Winston S. Churchill: The History of the Second World War, Volume 4 - The Hinge of Fate

Although the Grand Alliance was now in place, Churchill knew that it would take precious time before it would be able to effectively engage and subdue the enemy. Disaster was upon him almost at once. With the entrance of Japan into the global conflict, our Far East possessions were under immediate threat. Singapore and the Philippines fell. In Africa, Rommel took Tobruk. At sea, the loss of ships mounted. His task seemed ever greater, but his spirit, his resolve, his belief in his people's ability to overcome the terrible evil of Nazism was unshakeable.

Headlines were grabbed with the daring commando raid on the St Nazaire dock facilities. In the Pacific, the American forces held and defeated the Japanese in an air duel at the Battle of Midway. Churchill changed his commanders again and installed Montgomery in Africa and the effect was almost immediate: El Alamein. The Afrika Corps were broken. With the invasion by Allied forces of French North Africa the deserts were free of the enemy by May. Now Stalin could be relieved with the opening of a second front in Europe with the invasion of the soft belly of Italy.

In early 1943 the Allies were moving inexorably towards victory. Churchill’s conviction was borne out. The Hinge of Fate was now decided.

The overview is read by Winston S Churchill MP and the volume narrated by Michael Jayston.