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HKDSE History practice questions

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Question 1Historical evidence, chronology and justified interpretation

In der Quellenanalyse zur Französischen Revolution untersuchst du ein Dekret der Nationalversammlung von 1789. Welches Merkmal kennzeichnet einen solchen normativen Text (texte normatif) im Unterschied zu einer erzählenden Quelle?

  1. Er formuliert verbindliche Regeln und verwendet häufig performative Formeln wie „décrète“ oder „ordonne“. Correct answer.
  2. Er schildert persönliche Empfindungen des Verfassers und ist daher subjektiv gefärbt.
  3. Er beschreibt Ereignisse chronologisch aus der Perspektive eines Augenzeugen.
  4. Er liefert statistische Reihen, die quantitative Vergleiche ermöglichen.

Explanation

Normative Quellen wie Dekrete oder Gesetze legen verbindliche Regeln fest. Performative Formeln signalisieren, dass der Text selbst eine Rechtswirkung erzeugt, statt bloß zu berichten. Deshalb prüft man bei ihnen vor allem Adressat, Reichweite und Rechtskraft.

Question 2Hong Kong: territorial change, occupation and social transformation

Hong Kong became a British colony following the First Opium War. Which 1842 treaty ceded Hong Kong Island to Britain?

  1. Treaty of Tianjin
  2. Treaty of Versailles
  3. Convention of Peking
  4. Treaty of Nanking (Nanjing) Correct answer.

Explanation

The Treaty of Nanking (Nanjing), signed in 1842 at the end of the First Opium War, ceded Hong Kong Island to Britain. This is the starting point for studying Hong Kong's growth and development under British administration.

Question 3China1840–1949: treaty systems, reform and revolution

The Self-Strengthening Movement (1861-1895) was an early Qing attempt at modernization that focused primarily on what?

  1. Adopting Western military technology and industry while preserving Confucian institutions Correct answer.
  2. Abolishing the monarchy immediately
  3. Establishing a communist economy
  4. Westernising Chinese language and religion entirely

Explanation

The Self-Strengthening Movement sought to adopt Western arms, ships, arsenals and industry ('Western means') to defend China while preserving Confucian institutions and the imperial system ('Chinese essence'). Its limited scope is often cited as a reason it failed after the 1894-95 Sino-Japanese War.

Question 4The PRC after1949: institutions, campaigns and reform

1949年10月1日，在天安门广场举行的开国大典上，毛泽东向全世界宣告中华人民共和国中央人民政府成立。这一事件标志的历史转折是：

  1. 社会主义三大改造已经完成，中国进入社会主义初级阶段
  2. 新民主主义革命取得基本胜利，中国进入人民民主专政的新时期 Correct answer.
  3. 第一个五年计划提前完成，中国开始大规模工业化建设
  4. 抗美援朝战争胜利结束，中国国际地位显著提高

Explanation

开国大典宣告中华人民共和国成立，标志着新民主主义革命取得基本胜利，中国由半殖民地半封建社会进入人民民主专政的新时期。三大改造完成于1956年，一五计划始于1953年，抗美援朝停战于1953年，均晚于1949年。

Question 5Japan: Meiji institutions, imperial expansion and postwar transformation

The Meiji Restoration of 1868 in Japan led to which major change?

  1. The restoration of imperial rule and rapid modernization along Western lines Correct answer.
  2. The collapse of the Japanese state
  3. Japan becoming a European colony
  4. The abolition of the emperor

Explanation

The Meiji Restoration of 1868 ended the Tokugawa shogunate, restored political authority to the Meiji Emperor, and launched rapid modernization of Japan's government, military, industry and education along Western models. It is often contrasted with China's slower Self-Strengthening Movement.

Question 6Southeast Asia: colonial rule, nationalism and postwar independence

In the study of Southeast Asia under Theme A, 'decolonisation' refers to which process?

  1. The re-imposition of colonial rule
  2. European migration into Southeast Asia
  3. The unification of all Southeast Asian states into one country
  4. Former colonies gaining independence and building new nation-states after World War II Correct answer.

Explanation

Decolonisation describes the process by which Southeast Asian territories such as Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia and Vietnam gained independence from colonial powers, mostly after World War II, and undertook nation-building. It is studied as part of developments in Southeast Asia.

Question 7World and European transformations from the revolutionary age through the Cold War and beyond

World War I began in 1914 and ended in which year?

  1. 1916
  2. 1922
  3. 1920
  4. 1918 Correct answer.

Explanation

World War I lasted from 1914 to 1918, ending with the armistice on 11 November 1918. The causes, course and consequences of this war are central to Theme B's study of 20th-century conflicts.

Question 8Hong Kong: territorial change, occupation and social transformation

The New Territories were leased to Britain in 1898 for how many years, a term that shaped the timing of Hong Kong's return to China?

  1. 50 years
  2. 25 years
  3. 150 years
  4. 99 years Correct answer.

Explanation

The 1898 Convention for the Extension of Hong Kong Territory leased the New Territories to Britain for 99 years. The expiry of this lease in 1997 was central to the negotiations that led to Hong Kong's return to Chinese sovereignty.

Question 9Hong Kong: territorial change, occupation and social transformation

Hong Kong's post-war economic development is often described as a transformation from an entrepot into what?

  1. An agricultural economy
  2. A mining hub
  3. A purely military base
  4. A manufacturing and then international financial and services centre Correct answer.

Explanation

After World War II and especially following the 1950s trade embargoes on China, Hong Kong shifted from being a trade entrepot to an export-oriented manufacturing economy, and later to an international financial and services centre. This trajectory is central to Theme A's study of Hong Kong's development.

Question 10Hong Kong: territorial change, occupation and social transformation

The Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC), a key part of Hong Kong's social development, was established in which year?

  1. 1974 Correct answer.
  2. 1997
  3. 1949
  4. 1984

Explanation

The ICAC was set up in 1974 to combat the widespread corruption that had plagued Hong Kong, including within the police force. Its creation is a major example studied under Hong Kong's institutional and social development.

Question 11Hong Kong: territorial change, occupation and social transformation

The 1984 Sino-British Joint Declaration set out that after 1997 Hong Kong would be governed under which principle?

  1. Direct British rule continued
  2. Joint Anglo-Chinese administration
  3. Full independence
  4. One Country, Two Systems Correct answer.

Explanation

The 1984 Sino-British Joint Declaration provided that Hong Kong would become a Special Administrative Region of China on 1 July 1997 under the principle of 'One Country, Two Systems', preserving its capitalist system and way of life for 50 years.

Question 12Hong Kong: territorial change, occupation and social transformation

On what date did Hong Kong return to Chinese sovereignty and become a Special Administrative Region?

  1. 1 October 1949
  2. 4 June 1989
  3. 20 December 1999
  4. 1 July 1997 Correct answer.

Explanation

Hong Kong's sovereignty was transferred from Britain to the People's Republic of China on 1 July 1997, when it became the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. This is a key milestone in Theme A.

Question 13Hong Kong: territorial change, occupation and social transformation

The large-scale public housing programme launched after the 1953 Shek Kip Mei fire is studied as an example of Hong Kong's what?

  1. Military strategy
  2. Religious reform
  3. Foreign policy
  4. Social and urban development Correct answer.

Explanation

The 1953 Shek Kip Mei squatter fire left tens of thousands homeless and spurred the government to begin building resettlement estates, marking the start of Hong Kong's large-scale public housing programme - a core part of its social and urban development.

Question 14Hong Kong: territorial change, occupation and social transformation

The 'open door' nature of Hong Kong's economy in the late 20th century especially benefited from which mainland Chinese development?

  1. The Cultural Revolution
  2. China's reform and opening-up after 1978 Correct answer.
  3. The Boxer Rebellion
  4. The fall of the Qing dynasty

Explanation

China's reform and opening-up from 1978 created enormous opportunities for Hong Kong as a gateway for trade, investment and finance between the mainland and the world. This deepened Hong Kong's role as an international city and links Theme A's Hong Kong and China sub-themes.

Question 15Hong Kong: territorial change, occupation and social transformation

Hong Kong's role as a 'super-connector' between China and the world in the late 20th and early 21st centuries best illustrates which idea?

  1. Hong Kong's isolation from global trade
  2. The interplay between Hong Kong's development and China's modernization and global integration Correct answer.
  3. Hong Kong's military expansion
  4. The collapse of Hong Kong's economy

Explanation

As a free port with rule of law and financial expertise, Hong Kong served as a gateway linking mainland China's reforming economy to global capital and trade. This connects Theme A's study of Hong Kong's development with China's modernization and global integration.

Question 16China1840–1949: treaty systems, reform and revolution

China's defeat in the First Sino-Japanese War (1894-1895) is widely seen as exposing the failure of which reform effort?

  1. The Hundred Days Reform
  2. The May Fourth Movement
  3. The Great Leap Forward
  4. The Self-Strengthening Movement Correct answer.

Explanation

The destruction of the modernised Beiyang Fleet during the 1894-95 war demonstrated that the Self-Strengthening Movement had failed to make China strong enough to resist a modernised Japan. This humiliation pushed reformers toward more radical change.

Question 17China1840–1949: treaty systems, reform and revolution

The Hundred Days Reform of 1898 was a brief reform programme led by which emperor and his advisers before being crushed by conservatives?

  1. The Qianlong Emperor
  2. The Yongzheng Emperor
  3. The Kangxi Emperor
  4. The Guangxu Emperor Correct answer.

Explanation

The 1898 Hundred Days Reform was launched by the Guangxu Emperor under the influence of reformers such as Kang Youwei and Liang Qichao. It was halted after about 100 days when Empress Dowager Cixi staged a coup and placed the emperor under house arrest.

Question 18China1840–1949: treaty systems, reform and revolution

The 1911 Revolution in China resulted in which major outcome?

  1. The strengthening of the Qing dynasty
  2. The establishment of communist rule
  3. The Japanese annexation of China
  4. The end of imperial rule and the founding of the Republic of China Correct answer.

Explanation

The 1911 Revolution (Xinhai Revolution) overthrew the Qing dynasty and ended over two thousand years of imperial rule, leading to the founding of the Republic of China in 1912 with Sun Yat-sen as provisional president.

Question 19China1840–1949: treaty systems, reform and revolution

Who is widely regarded as the leader and 'Father of the Nation' associated with the 1911 Revolution and the founding of the Republic of China?

  1. Mao Zedong
  2. Yuan Shikai
  3. Chiang Kai-shek
  4. Sun Yat-sen Correct answer.

Explanation

Sun Yat-sen, founder of the Tongmenghui and advocate of the Three Principles of the People, is regarded as the 'Father of the Nation'. He became the first provisional president of the Republic of China in 1912.

Question 20China1840–1949: treaty systems, reform and revolution

The May Fourth Movement of 1919 was triggered largely by anger at which decision of the Paris Peace Conference?

  1. The transfer of former German rights in Shandong to Japan Correct answer.
  2. The creation of the United Nations
  3. The partition of Korea
  4. The independence of Hong Kong

Explanation

The May Fourth Movement erupted on 4 May 1919 after the Paris Peace Conference awarded Japan the former German concessions in Shandong rather than returning them to China. It sparked nationalist protest and a broader intellectual and cultural reform movement.

Question 21China1840–1949: treaty systems, reform and revolution

The 'Nanjing Decade' (1927-1937) refers to a period of attempted modernization under which government?

  1. The Qing imperial government
  2. The Japanese occupation government
  3. The Communist government of Mao Zedong
  4. The Nationalist (Kuomintang) government led by Chiang Kai-shek Correct answer.

Explanation

The Nanjing Decade describes the years 1927-1937 when the Nationalist (Kuomintang) government, with its capital at Nanjing under Chiang Kai-shek, attempted political, economic and infrastructural modernization before the full-scale Japanese invasion in 1937.

Question 22China1840–1949: treaty systems, reform and revolution

The People's Republic of China was founded in which year, led by Mao Zedong and the Chinese Communist Party?

  1. 1912
  2. 1978
  3. 1937
  4. 1949 Correct answer.

Explanation

Mao Zedong proclaimed the founding of the People's Republic of China on 1 October 1949, after the Communists defeated the Nationalists in the Chinese Civil War. This marked a new stage in China's 20th-century transformation.

Question 23China1840–1949: treaty systems, reform and revolution

The 'Reform and Opening-Up' policy that transformed China's economy from the late 1970s is most associated with which leader?

  1. Mao Zedong
  2. Hua Guofeng
  3. Sun Yat-sen
  4. Deng Xiaoping Correct answer.

Explanation

Deng Xiaoping launched the 'Reform and Opening-Up' policy from 1978, introducing market-oriented reforms, special economic zones and openness to foreign investment. This is a major topic in China's modern transformation under Theme A.

Question 24China1840–1949: treaty systems, reform and revolution

China's establishment of Special Economic Zones such as Shenzhen from 1980 was designed primarily to do what?

  1. Attract foreign investment and experiment with market reforms Correct answer.
  2. Build military fortifications
  3. Restore the imperial examination system
  4. Close China off from world trade

Explanation

Special Economic Zones like Shenzhen, Zhuhai and Xiamen were created from 1980 to attract foreign capital, technology and management practices and to pilot market-oriented reforms. Shenzhen's growth into a major city symbolises the success of reform and opening-up.

Question 25China1840–1949: treaty systems, reform and revolution

The Boxer Rebellion of 1900 in China was primarily a movement against what?

  1. Foreign influence and Christianity in China Correct answer.
  2. The Self-Strengthening Movement
  3. Japanese trade
  4. The Communist Party

Explanation

The Boxer Rebellion (1899-1901) was an anti-foreign, anti-Christian uprising that besieged foreign legations in Beijing. Its suppression by an eight-nation alliance and the resulting Boxer Protocol further humiliated the Qing and spurred late-Qing reform.

Question 26China1840–1949: treaty systems, reform and revolution

The 'Three Principles of the People' (Nationalism, Democracy, and People's Livelihood) were the guiding ideology of which figure?

  1. Mao Zedong
  2. Sun Yat-sen Correct answer.
  3. Deng Xiaoping
  4. Yuan Shikai

Explanation

The Three Principles of the People (Sanmin Zhuyi) were formulated by Sun Yat-sen as the ideological foundation of the Nationalist movement and the early Republic of China. They are central to understanding China's early modernization efforts.

Question 27China1840–1949: treaty systems, reform and revolution

The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) was founded in which year?

  1. 1911
  2. 1921 Correct answer.
  3. 1949
  4. 1978

Explanation

The Chinese Communist Party was founded in 1921 in Shanghai. Its rise, struggle with the Nationalists, and eventual victory in 1949 are key strands in China's 20th-century transformation.

Question 28China1840–1949: treaty systems, reform and revolution

The Long March of 1934-1935 was significant in CCP history because it did what?

  1. Destroyed the Communist movement
  2. Enabled the Communists to escape Nationalist encirclement and confirmed Mao Zedong's leadership Correct answer.
  3. Ended the war with Japan
  4. Established the Republic of China

Explanation

The Long March was a strategic retreat of about 9,000 kilometres that allowed the Red Army to escape Nationalist encirclement and regroup in the north-west. It also consolidated Mao Zedong's position as the CCP's leader and became a powerful symbol in party history.

Question 29China1840–1949: treaty systems, reform and revolution

The Great Leap Forward (1958-1962) under Mao Zedong was intended to do what, though it led to widespread famine?

  1. Rapidly industrialise and collectivise agriculture Correct answer.
  2. Privatise all farmland
  3. Open China to foreign investment
  4. Restore the imperial system

Explanation

The Great Leap Forward aimed to transform China rapidly through mass collectivisation and backyard industrialisation, especially steel production. Unrealistic targets and policy failures contributed to a severe famine, making it a key episode in studying China's troubled modernization.

Question 30China1840–1949: treaty systems, reform and revolution

The Cultural Revolution (1966-1976) in China is best characterised as what?

  1. A period of rapid economic liberalisation
  2. A mass political and ideological campaign that caused great social upheaval Correct answer.
  3. A foreign invasion of China
  4. A peaceful democratic transition

Explanation

The Cultural Revolution was a mass political movement launched by Mao Zedong to reassert his authority and purge perceived enemies, mobilising Red Guards and causing widespread disruption to society, education and the economy until Mao's death in 1976.

Question 31China1840–1949: treaty systems, reform and revolution

China's admission to the World Trade Organization in 2001 is studied as a milestone in which process?

  1. China's integration into the global economy through reform and opening-up Correct answer.
  2. The end of the Cold War
  3. The founding of the Republic of China
  4. The collapse of the Qing dynasty

Explanation

China's accession to the WTO in 2001 marked a major step in its integration into the global trading system, deepening the reform and opening-up policy and accelerating its economic rise. It links China's modernization with the theme of international economic cooperation.

Question 32China1840–1949: treaty systems, reform and revolution

Why is the comparison of China's Self-Strengthening Movement and Japan's Meiji Restoration a popular HKDSE examination topic?

  1. Both occurred in Europe
  2. They allow candidates to compare two contrasting responses to Western pressure in the late 19th century Correct answer.
  3. Both succeeded equally
  4. Both led to communism

Explanation

Both reforms were 19th-century Asian responses to Western pressure, yet Japan's comprehensive transformation succeeded while China's limited military modernization largely failed. This contrast lets candidates analyse similarity, difference, cause and consequence, making it a favoured comparative essay theme.

Question 33Japan: Meiji institutions, imperial expansion and postwar transformation

Why did Japan's modernization after 1868 succeed more rapidly than China's Self-Strengthening Movement, according to the comparison commonly studied?

  1. Japan reformed its whole political and social system, not just adopting Western weapons Correct answer.
  2. Japan had far larger natural resources than China
  3. China refused to import any Western technology
  4. Japan received direct financial aid from China

Explanation

Japan undertook comprehensive reform of its political institutions, legal system, education, economy and military, whereas China's Self-Strengthening reformers largely confined themselves to military technology while preserving traditional institutions. This wholesale transformation is a key reason cited for Japan's faster modernization.

Question 34Japan: Meiji institutions, imperial expansion and postwar transformation

Japan's military expansion in the 1930s included the invasion of which Chinese region in 1931?

  1. Tibet
  2. Hainan
  3. Xinjiang
  4. Manchuria Correct answer.

Explanation

In 1931, following the Mukden (Manchurian) Incident, Japan invaded and occupied Manchuria, establishing the puppet state of Manchukuo in 1932. This aggression escalated tensions and is a key example of Japanese militarism studied in Theme A and B.

Question 35Japan: Meiji institutions, imperial expansion and postwar transformation

Japan's remarkable post-war recovery, often called the 'economic miracle', occurred mainly during which period?

  1. The 1850s
  2. The 1990s only
  3. The 1910s
  4. The 1950s to early 1970s Correct answer.

Explanation

Japan's high-growth 'economic miracle' ran roughly from the 1950s into the early 1970s, when rapid industrialisation, export growth and government-business cooperation transformed a war-devastated country into a leading economy. This post-war reconstruction is a core sub-theme of Theme A on Japan.

Question 36Japan: Meiji institutions, imperial expansion and postwar transformation

Japan's 'Taisho democracy' refers to which period of relatively liberal politics?

  1. The 1850s
  2. Roughly the 1910s to 1920s Correct answer.
  3. The 1950s
  4. The 1990s

Explanation

Taisho democracy describes the period of the Taisho era (1912-1926) and surrounding years, when Japan experienced greater political liberalism, party government and expanded suffrage before militarism rose in the 1930s. It is studied within Japan's modernization.

Question 37Japan: Meiji institutions, imperial expansion and postwar transformation

After World War II, Japan's new constitution of 1947 included a famous clause renouncing what?

  1. Economic growth
  2. War and the maintenance of armed forces for war Correct answer.
  3. Trade with other nations
  4. Membership of the United Nations

Explanation

Article 9 of Japan's 1947 constitution renounced war as a sovereign right and the maintenance of armed forces for waging war. This pacifist constitution, drafted during the US-led occupation, shaped Japan's post-war recovery and focus on economic development.

Question 38Southeast Asia: colonial rule, nationalism and postwar independence

Indonesia declared its independence in 1945 from which colonial power?

  1. Britain
  2. Portugal
  3. France
  4. The Netherlands Correct answer.

Explanation

Indonesia, led by Sukarno, declared independence from the Netherlands in August 1945. The Dutch only formally recognised Indonesian sovereignty in 1949 after a struggle, an example of post-war decolonisation in Southeast Asia.

Question 39Southeast Asia: colonial rule, nationalism and postwar independence

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) was founded in 1967 primarily to promote what?

  1. Military conquest of neighbouring states
  2. European colonial interests
  3. The spread of communism
  4. Regional economic cooperation and political stability in Southeast Asia Correct answer.

Explanation

ASEAN was established in 1967 by Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand to foster regional economic growth, social progress and political stability and to manage tensions among neighbours. It is a key example of Asia-Pacific cooperation.

Question 40Southeast Asia: colonial rule, nationalism and postwar independence

Singapore became an independent republic in 1965 after separating from which federation?

  1. Indonesia
  2. Malaysia Correct answer.
  3. Thailand
  4. The Philippines

Explanation

Singapore joined the Federation of Malaysia in 1963 but separated to become an independent republic in 1965. Under Lee Kuan Yew it then developed rapidly into a major financial and trading centre, an example of nation-building in Southeast Asia.

Question 41Southeast Asia: colonial rule, nationalism and postwar independence

The Philippines gained full independence in 1946 from which colonial power?

  1. Spain
  2. The United States Correct answer.
  3. Japan
  4. Britain

Explanation

The Philippines, ceded by Spain to the United States in 1898, gained full independence from the United States in 1946 after World War II. It is studied as part of post-war decolonisation in Southeast Asia.

Question 42World and European transformations from the revolutionary age through the Cold War and beyond

Which event in June 1914 is widely regarded as the immediate trigger of World War I?

  1. The sinking of the Lusitania
  2. The German invasion of Poland
  3. The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand at Sarajevo Correct answer.
  4. The bombing of Pearl Harbor

Explanation

The assassination of Austro-Hungarian Archduke Franz Ferdinand by Gavrilo Princip at Sarajevo on 28 June 1914 set off the chain of alliance-driven declarations of war that became World War I. It is the classic 'spark' distinguished from underlying long-term causes.

Question 43World and European transformations from the revolutionary age through the Cold War and beyond

Which of the following is commonly identified as a long-term cause of World War I?

  1. The Cold War arms race
  2. The collapse of the Soviet Union
  3. Militarism, alliances, imperialism and nationalism among the Great Powers Correct answer.
  4. The Marshall Plan

Explanation

Historians group the long-term causes of WWI under the alliance system, militarism, imperial rivalry and nationalism, which created tension among the Great Powers. The Sarajevo assassination then acted as the immediate trigger.

Question 44World and European transformations from the revolutionary age through the Cold War and beyond

The Treaty of Versailles (1919) that ended World War I imposed harsh terms on which country?

  1. Britain
  2. Russia
  3. Germany Correct answer.
  4. Japan

Explanation

The Treaty of Versailles placed the burden of peace terms on Germany, including the 'war guilt' clause, reparations, territorial losses and military restrictions. Resentment of these terms is often studied as a long-term cause of World War II.

Question 45World and European transformations from the revolutionary age through the Cold War and beyond

The controversial 'war guilt clause' (Article 231) of the Treaty of Versailles required Germany to do what?

  1. Join the League of Nations immediately
  2. Surrender all its colonies to the United States
  3. Accept responsibility for causing the war and pay reparations Correct answer.
  4. Adopt a communist government

Explanation

Article 231, the 'war guilt clause', forced Germany to accept responsibility for causing the war and provided the legal basis for demanding reparations. German resentment over this clause contributed to political instability in the interwar years.

Question 46World and European transformations from the revolutionary age through the Cold War and beyond

World War II in Europe is generally dated as beginning with which 1939 event?

  1. The German invasion of Poland Correct answer.
  2. The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor
  3. The signing of the Treaty of Versailles
  4. The Berlin Airlift

Explanation

World War II in Europe began on 1 September 1939 when Nazi Germany invaded Poland, prompting Britain and France to declare war on Germany. The war in Asia had earlier roots in Japan's expansion.

Question 47World and European transformations from the revolutionary age through the Cold War and beyond

The policy of 'appeasement' followed by Britain and France in the late 1930s is best described as what?

  1. Making concessions to aggressive powers like Nazi Germany to avoid war Correct answer.
  2. Forming a military alliance with the Soviet Union
  3. Declaring war pre-emptively on Germany
  4. Rebuilding the League of Nations

Explanation

Appeasement meant granting concessions to dictators, especially Hitler, in the hope of avoiding another major war, exemplified by the 1938 Munich Agreement allowing Germany to take the Sudetenland. Its failure is studied as a cause of World War II.

Question 48World and European transformations from the revolutionary age through the Cold War and beyond

The 1938 Munich Agreement allowed Nazi Germany to annex which territory of Czechoslovakia?

  1. The Rhineland
  2. Alsace-Lorraine
  3. The Sudetenland Correct answer.
  4. Silesia

Explanation

At the Munich Conference of September 1938, Britain and France agreed to let Germany annex the Sudetenland, the German-speaking border region of Czechoslovakia, in a bid to preserve peace. It is the most cited example of appeasement.

Question 49World and European transformations from the revolutionary age through the Cold War and beyond

The attack that brought the United States into World War II occurred at which location in December 1941?

  1. Midway
  2. Normandy
  3. Pearl Harbor Correct answer.
  4. Stalingrad

Explanation

Japan's surprise attack on the US naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on 7 December 1941 prompted the United States to enter World War II. This widened the war into a truly global conflict.

Question 50World and European transformations from the revolutionary age through the Cold War and beyond

World War II in Asia ended in 1945 after the United States dropped atomic bombs on which two Japanese cities?

  1. Tokyo and Osaka
  2. Kyoto and Kobe
  3. Hiroshima and Nagasaki Correct answer.
  4. Yokohama and Nagoya

Explanation

The United States dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima on 6 August and Nagasaki on 9 August 1945, after which Japan announced its surrender, ending World War II. The consequences of total war are a key Theme B topic.