About Paper 2 - Topic 11: Causes and Effects of 20th Century Wars
This topic focuses on the causes, practice and effects of war in the 20th century. The topic explores the
causes of wars, as well as the way in which warfare was conducted, including types of war, the use of
technology, and the impact these factors had upon the outcome. Examination questions for this topic will
require students to make reference to specific 20th-century wars in their responses, and some examination
questions will require discussion of wars from more than one region of the world. Please note that the
suggested examples for this topic include “cross-regional” wars such as the First and Second World Wars. In
examination questions that ask students to discuss examples of wars from different regions, students may
use these wars in a regional context (for example, the Second World War in the Pacific) but may not then
use the same war in a different region (for example, the Second World War in Europe) in the same response.
causes of wars, as well as the way in which warfare was conducted, including types of war, the use of
technology, and the impact these factors had upon the outcome. Examination questions for this topic will
require students to make reference to specific 20th-century wars in their responses, and some examination
questions will require discussion of wars from more than one region of the world. Please note that the
suggested examples for this topic include “cross-regional” wars such as the First and Second World Wars. In
examination questions that ask students to discuss examples of wars from different regions, students may
use these wars in a regional context (for example, the Second World War in the Pacific) but may not then
use the same war in a different region (for example, the Second World War in Europe) in the same response.