30 Best War Movies of All Time That Recount the Most Powerful Stories in History

One of the most famous movies of all time, Saving Private Ryan will take you to D-Day, where a squad of men, led by Tom Hanks, are searching for a single soldier.

The 2006 film reveals the life stories of six men who raised the flag at the Battle of Iwo Jima during World War II.  

This Academy Award winner was flawlessly directed by Sam Mendes. It follows two British soldiers during World War I, who have to cross No Man’s Land and deliver a message to their troops.

The powerful Oscar-winning film takes you to Oskar Schindler’s (Liam Neeson) factory during World War II, where he eventually saves over 1,000 people from their deaths.  

Kirk Douglas stars in Paths of Glory, a World War I movie about a general who commands his troops to organize a deadly attack in order to secure a promotion for himself.

The extraordinary true story of Wladyslaw Szpilman, a Polish pianist trying to survive WWII, is told in the Academy Award-winning 2002 release.

This movie recalls America’s first major battle of the Vietnam War, but does so through the lens of both the soldiers and their loved ones back home.

Richard Attenborough plays the British mastermind behind a plan to escape from a Nazi detention camp. His motorcycle scene is one you won’t soon forget.

A boy and his beloved horse are separated during World War I, and thus begins their great journeys to be reunited once again.

Jake Gyllenhaal takes on the role of a Marine who navigates boot camp, a sniper course, and eventually the Gulf War, all while coping with his personal life back home.  

Watch as the Allied forces prepare for D-Day, the largest seaborne invasion in history.  

Ben Affleck and Josh Hartnett play World War II pilots who both want the affection of Kate Beckinsale. All three find themselves battling for their lives when the Japanese bomb Pearl Harbor.

A group of Germans go from eager schoolboys to disillusioned soldiers in the movie adaptation of Erich Maria Remarque’s classic book.

Charlie Sheen, Willem Dafoe, Johnny Depp, and Tom Berenger head up Platoon, a sometimes horrifying tale of soldiers facing moral dilemmas during the Vietnam War.

A new sergeant takes over a bomb disposal team in Iraq, and recklessly puts his subordinates in danger in the 2010 Best Picture winner.

Follow one 18-year-old Marine recruit as he goes from training camp to the bloody Battle of Huế.

Relive the true story of U.S. Navy SEAL Chris Kyle, one of the most lethal snipers in American history.

Released in 1981, Das Boot details a German submarine crew as they navigate battles, storms, and low supplies during World War II. You’ll need to clear your schedule for this 3.5-hour long journey.

Josh Hartnett and Ewan McGregor take on the true events surrounding an elite group of soldiers who find themselves in a harrowing battle in Somalia.

Thousands of British and Allied troops try to escape after they’re surrounded by enemy forces during World War II.