How would I plan an answer to this question: 'Peaceful co-existence failed by 1961 because neither the East nor the West fully committed to it. How valid is this assessment?' (AQA History A-Level)

The first thing to do when planning an essay is to identify the most important words in the question, and consider what they mean. This will ensure that you are really answering the question directly rather than simply writing whatever you know about the subject, which can lead to vague answers. In this instance, the most important words in the question are: Peaceful co-existence, failed, 1961, and fully committed.After looking at the question in depth you know that you will need to use your answer to explain what peaceful co-existence actually was, whether it failed by 1961, and whether this was because of the level of commitment of the East and West.Secondly, consider what other factors may have contributed to the failure of peaceful co-existence. Although the issue of the commitment of the East and West should take precedence in your essay because it is mentioned in the question, you must explain why other factors were important - especially if you are arguing against the statement in the question. Some other factors that played a part in the failure of peaceful co-existence were: the clashing personalities of the leadership of the East and West, the influence of external powers such as China, and the continuation of the nuclear arms race.Now you need to decide which of these factors was the most significant in causing the failure of peaceful co-existence. If you agree that the commitment of the East and West was the most important reason then you can argue that the statement in the question is valid. However, if you think a different factor played a bigger role, this will form the main body of your essay. You will need to explain why that factor is more important than the level of commitment.In your plan, mention all of the different factors in your introduction. Then allocate one paragraph to discussing the each factor and its importance. Finally, restate your argument (which factor you think was most important and why) in your conclusion. So in the end your plan may look something like this: Introduction - What was peaceful co-existence? Had it failed by 1961? Which factors contributed to its failure? Which was the most important of these factors? Paragraph 1 - The East and the West were not fully committed Paragraph 2 - The personalities of the leadership clashed Paragraph 3 - The influence of external powers Paragraph 4 - The nuclear arms race - discuss why this is the most important reason for the failure of peaceful co-existence Conclusion - While many factors contributed to the failure of peaceful co-existence, the nuclear arms race was the most significant, not the level of commitment of the East and WestNow you're ready to write your essay!