Cambridge IGCSE History 0470/12 is the May/June 2026 Paper 1 (Structured Questions), variant 2. It lasts 2 hours, is worth 60 marks and is sat by every 0470 candidate. You answer three of its 18 questions: two from the core content in Section A and one from your depth study in Section B. Every question is worth 20 marks and has the same three parts, and the 10-mark part (c) judgement carries half of the paper’s marks. This guide goes through every question and shows what the official mark scheme credited. The paper and its mark scheme are free on the Tutopiya Learning Portal.

For an overview of all three 0470 papers from this series, see IGCSE History 0470 May/June 2026 past papers: what came up and how it was marked.

0470/12 at a glance

Rubric: answer two questions from Section A (from either option) and one question from Section B. Every question has parts (a) 4 marks, (b) 6 marks and (c) 10 marks.

Question	Section and option	Topic	Marks
1	A: Nineteenth century	Italian unification, 1848–60	20
2	A: Nineteenth century	German unification	20
3	A: Nineteenth century	Imperialism	20
4	A: Nineteenth century	Tension between the European Powers before 1914	20
5	A: Twentieth century	The League of Nations	20
6	A: Twentieth century	Hitler’s foreign policy in the 1930s	20
7	A: Twentieth century	The start of the Cold War	20
8	A: Twentieth century	The USA’s stand against communism	20
9	B: Depth study A, First World War	South West Africa, Japan, T E Lawrence	20
10	B: Depth study A, First World War	Eastern Front, Gallipoli, U-boats	20
11	B: Depth study B, Germany 1918–45	Goebbels, the Munich Putsch, the Reichstag Fire	20
12	B: Depth study B, Germany 1918–45	War economy, youth opposition, the Final Solution	20
13	B: Depth study C, Russia 1905–41	The Bolshevik takeover, the Provisional Government, the Civil War	20
14	B: Depth study C, Russia 1905–41	Nationalities, collectivisation, industrial policy	20
15	B: Depth study D, USA 1919–41	Women, the KKK, Prohibition	20
16	B: Depth study D, USA 1919–41	Economic weaknesses, the banking crisis, the 1932 election	20
17	B: Depth study E, Second World War	Pearl Harbor, the fall of Singapore	20
18	B: Depth study E, Second World War	The Warsaw Uprising, the Holocaust, the bombing of Britain	20
	Total answered (three questions)		60

Question-by-question walkthrough

How every question is marked

All 18 questions use the same three mark schemes, so learn these before looking at individual topics.

• Part (a), 4 marks: one mark for each relevant, accurate point. The mark scheme lists possible points for each question, but any valid point counts. Some questions cap a type of point or add an extra rule (see the notes below).
• Part (b), 6 marks, four levels: writing about the topic without answering “why” earns 1 mark. Identifying or describing valid reasons earns 2 to 3. One reason that is properly explained earns 4, rising to 5 when the explanation is backed by specific knowledge of the period. Two explained reasons earn the full 6. A list of reasons, however long, stays at 3.
• Part (c), 10 marks, five levels: writing about the topic without addressing the question earns 1. Identifying or describing points earns 2 to 3. Explaining one side earns 4 to 6, a mark for each explanation. To reach 7 you need at least one explanation on each side, and every further explanation on either side adds a mark up to 9. The 10th mark is only for a judgement on “how far” that is actually supported, not just stated.

“Explain” here means showing how your point answers the question, not adding more description. The mark scheme’s model explanations each take one factor, give specific evidence and then link it to the question in a final sentence.

Section A, Option A: the nineteenth century

Question 1: Italian unification (20 marks)

• (a) The Roman Republic of 1848–49: creditable points include the Pope fleeing Rome in November 1848, the election of a constituent assembly in January 1849 and the Republic’s declaration in February, the triumvirate led by Mazzini, reforms such as ending the death penalty and press censorship, and Garibaldi’s defence of the city before a French army retook it in 1849.
• (b) Why Napoleon III was interested in Italy: the model explanation is his wish to gain Nice and Savoy, which led to the deal with Cavour at Plombières to help Piedmont fight Austria. Other reasons include gratitude for Piedmont’s help in the Crimean War, sympathy for Italian nationalism, weakening Austria and hoping to control a future Italian state.
• (c) Was the 1859 war against Austria the most important conflict? For: Austria was beaten and never recovered its strength in Italy, and Piedmont gained Lombardy and then Tuscany and Emilia. Against: Garibaldi’s campaign in Sicily and Naples in 1860 won the south and forced Cavour to act. The 1848 risings and the defeat of the Papal army in 1870 were also accepted.

Question 2: German unification (20 marks)

• (a) The Frankfurt Parliament: a parliament of the German states elected in May 1848 that drew up a constitution and offered Frederick William IV the crown, which he refused. States recalled their delegates, the rest moved to Stuttgart and it was dissolved in 1849.
• (b) Why Prussia’s economic strength mattered to other German states: the model answer explains that Prussia was the most industrialised state, so others looked to it for trade, and the Zollverein made trade easier and drew its members closer to Prussia politically. Austria’s exclusion from the Zollverein and the link between economic and military strength were also credited.
• (c) Bismarck’s greater achievement, 1866 or 1870–71: the defeat of Austria ended its dominance and made Prussia the natural leader of Germany, with the North German Confederation following. The defeat of France brought the southern states in against a common enemy and led to the German Empire in 1871.

Question 3: imperialism (20 marks)

• (a) The American reaction to the sinking of the USS Maine: Americans blamed Spain, the press and politicians such as Theodore Roosevelt demanded war, support for Cuban independence grew, and war with Spain began in April 1898.
• (b) Why Leopold II’s rule of the Congo was criticised: the model answer explains the forced labour used to collect rubber, the exploitation and the killing of those who missed their quotas. Hostage-taking of workers’ families, disease, famine and millions of deaths were also credited.
• (c) India in 1857, a sepoy mutiny or a nationalist uprising? Mutiny side: army grievances, above all the rumour that the new rifle cartridges were greased with beef and pork fat, starting at Meerut. Uprising side: fears about Westernisation and religion, and local rulers angered by British annexations joining in, which spread the revolt across India.

Question 4: tension before 1914 (20 marks)

• (a) The Balkan Wars, 1912–13: the First Balkan War between the Balkan League and Turkey, Turkey’s defeat and loss of almost all its European land in the London treaty of May 1913, then the Second Balkan War in which Bulgaria lost Macedonian land to Serbia and Greece. Increased Serbian–Austrian tension also counted.
• (b) Why German imperialism created tension: the model answer links Germany’s drive for an empire to its naval expansion, which threatened British naval supremacy. Morocco and fear of a strong Germany were also accepted.
• (c) The Alliance System or the assassination of Franz Ferdinand? The alliances split Europe into two armed camps so a local dispute could drag in the other powers; the assassination was the spark that started the war between Austria and Serbia and then brought in Russia, Germany and France.

Section A, Option B: the twentieth century

Question 5: the League of Nations (20 marks)

• (a) Japan in Manchuria, 1931–33: the Mukden railway incident, the occupation of Manchuria, the puppet state of Manchukuo under Pu Yi, leaving the League in 1933 and invading Jehol. The League’s actions and Japan’s motives were not credited. For the date of the invasion to earn its mark, the answer had to give the month (September 1931).
• (b) Why the League failed to stop Italy invading Abyssinia: the model answer explains that Britain and France wanted Italy as an ally against Hitler, shown by the Stresa Front. Other reasons include weak, slow sanctions, the Suez Canal staying open, the Hoare–Laval Pact and the lesson Mussolini drew from Corfu. General weaknesses of the League, such as having no army or the USA’s absence, only reach Level 3 or 4 if they are clearly linked to Abyssinia.
• (c) Had the League met its supporters’ high hopes by the end of the 1920s? Yes: its humanitarian work with refugees, prisoners of war and disease, and settlements such as the Aaland Islands and Upper Silesia. No: Corfu, Vilna, Memel, the Ruhr and little progress on disarmament.

Question 6: Hitler’s foreign policy (20 marks)

• (a) The Munich Agreement of 1938: Germany, Britain, France and Italy agreed in September that Germany could take the Sudetenland, without the Czechs or the USSR at the meeting. If you name the powers involved, you need exactly those four to earn the mark.
• (b) Why Germany invaded Poland in September 1939: the model answer uses the Nazi–Soviet Pact, which isolated Poland and meant Hitler would not face a war on two fronts. Living space, recovering land lost at Versailles and the belief that Britain and France would not act were also credited.
• (c) The Rhineland or Anschluss? The Rhineland broke Versailles and, because Britain and France did nothing, made Hitler bolder at a time when he could still have been stopped. Anschluss united German speakers, added Austria’s resources and left Czechoslovakia surrounded on three sides.

Question 7: the start of the Cold War (20 marks)

• (a) Marshall Aid: US aid from 1948 to rebuild the economies of Western Europe and stop communism spreading, rejected by the USSR as “dollar imperialism”. Writing “Marshall” on its own did not earn a mark, because the name is already in the question.
• (b) Why the Truman Doctrine was announced in 1947: the model answer explains that Britain could no longer support the Greek government against the communists, so the USA had to step in. The Long Telegram and the start of containment were also credited. The Domino Theory earned nothing, because it came later under Eisenhower.
• (c) Was there little agreement at the 1945 conferences? Agreement side: Yalta, helped by good relations between the leaders, produced deals on Germany, free elections, the UN and Soviet entry into the war against Japan. A string of Yalta agreements could reach Levels 3 and 4. Disagreement side: Potsdam, with Truman replacing Roosevelt, the atomic bomb and Stalin’s grip on Eastern Europe. These disagreements had to be explained, not listed.

Question 8: the USA and communism (20 marks)

• (a) US involvement in Vietnam under Eisenhower, 1955–61: support for Diem with money, equipment and military advisers, belief in the Domino Theory, SEATO, blocking the unification elections and encouraging fortified villages.
• (b) Why the USA agreed to the Paris Peace Accords of 1973: the model answer explains the scale of public opposition at home, with events like My Lai and Kent State. The cost in money and lives, little sign of victory, a way out without admitting defeat, and Nixon’s election promise were also credited.
• (c) How successful was the USA with Cuba, 1961–62? Success: Kennedy got the missiles removed without war, and a hotline followed. Failure: the Bay of Pigs disaster damaged Kennedy’s prestige and pushed Castro towards the USSR, the 1962 trade embargo worsened relations, and Cuba stayed communist. Nothing before 1961 was credited.

Section B: the depth studies

Question 9: the First World War (20 marks)

• (a) South West Africa: South African forces under Botha invaded to deny Germany the ports, and the German forces surrendered in July 1915.
• (b) Why Japan joined the war: to raise its standing as a world power (the model answer), to gain German territory in China and the Pacific, and because of the Anglo-Japanese Alliance and Britain’s request.
• (c) How important was T E Lawrence to the Arab Revolt? Important: he linked the Arabs to British aims, advised Feisal, took Aqaba and attacked Turkish supply lines, tying down Turkish troops. Less important: his own book exaggerated his role, other British officers and the Arab leaders mattered, and the Arabs did not get their independent state.

Question 10: the First World War (20 marks)

• (a) The Eastern Front in 1914: mobile fighting, Russian attacks into East Prussia and successes in Galicia, then German victories at Tannenberg and the Masurian Lakes, with troops moved east from the Western Front.
• (b) Why the Gallipoli campaign failed: the model answer explains strong Turkish defences, warned by the earlier naval attack, holding the high ground. Poor planning and leadership, disease, supply problems and the Anzacs landing on the wrong beach were also credited.
• (c) Was the U-boat campaign a success? Yes: thousands of merchant ships were sunk and by 1917 Britain was running short of food and supplies. No: convoys, depth charges and air patrols defeated it, it helped bring the USA into the war, and American troops crossed safely.

Question 11: Germany, 1918–45 (20 marks)

• (a) Goebbels’ role, 1924–33: Gauleiter of Berlin, head of propaganda, organiser of rallies and election campaigns, and Propaganda Minister from 1933. A plain list of methods such as posters, radio and film earns one mark, and a second mark needs one of them developed (for example cheap radios). Mentioning the Nuremberg rallies earned an extra mark. Nothing after the end of 1933 counted.
• (b) Why the Munich Putsch damaged the Nazis: the model answer explains how the failed takeover made the Nazis look like a disorganised rabble, with sixteen killed and the leaders fleeing. The ban on the party, Hitler’s trial and prison sentence and his speaking ban were also credited.
• (c) How important was the Reichstag Fire in 1933–34? Important: the emergency decree removed free speech and allowed opponents, especially communists, to be imprisoned, which helped in the March 1933 election. Other factors: the Enabling Act, the Night of the Long Knives, the Gestapo, banning trade unions and parties, and the army’s oath after Hindenburg’s death.

Question 12: Germany, 1918–45 (20 marks)

• (a) Germany’s war economy: the whole economy geared to war, autarky and the Four-Year Plan, more weapons, slave labour and prisoners of war, frozen wages, rationing, women back at work and Speer’s reforms.
• (b) Why some young Germans opposed the Nazis: the model answer explains the Edelweiss Pirates’ hatred of the Hitler Youth’s discipline and military training. The Swing Movement’s wish for freedom and the White Rose’s opposition to Nazi beliefs were also credited.
• (c) Did the Final Solution happen because of the war? War side: the invasion of Russia brought huge numbers of Jews under Nazi control and the killing squads followed the army. Other side: Hitler’s hatred of Jews, widespread antisemitism and collaborators, and persecution since 1933.

Question 13: Russia, 1905–41 (20 marks)

• (a) The Bolshevik takeover in Petrograd, November 1917: Lenin’s timing, Trotsky’s planning through the Military Revolutionary Committee, the Aurora’s signal, the attack on the Winter Palace and the arrest of the Provisional Government. Places occupied, such as bridges and stations, were capped at 2 marks.
• (b) Why the Provisional Government failed: the model answer explains its decision to stay in the war, with high casualties and economic hardship. Shortages, no land reform, sharing power with the Petrograd Soviet, arming the Bolsheviks during the Kornilov Revolt and Lenin’s promises were also credited.
• (c) Was Trotsky the main reason the Bolsheviks won the Civil War? Yes: his harsh discipline, commissars and propaganda made the Red Army effective. No: the Whites were divided and uncoordinated, foreign support ended, and War Communism and terror played a part.

Question 14: Russia, 1905–41 (20 marks)

• (a) Stalin’s treatment of the nationalities: early support for languages and cultures, then Russification, suspicion of disloyalty and deportations of groups such as the Crimean Tartars. Naming groups that suffered was capped at 2 marks.
• (b) Why Stalin introduced collectivisation: the model answer explains the need to feed industrial workers by modernising inefficient farming. Breaking the kulaks, state control of the countryside, exporting grain and ending NEP were also credited.
• (c) Did the Russian people benefit from Stalin’s industrial policies? Yes: jobs, free healthcare and education, and new opportunities for women, including in professions. No: harsh discipline, poor conditions, falling wages and overcrowding. Collectivisation was not accepted in this answer.

Question 15: the USA, 1919–41 (20 marks)

• (a) Changes for some American women in the 1920s: the vote, more jobs, flappers’ fashions and behaviour, going out without a chaperone, and easier housework. Domestic appliances earned one mark only, however many you named, and “more freedom” on its own earned nothing. Drinking and smoking only counted if done in public.
• (b) Why people joined the KKK: the model answer explains a dislike of social change and fear that immigrants were taking jobs. Belief in white superiority and hostility to Catholics and African Americans were also credited. Describing what the KKK did, such as parades or lynchings, stayed at Level 1.
• (c) How far was Prohibition a failure? Failure: gangs such as Capone’s, bribery, violence, speakeasies and moonshine. Success: less drinking and drunkenness, better health, and political experience for women in the temperance movement.

Question 16: the USA, 1919–41 (20 marks)

• (a) Weaknesses of the US economy by 1929: debt, farm overproduction, struggling old industries, unregulated banks, unequal wealth, overproduction of goods, tariffs and buying on the margin.
• (b) Why the banking crisis was so important: the model answer explains how loss of confidence led to withdrawals, banks closed, money dried up and businesses failed. Less credit, a deeper depression and falling production were also credited.
• (c) Did Roosevelt win in 1932 because of his campaign? Yes: his optimism, travel, speeches and radio, the promise of a New Deal and of ending Prohibition, and his own fight with polio. No: Hoover was blamed for the Depression, did little to help and lost support over the Bonus Marchers.

Question 17: the Second World War (20 marks)

• (a) How Japan attacked Pearl Harbor: aircraft carriers launching torpedo planes and dive bombers, midget submarines, battleships as the main target, airfields and stores also hit, and surprise kept with radio silence.
• (b) Why Japan attacked Pearl Harbor: the model answer explains that destroying the US fleet would clear the way for Japanese expansion in Asia and the Pacific. Getting at oil, US sanctions and hopes of a quick victory were also credited.
• (c) Did Singapore fall because of the speed of the advance through Malaya? Yes: the defences faced the sea, and Japanese troops on bicycles came through jungle the Allies thought impassable. No: poorly trained, demoralised defenders, short of water, food and aircraft, and weak leadership.

Question 18: the Second World War (20 marks)

• (a) The Warsaw Uprising, 1944: led by the Polish Home Army to free the city before the Soviets arrived, outnumbered and poorly armed, crushed with artillery and bombing, civilians massacred, the city ruined and no Soviet help.
• (b) Why the Holocaust largely took place in Poland: the model answer explains that Poland had Europe’s largest Jewish community, so the camps were built near the people the Nazis meant to murder. Remote sites, hiding the killing from Germans and total German control were also credited.
• (c) How far did the bombing of British cities achieve its aims? Yes: tens of thousands of civilians died and cities such as Coventry were badly damaged, with some loss of arms production. No: morale held (the Blitz spirit), ports and industry recovered quickly and output actually rose.

Where the marks are on 0470/12

Part	Marks per question	Marks across your three questions	How it is marked
(a) Describe / what was	4	12	One mark per relevant point
(b) Why	6	18	Four levels: explained reasons
(c) Judgement	10	30	Five levels: both sides plus a judgement
Total	20	60

• Half of the paper is in the three (c) parts. A one-sided (c) answer, however good, can’t score more than 6, so balance matters more than length.
• Parts (b) and (c) are marked for knowledge and explanation together (assessment objectives AO1 and AO2). Part (a) rewards accurate recall.
• Two explained reasons in (b) are worth 6 marks, but a list of five reasons is worth 3. Depth beats breadth.
• Date limits and caps cost marks quietly. Several questions restricted what could be credited, for example 7(b), 8(c), 11(a), 14(c) and 15(a), and two capped a type of point at 2 marks (13(a) and 14(a)).

How to self-mark 0470/12 with the mark scheme

1. Mark part (a) point by point. Count separate, accurate, relevant points up to 4, then check the guidance column for caps and exclusions before you finalise.
2. For part (b), sort each paragraph. Is it an identified reason (Level 2) or an explained one (Level 3)? An explanation has to show how the reason led to the outcome. Count explained reasons: one is 4 or 5, two is 6.
3. For part (c), label each paragraph “for” or “against”. Only count paragraphs that explain. If every explanation is on one side, your mark is 4 to 6. With at least one on each side, start at 7 and add one per extra explanation, to a maximum of 9.
4. Test your conclusion. It earns the 10th mark only if it gives a clear answer to “how far” (or “which was more important”) and gives a reason for that answer. Repeating both sides doesn’t count.
5. Compare with the model paragraphs. Each question in the mark scheme has a sample Level 3 explanation. Check that yours has the same three ingredients: a clear point, specific evidence, and a link back to the question.
6. Cross out anything outside the question’s dates or focus, then re-mark.

Sit 0470/12 as a timed mock

You have 120 minutes for three 20-mark questions, so give each one about 36 minutes and spend most of that on part (c).

Block	Marks	Time
Read the paper and choose your three questions	–	5 minutes
Section A, first question: (a) 5 min, (b) 10 min, (c) 21 min	20	36 minutes
Section A, second question	20	36 minutes
Section B, depth study question	20	36 minutes
Check dates, conclusions and that each (c) has both sides	–	7 minutes

Before writing any part (c), jot down one point for each side and your verdict. Then write the verdict last, with a reason.

Other May/June 2026 0470 papers

• 0470 Paper 22 (Document Questions)
• 0470 Paper 42 (Alternative to Coursework)

Practise and download

• Download 0470/12 and its mark scheme on the Learning Portal →
• All 0470 May/June 2026 papers: overview and marking patterns
• Try a free IGCSE History quiz

Need help with a 0470 topic? Book a free trial lesson with an IGCSE History tutor →

Frequently asked questions

How many questions do you answer on 0470 Paper 12 May/June 2026? +

Three out of 18. You answer two questions from Section A (core content, Option A nineteenth century or Option B twentieth century) and one question from Section B (the depth studies). Each question is worth 20 marks, so the paper is out of 60 and lasts 2 hours.

How is part (c) marked on 0470/12? +

With five levels. Explaining only one side scores 4 to 6 marks, one mark per explanation. One explanation on each side earns 7, and each extra explanation adds a mark up to 9. The full 10 needs both sides plus a supported judgement on how far you agree.

How is part (b) marked on 0470/12? +

With four levels. Identifying or describing reasons earns 2 to 3 marks. One explained reason earns 4, or 5 if it is backed by specific knowledge. Two explained reasons earn the full 6.

What came up in the Germany depth study on 0470/12 in 2026? +

Question 11 asked about Goebbels' role from 1924 to 1933, why the Munich Putsch damaged the Nazi Party, and how important the Reichstag Fire was in Hitler's consolidation of power in 1933 to 1934. Question 12 asked about the war economy, why some young Germans opposed the Nazis, and whether the Final Solution happened because of the impact of war.

Which 0470/12 questions had special restrictions in the mark scheme? +

Several. Question 8(c) gave no credit for anything before 1961, Question 14(c) did not accept collectivisation, Question 7(b) gave nothing for the Domino Theory, Question 11(a) stopped at the end of 1933, and Questions 13(a) and 14(a) capped certain kinds of point at 2 marks.

Where can I download 0470/12 May/June 2026 and its mark scheme? +

Both are free to download and print on the Tutopiya Learning Portal, on the Cambridge IGCSE History 0470 past papers page.

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