Uploaded April 2017 | Updated September 2026, 1 hour ago
When the 20th century opened, Britain dominated world affairs, and America stood on the sidelines. Now their positions are reversed. This is the story of how it happened.
This is Part 4 of David Dimbleby's much acclaimed 1988 documentary in seven parts on British-American relations in the 20th century. Dimbleby explores the relationship between Great Britain and the United States from World War I to the 1980s, and examines the people, ideas, and events that have shaped the mutual history of the two nations.
In this episode: America and Britain ally in World War II; U.S. dominance develops with the creation of the atom bomb.
Roosevelt's pledge to Churchill committed America to a close and generous alliance with Britain. But the two countries had very different ideas of how the world should be when the war was over. 'Increasingly,' says Sir Ian Jacob , secretary to the British war cabinet, 'they paid no attention to what we said unless it happened to coincide with something they wanted to do.'
David Dimbleby charts the changing relationship, not only at the top, but among the ordinary men and women who lived and fought together until Hitler had been defeated.
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An Ocean Apart
Eminent British television journalist David Dimbleby presents this seven-part BBC documentary TV series from 1988 on the history of British-American relations from the beginning of the First World War and Wilson to the end of the Cold War and Thatcher. Produced by Adam Curtis.
Presented By: David Dimbleby
Editor: David Gladwell
Executive Producer: George Carey
Producer: Adam Curtis
Production assistant: Linda Parker
When the 20th century opened, Britain dominated world affairs, and America stood on the sidelines. Now their positions are reversed. This is the story of how it happened.
This is Part 4 of David Dimbleby's much acclaimed 1988 documentary in seven parts on British-American relations in the 20th century. Dimbleby explores the relationship between Great Britain and the United States from World War I to the 1980s, and examines the people, ideas, and events that have shaped the mutual history of the two nations.
In this episode: America and Britain ally in World War II; U.S. dominance develops with the creation of the atom bomb.
Roosevelt's pledge to Churchill committed America to a close and generous alliance with Britain. But the two countries had very different ideas of how the world should be when the war was over. 'Increasingly,' says Sir Ian Jacob , secretary to the British war cabinet, 'they paid no attention to what we said unless it happened to coincide with something they wanted to do.'
David Dimbleby charts the changing relationship, not only at the top, but among the ordinary men and women who lived and fought together until Hitler had been defeated.
----------------------------------
An Ocean Apart
Eminent British television journalist David Dimbleby presents this seven-part BBC documentary TV series from 1988 on the history of British-American relations from the beginning of the First World War and Wilson to the end of the Cold War and Thatcher. Produced by Adam Curtis.
Presented By: David Dimbleby
Editor: David Gladwell
Executive Producer: George Carey
Producer: Adam Curtis
Production assistant: Linda Parker
