Taylor Downing

A paean of praise for the 'backroom boys' of the Second World War. 

What were the best history books, exhibitions, films and television programmes of 2011? Taylor Downing shares his history highlights of the past year.

Taylor Downing tells the story of the Central Interpretation Unit at Medmenham, Buckinghamshire, where the RAF’s aerial photo interpreters played a critical role in Britain’s wartime struggle.

Taylor Downing offers a tribute to the military historian who was a television natural.

Taylor Downing reviews Harbutt's account of the Yalta Conference of February 1945.

Taylor Downing reviews the winner of the 2010 Longman-History Today Book of the Year Award. 

Taylor Downing, one of the review judges of the recent History Today Grierson Trust award for best historical documentary, discusses this year’s entries and the current state of history on the small screen.

Taylor Downing reviews a selection of books about the revolutions in Europe in 1989.

Taylor Downing reviews a runner-up in the 2009 Longman-History Today Book of the Year Award.

70 years ago, in May 1940, Winston Churchill replaced Neville Chamberlain as prime minister. But the great war leader’s rise to power was far from inevitable. Taylor Downing explains what a difference a day made.

From A.J.P. Taylor’s mesmerising lectures in front of a black backdrop to technicolour Civilisation and the ground-breaking World At War, Taylor Downing looks at the early days of history on television.

The Cold War has become this year’s hot media topic. Taylor Downing welcomes the chance to look more critically at the era of ‘mutually assured destruction’.