Churchill: The Finest Half Hour

How was it decided that only Germany's unconditonal surrender would end the war in Europe?How did Winston Churchill make the case for the 'Germany First' strategy in the US Congress?What happened when the Allies' 'Big Three' - Roosevelt, Churchill and Stalin - met for the first time at the Tehran Conference of 1943?And when did Winston Churchill realise that Britain was now a junior partner alongside the two emerging superpowers. the USA and the USSR?Professor Richard Toye and Dr. Warren Dockter address these questions and more in this edition of Churchill: The Finest Half Hour.

Professor Richard Toye and Dr. Warren Dockter chart the beginnings of the wartime alliance between the United States and Great Britain and the birth of the "special relationship".They begin withChurchill's visit to Washington in December 1941, his major speeches to the US Congress and the Canadian Parliament and follow the dealings between America'sPresident Franklin Roosevelt and British Premier Winston Churchill as the new allies fight to turn the tide of the war during 1942.

"No lover ever studied every whim of his mistress as I did those of President Roosevelt."So Winston Churchill remembered his efforts to secure material support from the United States in the 18 months between taking office as Prime Minister and the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor which brought America into the Second World War.Professor Richard Toye and Dr. Warren Dockter explore the nuances and fascinating details of this courtship as President Roosevelt navigated domestic resistance to entering a European war. They discuss the Atlantic Conference of August 1941 and its careful presentation to Roosevelt and Churchill''s domestic audiences. And Churchill's reaction to the news of Pearl Harbor.

Professor Richard Toye and Dr. Warren Dockter look at how Churchill galvanized the British war effort in the summer of 1940 - and how he expressed his belief that the fight against the Nazis must be a truly national effort, in a radio address where he spoke of "The War of the Unknown Warriors".

Professor Richard Toye and Dr. Warren Dockter discuss a decision which Winston Churchill called"the most hateful, the most painful and unnatural in which I have ever been involved." Namely the order to attack French warships at Mers-el-Kebir in Algeria, following the armistice between France and Nazi Germany.They explore the background to the attack - and how Churchill explained and justified the move, one which bolstered his political position in Britain and improved Britain's standing in the US.

The extraordinary story of how Churchill threw his weight behind a last-ditch attempt to keep France in the war against the Nazis - by joining the British and French nations together to form the "Franco-British Union".And the story of how this daring plan crashed and burned...

It's early June 1940. Though the Nazi invasion of France continues to progress at speed, Winston Churchill remains determined to keep France in the war.Professor Richard Toye and Dr. Warren Dockter discuss whether, when Churchill said "We shall never surrender", he was actually referring to Britain and France.And they explore Churchill's frantic efforts to sustain morale within the French government, making two dramatic flights o France in 48 hours.

Professor Richard Toye and Dr. Warren Dockter explore the context and the impact of what's become one of most famous speeches in modern history. When despite weeks of military setbacks, Winston Churchill pledged that Britain would never give in to Hitler.But when Churchill said "We shall never surrender", did "We" actually mean Britain and France?