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Documentary film maven David L. Wolper returns to the scene with a ten-part series profiling 50 international icons of the 20th century. In part two, he presents five "leaders who changed the world." Mao Tse-tung was the Chinese theorist who founded the Communist Party in China, proclaiming the People's Republic in 1949 and serving as its leader until the early 1970s when his country established ties with the West. Mahatma Gandhi was the Indian nationalist and spiritual leader who introduced the people of his country to the idea of non-violent disobedience for the purposes of gaining their independence. His efforts were successful and Great Britain granted India independence in 1947, just one year before he was assassinated. David Ben Gurion was an Israeli political leader active in the Zionist movement to create a Jewish state in Palestine. He organized the resistance against Great Britain after WWII and became prime minister of Israel after the country gained independence in 1948. Nelson Mandela, the current president of South Africa, was the black political leader of that country who was imprisoned for nearly 30 years for his participation in anti-apartheid activities. After his eventual release in 1990, he shared the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993 for his efforts. Rounding out this video's honorees is Mikhail Gorbachev, Soviet politician, general secretary of the Communist party in its waning years, and president of the U.S.S.R. from 1988-1991. He won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1990.