Background

1. AJP Taylor Background • Born in 1906 to a liberal family and then studied at Oxford • Produced 23 books, hundreds of essays, broadcasts and newspaper articles, and over 1,500 reviews • Wrote about The First World War, The Cold War, the Second World War, the War Lords and the Course of German History ‘Probably the most controversial, and certainly the best known, historian in the English-speaking world. In his prime A.J.P. Taylor attracted- and usually bewitched- a wider following than Macaulay ever dreamt of. Prolific and best selling author, gifted journalist, and sui generis as a television star, he attempted to transform the historical understanding of his day’ (The Times Obituary 1990)

2. AJP Taylor Approach HIS REVOLUTIONARY APPROACH TO HISTORY • Despite his motivations, he made history accessible to the masses • Writing style therefore accounted for this • Gave TV lectures, radio broadcasts and appeared in the newspapers ‘His book (The First World War) will immediately be popular with readers averse to detailed military history’ (Listener) ‘His informal, pithy style makes the book (The War Lords) compelling-even exciting reading’ (David Charles, the Irish Times)

3. AJP Taylor Approach AFFECT ON OUR APPROACH TO HISTORY • Revolutionised the accepted approach to history by bringing it into the public arena • Pioneered a new way to reach the masses • Paved the way for the expected role of modern historians ‘These days, we expect historians to be public commentators as well as university-based academics’ (Professor David Cannadine)

4. AJP Taylor Approach SIGNIFICANCE OF HIS APPROACH • His approach opposed that of the traditional Oxford historians • It contradicted their approach to history and made it more accessible • It ironically contradicted the conservative approach of the BBC which was the platform for much of his success • It forecasted the way history would be presented in the future ‘Taylor was the radical Nonconformist from Manchester whose genius paved his way to Oxford and a lifelong fight with the southern intellectual and cultural establishment’ (Tristram Hunt)

5. Views AJP Taylor HIS RADICAL VIEWS • Blamed the Generals almost entirely for the many failures during WW1 • Questioned Hitler as the cause of WW2: ‘Hitler was no more wicked than many a contemporary statesman’ • Member of the Communist Party 1924-1926 and took a pro-Soviet stance in the Cold War ‘The generals were overwhelmed… (they) fumbled more or less helplessly’ (A.J.P. Taylor, Preface to The First World War)

6. AJP Taylor Views AFFECT ON OUR VIEWS • Due to his approach he had mass appeal for the gifted delivery of his views • Opened the boundaries of thought due to the radical nature of his views • His views provide the base for modern historical learning, although not always agreed with He says ‘almost anything that is important for an understanding and, indeed, intellectual digestion of that vast event (The First World War)’ (Observer)

7. AJP Taylor Views SIGNIFICANCE OF HIS VIEWS • His liberal views were significant as they contradicted traditional thinking • He broke the mould from conservative, Oxford styled historians • Introducing new ideas opened up debate by creating opposition in thought ‘The most readable, sceptical and original of modern historians…The whole book (The Origins of The Second World War) convinces as much as it startles’ (Michael Foot in Tribune)

8. AJP Taylor Any Debate? ANY EVIDENCE TO SUGGEST HE WAS INSIGNIFICANT? • Challenged by Trevor-Roper whose work debatably has more lasting credibility • A.J.P Taylor’s ‘standing seems in irretrievable decline’ (Professor David Cannadine) after his death • His views could be considered outdated and unrealistic Hugh Trevor Roper: “I’m afraid that your book The Origins of The Second World War may damage your reputation as a historian”. A.J.P. Taylor: “Your criticism of me would damage your reputation as a historian, if you had one.”

9. Conclusion AJP Taylor SO HOW SIGNIFICANT IS HE REALLY? • Despite his work not being unanimously agreed with today, he still dominated his generation • His work still provides a useful base from which to build an understanding of the periods he covered • He revolutionised the common approach to history which is still used today by people such as David Starkey and Adam Hart-Davis • He was the pioneer in making history accessible to the masses • He is arguably the best known and most popular historian of the twentieth century He therefore shaped the understanding of the masses, he shapes the understanding of modern day students, he provides a base for the study of modern historians and he changed the way they approach history.