Germany and West Germany, 1918–89

Section A How far was the Weimar Republic politically stable in the years 1924–29?

Section B How significant was the 'economic miracle' in creating political stability in West Germany in the years 1949–63?

Section C Extract 1 (interpretation written for this paper in the style of a historian; not a real quotation): Hitler's aims were clear from the start: to destroy Versailles, unite all Germans and conquer living space in the East. The war of 1939 was the war he had always intended. Extract 2 (interpretation written for this paper in the style of a historian; not a real quotation): Hitler was an opportunist who exploited the mistakes of others. Britain and France's appeasement, the Nazi–Soviet Pact and miscalculation over Poland turned a series of gambles into a general war that Hitler had not planned for 1939. In the light of differing interpretations, how convincing do you find the view that Hitler's foreign policy aims were the main cause of the Second World War? To explain your answer, analyse and evaluate the material in both extracts, using your own knowledge of the issues.