When it comes to the subject of war there are few conflicts that loom larger in our minds than the Second World War.

As the years go by, passing the lessons learnt from World War Two to each new generation becomes ever more important.

War Diaries is a fascinating series of documentaries charting the events of WWII year-by-year, using unique archive footage to take you back in time to see what actually happened when the world went to war.

In this third film of the series, 1941, see how Adolf Hitler increased the Nazi stranglehold on Europe, while Winston Churchill inspired the people of Britain to stand together as the nightly Luftwaffe bombing raids were extended to include the nation's vital ports, as well as the capital, London.

Follow the British Expeditionary Force to North Africa and watch the tide turn as Adolf Hitler attacked Russia, breaking his non-aggression pact with Stalin.

Then look to the Far East as tensions between Japan and the USA escalate, resulting in a devastation attack on the American Fleet at Pearl Harbour. By the end of 1941, the world truly was at war, and with the Allies reinforced by both Russia and the USA, Hitler now had a real fight on his hands.

This is modern history at its most evocative, recorded for posterity by the people who lived through this incredible time and survived to tell the tale.