Why has AJP Taylor's analysis of the origins of World War II caused so much controversy among historians? It was generally believed that World War II began in 1939 because of Hitler's plan for world domination; many historians at the time confirmed this view until AJP Taylor published his book "Origins of the Second World War" in 1961. AJ P Taylor was the first historian to examine the war with a completely open mind, forcing people to see the origins not as a moral question but as political history. Taylor regards the start of the war as a mistake on both sides, stating that "Hitler had no clear plan and instead was a supreme opportunist, seizing advantages as they came." From this Taylor suggests that neither Hitler nor any other power wants this war. However, because his argument sparked such debate, it led other historians to criticize the methods Taylor used to support his argument. Hugh Trevor-Roper says that "Mr. Taylor almost never refers to Mein Kampf..." Mein Kampf is seen as an essential piece of writing when examining the origins of the war. Within Mein Kampf there was not a detailed policy of what Hitler intended to do, but “an oracular statement, pointing the way to the harsh historical path that Germany must travel,” Overy argues. Therefore, Taylor's analysis was so controversial because it forced people to see the origins of the war in a totally new way, not looking at Hitler as a fascist who dominated the world as everyone thought, but as an ordinary statesman. Germany's desire to revoke the 1919 Treaty of Versailles and Hitler's relentless pursuit of empire. This was considered a valid answer to why the war started in 1939, until 1961 when AJ P Taylor... in the center of the paper... when 'Origins' was published in 1961 people still believed the myth that Hitler he was a madman bent on world domination, this myth and the memory of the war are why Taylor's reputation was destroyed and essentially why his analysis was so controversial. Works Cited1. AJP Taylor, A Personal History, London, (1983), p. 299.2. Hugh Trevor-Roper, “Hitler's War Plan Reaffirmed” in Snell, J.L., ed., The Outbreak of World War II: Design or Mistake? (Boston: D.C. Heath, 1963) pg. 93. Richard Overy, “Misjudging Hitler: AJP Taylor and the Third Reich” (London: Routledge, 1992) p. 994. Richard Overy, "Misjudging Hitler: AJP Taylor and the Third Reich" (London: Routledge, 1992) pp. 955. Richard Overy, "Misjudging Hitler: AJP Taylor and the Third Reich" (London: Routledge, 1992) pp. 986. AJP Taylor, The Origins of the Second World War. (1961) p.33