Andrew Roberts on Napoleon, Churchill, and the People Who Change History

An interview about leadership, historical reputation, Hollywood, and how much difference one person can make.

As a boy, I was fascinated by the great figures of history, especially military conquerors. So it was wonderful to sit down with Andrew Roberts, author of Napoleon: A Life and Churchill: Walking with Destiny, and ask him about the people he has spent so much of his life studying.

A question running through our conversation is how much history depends on particular individuals. Would Britain have fought on in 1940 without Churchill? Would France have invaded Russia without Napoleon? And how should we weigh individual decisions against technological, economic, and social forces?

We discuss Churchill’s changing reputation, Napoleon’s place among the great commanders, and what Andrew would ask both men if he could sit down with them.

One revealing moment comes when Andrew explains how researching his new book Napoleon and His Marshals changed his view of Napoleon’s leadership. The ability to compartmentalize that impressed him in his earlier biography could also become extreme micromanagement like sending instructions about opening a window in a military hospital in Stuttgart. His account offers a useful distinction between inspiring an army and managing experienced commanders.

Andrew also has a great sense of humor. We talk about Churchill appearing in his dreams, his favorite films, and why his wife won’t watch a history movie with him. Ridley Scott’s Napoleon particularly disappointed him.

We finish with a question about Sam Altman and AI, bringing the conversation back to the influence of individuals—and whether it makes sense to put a number on their contribution to history.

Chapters

• 00:00 — Preview and introduction

• 01:46 — How Andrew became a historian

• 03:16 — Writing biographies of history’s biggest figures

• 06:06 — Churchill’s reputation and historical revisionism

• 07:50 — Napoleon, Ridley Scott, and Hollywood history

• 11:20 — Alexander, Caesar, and the great commanders

• 12:42 — Homer, the Iliad, and modern translations

• 13:25 — Favorite films and David Lean

• 14:59 — The smartest person in history

• 15:10 — Churchill and the importance of individuals

• 15:56 — Meeting Churchill in dreams—and a Miami book signing

• 17:25 — What Andrew would ask Churchill and Napoleon

• 18:35 — Napoleon and His Marshals

• 20:42 — Napoleon’s leadership, favorites, and micromanagement

• 23:00 — Life in the House of Lords

• 23:53 — What Andrew is most proud of

• 24:57 — Sam Altman, AI, and the forces that shape history

What would you ask Churchill or Napoleon if you could sit down with them? I’d love to hear your questions in the comments.

Thank you for reading and watching. If you enjoyed the conversation, please share it with someone who loves history.

Andrew on X: https://x.com/aroberts_andrew

Andrew’s site: https://www.andrew-roberts.net/

If you enjoyed this conversation, you should definitely check out this one with Bruce Lee supercollector and master storyteller Jeff Chinn: