Winston Churchill's ascension to Prime Minister in 1940 was a key turning point in world history, ultimately being one of the first steps to help the Allies secure victory in the Second World War. The legacies of Churchill’s decisions still shape our world today, but a lesser known part of this story is that Churchill wasn't the first choice to succeed Neville Chamberlain. So how was Churchill, once a political underdog, able to beat out his rival Lord Halifax, to become the United Kingdom's wartime Prime Minister? And what might have happened if history had gone another way?

In this special episode, recorded at the Churchill War Rooms in London, James is joined by World War Two historian Professor John Buckley. Together they explore the epoch-defining significance of Winston Churchill’s ascent to power, and how he guided Britain out of it's darkest hour.

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