Selected student pages
Student e-book: Core Option B
5. How far was Gorbachev personally responsible for the collapse of Soviet control over Eastern Europe?
Gorbachev's rule was to be key in bringing about the end of Communism in the Soviet Union and, indeed, the collapse of Soviet control over all of the central and eastern satellite states. His decision...
Student e-book: Depth Studies
c. What were the experiences of civilian populations in Nazi-occupied Europe?
As in Asia there was an ideological and racial aspect to the war in Europe which meant that certain sections of populations were deliberately targeted, with the intent that they should be deported or...
Student e-book: Assessment, study and revision tips
Paper 2: Practice Paper 2 questions
As explained on the previous page, the wording of source questions on Paper 2 will vary but all will expect you to use your source skills and to focus on the sources in every answer. For this activity,...
Student e-book: Core Option B
4 How far did the Depression make the work of the League more difficult in the 1930s? Free
While it can be argued that there were definitely some successes for the League in the 1920s, most historians agree that the 1930s saw the League failing to maintain peace or to resolve key issues resulting...
Student e-book: Core Option B
1. Was the Treaty of Versailles fair? Free
The First World War finally lasted from 1914 to 1918. After the armistices were signed with the Central Powers in November 1918, the victorious powers met at Versailles near Paris in 1919 to discuss and...
Student e-book: Depth Studies
a. What was the impact on civilians of the bombing of Britain (1940–41) and Germany (1943–45)?
As you have read, Hitler launched a bombing campaign against Britain in 1940 as a prelude to his invasion. His aim was to gain control of the skies so that boats waiting in France could cross the channel...
Teaching IGCSE
Paper 2: November 2026 Free
Below you will find practice papers for the November 2026 examination. The prescribed topics for this examination session are: Core Option A: How was Italy Unified? Core Option B: How effectively did...
Student e-book: Depth Studies
b. Why was Germany unable to conquer Britain?
After Dunkirk, Britain and its Empire now stood alone against Germany . On 18 June 1940, Churchill correctly forecast the next stage of the war – ‘The battle of France is over. I expect that the Battle...
Student e-book: Depth Studies
4. How did the Allies achieve victory over the Axis powers? Free
The Italian Campaign, from July 10, 1943, to May 2, 1945, was a series of Allied beach landings and land battles from Sicily and southern Italy up the Italian mainland towards Nazi Germany. Although Stalin...
Student e-book: Core Option A
5. Why, and with what effects, did nations gain and expand their overseas empires in the nineteenth century? Free
By the start of the 20th Century, Europeans and Americans had secured influence across all continents of the world. In some cases this meant directly ruling other nations as 'colonies'; in other cases...
Student e-book: Core Option B
2. To what extent was the League of Nations a success?
As you have seen in Unit 1, the League of Nations was set up after the catastrophe of the First World War with much enthusiasm and optimism that this mechanism for collective security would secure peace,...
Student e-book: Core Option B
2. What was the signficance of Hitler's actions 1938 to 1939?
Hitler's foreign policy successes, particularly the taking back of the Rhineland and the alliances with Japan and Italy, meant that Hitler was now ready to pursue the next of his goals, which was to unite...