It's not surprising that war has been one of the most frequently occurring subjects of movies throughout cinematic history. After all, man has been waging war since the beginning of time. And fortunately for military movie lovers, Hollywood has always found a profit in the shortsightedness of political leaders and the distorted visions of angry little short men with funny mustaches.
In compiling a list of our favorite war movies, it quickly became evident that with such a well-represented genre, it would make more sense to break it into separate categories. Following is a list of the best War/Military movies of all time arranged in groups according to specific military campaigns.
Although the idea of what makes a war movie is subjective, for the purposes of this list it will be defined as a movie that involves soldiers, fighting with military weapons or machinery, military strategy or events that directly lead up to, are affected by, or result from a military-type battle.
American Revolutionary War
1. The Patriot
2. The Crossing
3. The American Revolution Boxed DVD Set (A&E)
4. Liberty! The American Revolution
American Civil War
1. Glory
2. Dances With Wolves
3. Gettysburgh
4. Cold Mountain
5. Gone With the Wind
6. Andersonville
7. The Hunley
8. Ironclads
9. Birth of a Nation
10. Ken Burns' Civil War
11. Friendly Persuasion
World War I
1. Sergeant York
2. A Very Long Engagement
3. Gallipoli
4. Lawrence of Arabia
5. The Lost Battalion
6. African Queen
7. Wings
8. All Quiet on the Western Front
9.A Farewell to Arms
10. The Dawn Patrol
11. Flyboys
12. Joyeux Noel
13. The Blue Max
World War II
The European Front
1. The War: A Ken Burns Film
2. Band of Brothers
3. Schindler's List
4. Saving Private Ryan
5. The Longest Day
6. Patton
7. Das Boot
8. Casablanca
9. The Great Escape
10. The Guns of Navarone
11. Days of Glory (Indigenes)
12. Inglourious Basterds
The Pacific Theater
1. The War: A Ken Burns Film
2. Letters From Iwo Jima
3. Tora! Tora! Tora!
4. Empire of the Sun
5. From Here to Eternity
6. The Thin Red Line
7. The Bridge On the River Kwai
8. 30 Seconds Over Tokyo
9. Midway
10. Flags of Our Fathers
Korea
1. M*A*S*H
2. Macarthur
3. Manchurian Candidate
4. Pork Chop Hill
5. The Bridges at Toko-Ri
Viet Nam
1. Platoon
2. Full Metal Jacket
3. The Deer Hunter
4. Apocalypse Now
5. The Quiet American
6. Born on the Fourth of July
7. Good Morning Vietnam
8. We Were Soldiers
9. Gardens of Stone
10. Birdy
Various Wars, Conflicts and Peacetime Battles
1. Braveheart
2. Black Hawk Down
3. No Man's Land
4. Three Kings
5. Pan's Labyrinth
6. Ben Hur
7. The Sand Pebbles
8. Star Wars
9. Gladiator
10. 300
11. The Hurt Locker
12. Generation Kill
Have additional information, want to know what others are saying, or don't agree with something we said?
Read or post comments about this list and read War Movie updates on the
Top War Movies of All Time Discussion Forum
Add this page to your favorite Social Bookmarking websites
