PAPER 2 A GUIDE TO THE ‘COMPARISON’ QUESTION

1. PAPER 2A GUIDE TO THE ‘COMPARISON’ QUESTION

2. Types of question - Reminder There are 4 different types of question in Paper 2: 1. How Useful? (5 marks) 2. Comparison (5 marks) 3. How Far? (10 marks) 4. How Fully? (10 marks) Please note that Paper 2 questions can appear in any order!!! The whole paper is worth a total of 30 marks.

3. Comparison Question5 Marks • This question is easy to spot as it is the only one that involves two sources. The question itself may not use the word comparison it will probably ask: • “To what extent does Source A agree with Source B about…..”

4. What do I have to do? 1. You must first give an overall comparison of the attitudes of both sources either agree/disagree e.g. “Source A overall is in favour of… Source B is against…” You will get up to 2 mks for stating the main ideas or points of view of the two sources

5. There are always 4 points of direct comparison (4 agree/disagree points). Go through both quotes step by step giving some background knowledge to explain what each is talking about. Up to 4 mks Take a new paragraph for each comparison.

6. No single comparisons e.g. like in standard Grade only Source A mentions…… but Source B doesn’t. 4. Sum up your main points in a concluding sentence.

7. Top Tip! • Usually in a comparison question you can gain marks for identifying and explaining points where the sources agree and also where they disagree. Don’t always assume that the sources will take exactly opposite points of view. They might – but not always.

8. Read pages 49-52. Notetaking. The Leadership of Douglas Haig – does he deserve praise or criticism? Example 1 – Haig Sources

9. General Haig • The most controversial figure of WW1. • The phrase “lions led by donkeys” had Haig in mind in other words he lacked imagination and persisted in the same tactics. • A Scot who could order attacks in which he knew tens of thousands would die and then repeat the slaughter day after day for 5 months like at the Somme. • Haig admitted that he was pursuing a policy of “war of attrition”, he was deliberately sacrificing men to also bleed the German army dry. • Haig appeared aloof, did not care about his men or their losses e.g. “the nation must be taught to bear losses”.

10. The Western Front was already deadlocked when Haig took over, several commanders before him had failed to break through the German trenches. • Haig was prepared to use new tactics to break the stalemate e.g. poison gas, tanks etc. • He turned an untrained citizen army of raw recruits into a modern fighting force. • Haig did eventually win the war with the army he trained and led. • Haig was not as insensitive as many like Lloyd George suggested he was, he helped set up the Haig poppy fund for wounded ex-soldiers.

11. Start with an introduction/ overall comparison: Both sources discuss the leadership of General Haig; Source C is the more positive source giving Haig credit for his leadership qualities and his ability to adapt. Source D is far more critical and criticises Haig’s inflexibility which it claims led to repeated slaughters.

12. Do a short paragraph for each comparison and include recall to explain the points made. Source C states Haig “at first he clung to traditional methods, he did not revise his plans until the old ones had been fully tested”, Source D makes a similar point “huge bombardments failed again and again yet we persisted in employing the same hopeless method of attack”. Both refer to the Battle of the Somme were Haig was criticised for persisting with prolonged artillery bombardments and frontal assaults which clearly were not working and led to massive loss of life e.g. 60,000 casualties on the first day.

13. Source C also states “a smaller man might have tried fantastic experiments that would have assuredly spelt disaster” but Source D disagrees it states “many other methods were possible”. Clearly Source C feels Haig was a steady and methodical leader who did not try new methods like poison gas or tanks till he was ready, whereas Source D suggests he was too inflexible and should have tried these methods sooner.

14. Source C tries to excuse Haig from full responsibility for the losses suffered at the Somme amongst other battles by stating “under him we incurred heavy losses but I believe these losses would have been greater if we had been led by someone else”. However Source D suggests that Haig was responsible for the heavy loss of life at the Somme and elsewhere when it states” I did not believe then, and I do not believe now that the enormous casualties were justified”.

15. Source C Finally makes reference to Haig’s ability as a commander which he believes helped the British Army “in the special circumstances of war his special qualities were the ones most needed-patience, calmness and unshakeable determination” but clearly Source D disagrees about Haig’s qualities “it is difficult to see how Haig….so cut off from the fighting troops could fulfil the tremendous task laid on him effectively”. Clearly Source D feels Haig was too inflexible and out of touch with his troops to be an effective commander as the Somme demonstrated yet Source C feels his steady influence eventually helped the British army overcome Germany by 1918.

16. Overall conclusion – a sentence only to sum up. Source C is more favourable towards Haig and praises his determination and claims he could be adaptable and use other tactics e.g. poison gas or tanks, however Source d is much more critical blaming Haig’s inflexibility and stubbornness for the slaughter of the Somme in particular.