With reference to the period between 1945 and 1956, evaluate the causes and effects of the 1948–49 War in the Middle East.

The question requires that candidates make an appraisal of the causes and effects of the 1948–1949 War in the Middle East. Causes and effects may extend beyond the timeframe but they must be clearly linked to the issues raised in the question. Candidates may offer equal coverage of causes and effects or they may prioritize their evaluation of one of them. However, both aspects will be a feature of the response. Candidates may refer to the Arab resentment of increasing Jewish settlements in Palestine, the failure of Britain to develop a peaceful solution and the creation of the state of Israel which led to invasion by Arab states. The effects may include the survival of the state of Israel, a large refugee problem in Arab states, Arab governments in Syria and Egypt were overthrown by groups unhappy with the defeat, a permanent state of hostility in the Middle East and the decline of Western influence (Suez). Candidates’ opinions and conclusions will be presented clearly and supported by appropriate evidence.

The question required that candidates make an appraisal of the causes and effects of the 19481949 War in the Middle East. This question was one of the most popular and produced a wide range of results. Many candidates showed reasonable knowledge of the causes but fell short on results often limiting their response to the refugee issue. Other candidates failed to address causes and results and only spent considerable time discussing the course of the war and the reasons for its outcome; neither of these was required by the question. Occasional confusion was shown over chronology which undermined the quality of the responses.