War of the World

Synopsis

A 6-part series of 60-minute programmes in which Professor Niall Ferguson presents a major history of the 20th century. He argues that the underpinning forces behind the conflicts of the last century were empire and race.

1 The Clash of Empires - The first programme shows that in 1900 the world was dominated by empires that were both multinational and multiracial. But they would soon explode into an inferno: the First World War. Their war to the death ignited fires of racial animosity that were exploited by new and more terrible nation states which were far more preoccupied with national and racial purity. It was the beginning of the age of genocide.
2 The Plan - Examines how the Wall Street Crash of 1929 shattered the American dream, bringing on the Great Depression.
3 Killing Space - 1942 was the year that the 20th Century teetered on a knife-edge; it was the year when the whole world map appeared to have been redrawn by the Axis powers.
4 A Tainted Triumph - Looks at 1943 to 1945, when the Allies were forced to make terrible compromises to defeat fanatical enemies.
5 The Icebox - Professor Niall Ferguson remembers the Cold War as a nuclear-powered peace that came terrifyingly close to falling apart.
6 The Descent of the West - The final programme analyses whether the 21st century will be able to avert the outbreak of a new cataclysmic global war.

Language

English

Country

Great Britain

Year of release

2010

Year of production

2006

Notes

Broadcast in 6 parts on C4 beginning 19/6/2006

Subjects

History

Keywords

Cold War; conflict; history of the 20th century; international relations; war; World War 1; World War II; Great Depression, The; Imperialism; Wall Street Crash

Online availability

URI

http://www.channel4.com/programmes/the-war-of-the-world/4od

Price

free

Delivery

Streamed

Credits

Contributor

Niall Ferguson

Production Company

Name

Blakeway Productions

Sponsor

Name

Channel 4

Distributor

Name

4OD

Web

http://www.channel4.com/programmes/4od External site opens in new window