deliverance and disaster

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History GCSE coursework: assignment 1

The efficiency of sources may differ as some are more restricted, thus more inadequate than others. The utility can be scrutinized by exercising various analyses’s and conditions. You have to consider the writer, status, motive and accuracy. On this basis I have started with a theory that the sources could be subjective as they were all written by British men. You can also note that all three sources give a different interpretation of what occurred. For example in source a, commander Thomas Kerr deems the lingering soldiers as useless and condemns their faith in the navy. Nevertheless, according to source C, there was a valiant and courageous sergeant who heroically took on eight Heinkels (planes).

 

First of all, source A, in my opinion is very useful as it is an account from a high ranked commander of war. It must have some authenticity in it as Thomas Kerr is being extraordinarily negative of the army whereas he is being positive of the navy. This source, is a primary source. Anybody with his status would have had an incredibly superior awareness of the army’s plans and would have had a first hand outlook on what was going on. Furthermore the source is providing us with a more realistic notion of what ensued as it is not saying that the British were unflustered by the state of affairs. He is not only acknowledging that the British were suffering, but also revealing it to everyone, which would have been a very risky strategy unless it was in a diary, the is no value in being deceitful in a diary. So if it was written in a diary I believe that it would have been the truth and nothing but the truth. This source also appears to be useful since it is frank and seems realistic. Not only that, but is also an eyewitness account, which also makes it more valuable for the reason that he is describing what he saw. However, there are aspects of the source that cast doubt a in my mind as the source contains rigorous precincts which prompt its genuineness to decrease such as there was no date, his motives remain indistinguishable and the time and place of publication is indefinite. He could also be doing it by means of propaganda to give the impression that he and his force are patriots. We also remain oblivious to the form that it was written in, whether it was in a diary, newspaper or anything else.

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Secondly, source B, at first glance, incorporates precision and truthfulness. From acquaintance and fact we discern that a lot of British men died whilst trying to get on board the ships. This source is a primary one as it was written by a soldier who was present at the time, so in all likelihood, he would tell the truth. He also gives us a very first-rate outlook of the battle. His account has a much unbiased initiative of what happens; he portrays both British and Germans in positive light, hence enhancing its usefulness and believability. He informs us that, ...

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