2022 HKDSE History Practice Paper | DSE Mock

Source A: An extract from a Japanese newspaper editorial published in Tokyo, September 1905.
'By defeating the giant of the North, our nation has finally broken the shackles of unequal treaties and entered the ranks of the world's first-class powers. No longer will the Western nations look down upon the yellow race. However, we must not be complacent; we must continue to expand our navy and merchant marine to guard our newly acquired interests in Liaodong and Korea, ensuring our dominance in East Asia.'

According to Source A, what was the author's attitude towards Japan's international status after the Russo-Japanese War? Support your answer with one clue from the source.

Source B: A telegram from a high-ranking Qing reformer to the court, 1905.
'The imperial examinations have been abolished, which is indeed a necessary step to cultivate modern talents. However, the provinces are currently facing a severe shortage of modern teachers and textbooks. Traditional scholars who spent their lives studying the Confucian classics are now left with no livelihood, and they loudly voice their discontent. Without sufficient funds to establish new primary schools, we risk creating a class of idle, angry literati without actually educating our youth in modern science.'

According to Source B, identify and explain one major challenge faced by the Qing government in its educational reform in 1905.

Source C: An extract from a German diplomatic dispatch to Austria-Hungary, November 1912.
'If Russia mobilizes to support Serbia's expansionist claims in the Balkans, Germany will honor its treaty obligations and stand firmly by your side. However, we must advise moderation. A general European war over a minor Balkan port is undesirable. We must ensure that France does not see this as an opportunity to reclaim Alsace-Lorraine, thereby dragging Britain into a conflict that benefits none of the great empires.'

According to Source C, what was Germany's attitude towards its alliance with Austria-Hungary in 1912? Support your answer with clues from the source.

Source A
An excerpt from the Constitution of the Empire of Japan (Meiji Constitution), 1889:
"Article 1. The Empire of Japan shall be reigned over and governed by a line of Emperors unbroken for ages eternal.
Article 3. The Emperor is sacred and inviolable.
Article 11. The Emperor has the supreme command of the Army and Navy.
Article 13. The Emperor declares war, makes peace, and concludes treaties."

Source B
Adapted from a modern historian's commentary on Japan's political modernization:
"The Meiji Constitution was a hybrid creation. While it carefully guarded the sacred authority of the Emperor, it also introduced Asia’s first functioning national parliament (the Diet). It gave the House of Representatives control over the budget, which forced the oligarchs to negotiate with political parties. Far from being a mere conservative shield, it laid the structural foundations for the eventual rise of party cabinets in the 1920s."

Question:
"The Meiji Constitution was primarily an instrument to preserve traditional imperial autocracy rather than to promote modern democracy." Do you agree with this statement? Explain your answer with reference to Source A, Source B and your own knowledge. (8 marks)

To what extent was domestic reform, rather than external assistance, the key factor shaping Japan's rapid economic development from 1945 to 1990? Explain your answer.

"The rise of local nationalist leadership, rather than the impact of the Second World War, was the key factor in the independence of Southeast Asian countries." Do you agree? Explain your answer with reference to any two Southeast Asian countries.