Season 1

AJP Taylor describes the careers of the 'war lords' who dominated the Second World War. This episode looks at Mussolini.

AJP Taylor describes the careers of the 'war lords' who dominated the Second World War. This episode looks at Hitler.

AJP Taylor tells the story of Winston Churchill's wartime career and analyses his character and achievements. He is controversially outspoken about some of Churchill's failings and equally frank in his assessments of Churchill's heroic successes.

AJP Taylor, the renowned British historian, appraises the performance of World War II leaders, delivering his lectures to camera and without an autocue.

In this episode, Taylor evaluates Stalin's role in the conflict.

AJP Taylor examines Franklin Delano Roosevelt's role in the Second World War, explaining how personal decisions he made changed the course of the conflict, assessing his relationship with other Allied leaders and revealing the president's secret life.

Unlike the subjects of AJP Taylor's other lectures, Japan had no single figure to direct the war effort. Taylor considers Japan's reasons for entering the Second World War and examines the causes of their eventual defeat.