Demonstrates detailed and accurate historical knowledge that is entirely 18–20
relevant.

Level 5 Demonstrates detailed and mostly accurate historical knowledge that is mainly 15–17
relevant.

Level 4 Demonstrates mostly relevant and accurate knowledge. 12–14

Level 3 Demonstrates generally accurate and relevant knowledge. 9–11

Level 2 Demonstrates some accurate and relevant knowledge. 5–8

Level 1 Demonstrates limited knowledge. 1–4

Level 0 Demonstrates no relevant historical knowledge. 0

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Question Answer Marks

1 The Origins of the First World War 40

Interpretation/Approach

The main interpretation is that in the period before the war Grey had little
choice but to follow the policy he pursued, but that ultimately German
aggression would have occurred no matter what line he adopted. Showing
complete understanding of the Interpretation will involve discussion of both
these aspects. This is an interpretation that focuses on Grey and the
choices available to him. It sees his actions as making little difference, and
implicitly rejects the views of those historians who criticise Grey/Britain for
not taking a firmer/clearer line. It clearly attributes blame to German
aggression by illustrating that Grey had no satisfactory way of dealing with
the German threat.

Glossary: Early post-First World War interpretations tended to blame

Germany, but quickly a reaction against this occurred, with a variety of
interpretations blaming other nations. This may be termed revisionism. The
turning point in the historiography was Fischer’s work of the early 1960s
which went back to blaming Germany – sometimes known as anti-
revisionism. Since then there has been a vast variety of interpretations,
looking at the importance of culture, individuals, contingent factors etc., with
no clear consensus, though most historians would still place a significant
burden of responsibility on Germany.

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Question Answer Marks

2 The Holocaust 40

Interpretation/Approach

The main interpretation is that although Hitler clearly claimed to intend some
kind of final reckoning with the Jews, there is no evidence that any prior plan
existed, or could have existed, before the outbreak of war. Showing
complete understanding of the interpretation will involve discussion of both
these aspects. The interpretation stresses that any Final Solution would
have to be contingent upon a wide range of factors that could not be
predicted. By 1939, even though Hitler might have said he was planning
genocide, there was no evidence that he was actually doing so. The most
satisfactory label to attach to this interpretation is synthesis – Hitler certainly
was violently anti-Semitic, but for this to produce genocide would require
wartime developments. Labelling the interpretation as functionalist would
also be acceptable and with proper support could achieve L5 or L6. Opting
for intentionalism alone would be ignoring too much and could not be better
than L4, even if properly supported.

Glossary: Candidates may use some/all of the following terms:

Intentionalism – interpretations which assume that Hitler/the Nazis planned
to exterminate the Jews from the start. Structuralism - interpretations which
argue that it was the nature of the Nazi state that produced genocide. There
was no coherent plan but the chaotic competition for Hitler’s approval
between different elements of the leadership produced a situation in which
genocide could occur. Functionalism sees the Holocaust as an unplanned,
ad hoc response to wartime developments in Eastern Europe, when
Germany conquered areas with large Jewish populations. Candidates may
also refer to synthesis interpretations, i.e. interpretations which show
characteristics of more than one of the above. What counts is how
appropriate the use of this kind of terminology is in relation to the extract,
and how effectively the extract can be used to support it.

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Question Answer Marks

3 The Origins and Development of the Cold War, 1941–1950 40

Interpretation/Approach

The main interpretation is that Stalin’s policy was essentially expansionist,

and that, despite the deficiencies of the West, he was responsible for the
confrontation between them. Showing complete understanding of the
Interpretation will involve discussion of both these aspects. The
interpretation focuses on Stalin and his policies, despite the criticism it also
levels at the Western leadership. The balance of the interpretation is on the
blame that Stalin bears, so any labelling at L6 must conclude that the
interpretation is post-post-revisionist in nature. At L5 candidates may argue
that the interpretation is traditionalist based only on what it argues about
Stalin. However, in failing to exonerate the West, the interpretation is almost
certainly not traditionalist. There will be many candidates who conclude that
the element of blame put on the West justifies a post-revisionist label, but
this would be to miss the overall thrust of the interpretation, and should
therefore be held to maximum L4.

Glossary: Traditional/Orthodox interpretations of the Cold War were

generally produced early after WW2. They blame the Soviet Union and
Stalin’s expansionism for the Cold War. Revisionist historians challenged
this view and shifted more of the focus onto the United States, generally
through an economic approach which stressed the alleged aim of the US to
establish its economic dominance over Europe. Post-revisionists moved
towards a more balanced view in which elements of blame were attached to
both sides. Since the opening of the Soviet archives post-1990 there has
been a shift to attributing prime responsibility to Stalin – a post-post-
revisionist stance which often seems very close to the traditional view, but
which often places great importance on ideology. What counts is how
appropriate the use of this kind of terminology is in relation to the extract,
and how effectively the extract can be used to support it.

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