The Decisive Battles of World History

Start watching with your public library card or university login

Watch now

The Decisive Battles of World History

2014

Discover the military conflicts that have had the greatest impact in shifting the direction of historical events and shaping our world in The Decisive Battles of World History. Covering nearly 4,000 years, this course explores...

Read more
Features
Gregory Aldrete Ph.D.
Supplier
The Great Courses

In This Series

What Makes a Battle Decisive?
Episode 1
What Makes a Battle Decisive?
1274 B.C. Kadesh— Greatest Chariot Battle
Episode 2
1274 B.C. Kadesh— Greatest Chariot Battle
479 B.C. Plataea—Greece Wins Freedom
Episode 3
479 B.C. Plataea—Greece Wins Freedom
331 B.C. Gaugamela—Alexander’s Genius
Episode 4
331 B.C. Gaugamela—Alexander’s Genius
197 B.C. Cynoscephalae—Legion vs. Phalanx
Episode 5
197 B.C. Cynoscephalae—Legion vs. Phalanx
31 B.C. Actium—Birth of the Roman Empire
Episode 6
31 B.C. Actium—Birth of the Roman Empire
260–110 B.C. China—Struggles for Unification
Episode 7
260–110 B.C. China—Struggles for Unification
636 Yarmouk & al-Qadisiyyah—Islam Triumphs
Episode 8
636 Yarmouk & al-Qadisiyyah—Islam Triumphs
751 Talas & 1192 Tarain—Islam into Asia
Episode 9
751 Talas & 1192 Tarain—Islam into Asia
1066 Hastings—William Conquers England
Episode 10
1066 Hastings—William Conquers England
1187 Hattin—Crusader Desert Disaster
Episode 11
1187 Hattin—Crusader Desert Disaster
1260 Ain Jalut—Can the Mongols Be Stopped?
Episode 12
1260 Ain Jalut—Can the Mongols Be Stopped?
1410 Tannenberg—Cataclysm of Knights
Episode 13
1410 Tannenberg—Cataclysm of Knights
Frigidus, Badr, Diu—Obscure Turning Points
Episode 14
Frigidus, Badr, Diu—Obscure Turning Points
1521 Tenochtitlán—Aztecs vs. Conquistadors
Episode 15
1521 Tenochtitlán—Aztecs vs. Conquistadors
1532 Cajamarca—Inca vs. Conquistadors
Episode 16
1532 Cajamarca—Inca vs. Conquistadors
1526 & 1556 Panipat—Babur & Akbar in India
Episode 17
1526 & 1556 Panipat—Babur & Akbar in India
1571 Lepanto—Last Gasp of the Galleys
Episode 18
1571 Lepanto—Last Gasp of the Galleys
1592 Sacheon—Yi’s Mighty Turtle Ships
Episode 19
1592 Sacheon—Yi’s Mighty Turtle Ships
1600 Sekigahara—Samurai Showdown
Episode 20
1600 Sekigahara—Samurai Showdown
1683 Vienna—The Great Ottoman Siege
Episode 21
1683 Vienna—The Great Ottoman Siege
1709 Poltava—Sweden’s Fall, Russia’s Rise
Episode 22
1709 Poltava—Sweden’s Fall, Russia’s Rise
1759 Quebec—Battle for North America
Episode 23
1759 Quebec—Battle for North America
1776 Trenton—The Revolution’s Darkest Hour
Episode 24
1776 Trenton—The Revolution’s Darkest Hour
1805 Trafalgar—Nelson Thwarts Napoleon
Episode 25
1805 Trafalgar—Nelson Thwarts Napoleon
1813 Leipzig—The Grand Coalition
Episode 26
1813 Leipzig—The Grand Coalition
1824 Ayacucho—South American Independence
Episode 27
1824 Ayacucho—South American Independence
1836 San Jacinto—Mexico’s Big Loss
Episode 28
1836 San Jacinto—Mexico’s Big Loss
1862 Antietam—The Civil War’s Bloodiest Day
Episode 29
1862 Antietam—The Civil War’s Bloodiest Day
1866 Königgrätz—Bismarck Molds Germany
Episode 30
1866 Königgrätz—Bismarck Molds Germany
1905 Tsushima—Japan Humiliates Russia
Episode 31
1905 Tsushima—Japan Humiliates Russia
1914 Marne—Paris Is Saved
Episode 32
1914 Marne—Paris Is Saved
1939 Khalkin Gol—Sowing the Seeds of WWII
Episode 33
1939 Khalkin Gol—Sowing the Seeds of WWII
1942 Midway—Four Minutes Change Everything
Episode 34
1942 Midway—Four Minutes Change Everything
1942 Stalingrad—Hitler’s Ambitions Crushed
Episode 35
1942 Stalingrad—Hitler’s Ambitions Crushed
Recent & Not-So-Decisive Decisive Battles
Episode 36
Recent & Not-So-Decisive Decisive Battles