Cambridge International AS & A Level

HISTORY 9489/32
Paper 3 Interpretations Question October/November 2024
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 October/November 2024 series for most
Cambridge IGCSE, Cambridge International A and AS Level components, and some Cambridge O Level
components.

This document consists of 9 printed pages.

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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
descriptions 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.

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Analyse and evaluate how aspects of the past have been interpreted and
AO4 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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Recall, select and deploy historical knowledge appropriately and

AO1 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

Annotation symbols

ID ID Valid point identified

EXP Explanation (an explained valid point)

Tick Detail/evidence is used to support the point

Plus Balanced – Considers the other view

? Unclear

AN Analysis

^ Unsupported assertion

K Knowledge

EVAL Evaluation

NAR Lengthy narrative that is not answering the question

Extendable Use with other annotations to show extended issues or narrative

Wavy Line

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Horizontal Factual error

Wavy Line

JU Judgement

NAQ NAQ Not answering the question/lacks relevance to specific question

SIM SIM Similarity identified

DIFF DIFF Difference identified

N/A Highlighter Highlight a section of text

N/A On-page Allows comments to be entered in speech bubbles on the candidate

comment response.

Using the annotations

• Annotate using the symbols above as you read through the script.

• At the end of each question write a short on-page comment:

– be positive – say what the candidate has done, rather than what they have not
– reference the attributes of the level descriptor you are awarding (i.e. make sure your
comment matches the mark you have given)
be careful with your spelling

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Question Answer Marks

1 The origins of the First World War 40

Interpretation/Approach

The extract blames Germany for war in 1914. The main interpretation is that
(i) Germany had no plan to go to war but (ii) given the specific circumstances
of 1914 Bethmann was willing to take the risk. Showing complete
understanding of the interpretation will involve discussion of both these
aspects. The historian argues that given the widespread belief that sooner or
later war would occur, Bethmann was willing to take a ‘calculated risk’ to take
advantage of the situation in 1914. This might mean war, but if not it would
bring a diplomatic victory. This places the blame for war on Germany
(Bethmann) for being willing to risk war as a means of dealing with its
diplomatic encirclement by the Entente.

Glossary: Early post-WW1 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 extract blames Nazi anti-Semitism for the Holocaust, but the main
interpretation is that genocide could not have occurred (i) without the
contribution of the intellectual elites, and (ii) without the willingness of German
society to stand aside. Showing complete understanding of the Interpretation
will involve discussion of both these aspects. The historian argues that the
central motive for genocide was the anti-Semitism of the Nazis. Once they
achieved power, intellectuals were won over to this ideology by the prospect
of national salvation. This gave the regime a plausibility which would make it
possible to make the masses complicit in the murders. The historian does not
argue that the masses shared the radical, murderous antisemitism, but rather
that they felt sufficiently uneasy about the Jews to make significant protests
against Nazi policy impossible. Candidates will probably attach the
intentionalist label to this interpretation, which is justifiable since it deals with
the central importance of Nazi ideology. Other labels would not be
supportable from this extract.

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 40

Interpretation/Approach

The extract blames the US/Truman for heightened tensions. The main
interpretation is that the US/Truman is blamed because of (i) misplaced
attitudes/assumptions about the rest of the world, and (ii) ineffective/flawed
policies towards the Soviet Union. Showing complete understanding of the
interpretation will involve discussion of both these aspects. This is an extract
that focuses on Truman. It shows him as seeing himself as the defender of
Western civilisation against the Soviets, but as lacking a genuine
understanding of the real nature and extent of the Soviet threat. He mistook
American power for American influence, and in the final analysis was not able
to force Stalin to comply. Overall, the historian offers a negative view of the
impact of Truman’s policy. This is therefore likely to be seen as a revisionist
account, not least with its suggestion of economic motives underpinning US
actions. There is relatively little about the Soviet Union in the extract, and
certainly no argument that it was to blame for the Cold War. This rules out any
other label being appropriate for L5 or L6.

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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