Reviews ten decisions made by six major leaders between May 1940 and December 1941 that reshaped human destiny, from Churchill's war cabinet's choice to continue fighting after the German blitzkrieg defeat of France to Hitler's attack on the Soviet Union.

London, spring 1940 : Great Britain decides to fight on -- Berlin, summer and autumn 1940 : Hitler decides to attack the Soviet Union -- Tokyo, summer and autumn 1940 : Japan decides to seize the "golden opportunity" -- Rome, summer and autumn 1940 : Mussolini decides to grab his share -- Washington, DC, summer 1940-spring 1941 -- Roosevelt decides to lend a hand -- Moscow, spring-summer 1941 : Stalin decides he knows best -- Washington, DC, summer-autumn 1941 : Roosevelt decides to wage undeclared war -- Tokyo, autumn 1941 : Japan decides to go to war -- Berlin, autumn 1941 : Hitler decides to declare war on the United States -- Berlin/East Prussia, summer-autumn 1941 : Hitler decides to kill the Jews.