History Gift Guide – World War II Movies

A lot of movies have been based on stories from World War II. There was so much drama in those six years from 1939 to 1945 and much of it was very well documented. Here’s 20 of the top History Movies based on World War II.


	Downfall (Der Untergang) (2004) This German film depicts the final days of Adolf Hitler in his bunker through the eyes of those holed up with him. Watch as Hitler, played by Bruno Ganz, loses his grip on Nazi Germany and his mind. (Buy)
	Inglorious Bastards (2009) By no means historically accurate, this Quentin Tarantino film is about a group of Jewish American soldiers killing as many Nazis as possible, with an ending you wish was true. If you can get past the blood and gore, it is a very entertaining film. (Buy) (Watch Now)
	Defiance (2008) Daniel Craig & Liev Scheiber play two of the four Jewish-Polish brothers forced to hide out from the Nazis in the Bialowieza Forest with other Jewish escapees, vowing to avenge the death of their parents. (Buy) (Watch Now)
	Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) In the first Indiana Jones film, Harrison Ford has to stop the Nazis from finding the Ark of the Covenant, which Hitler believes will make his army invincible. (Buy)
	Judgment at Nuremberg (1961) A fictionalized account of the post-World War II Nuremberg trails, exploring the consciousness of two nations as they struggle to come to terms with the aftermath of the Holocaust. (Buy)
	The Great Dictator (1940) Charlie Chaplin wrote, directed and starred in this satire of Adolf Hitler and Nazi Germany. Chaplin plays a Jewish barber struck with amnesia unaware of the rise of the dictator,Hynkel (also played by Chaplin) and his persecution of the Jews. (Buy)
	Conspiracy (2002) As the tide of war changes in favor of the Allies, 15 of Hitler’s top men meet in Wansee to discuss how to implement Hitler’s latest directive. As the debate unfolds, the practical groundwork for The Final Solution, the plan to kill every Jewish person in Europe is completed. (Buy)
	Mephisto (1981) Based on the Klaus Mann novel, Mephisto, the film follows an actor who sees an opportunity to increase his popularity by following the Nazi party, until he realizes he has sold his soul for his new fame. (Buy)
	Inside the Third Reich (1982) This television miniseries based on the memoirs of the Nazi Minister of Armament, Albert Speer (played by Rutger Hauer) provides a view of Hitler’s inner circle of trusted men. Derek Jacobi won an Emmy award for his portrayal of Adolf Hitler. (Buy)
	The Longest Day (1962) One of the greatest war films of all time. The Longest Day is the definitive D-Day movie and covers the invasion from all sides with a star-studded cast. Each actor speaking in their native language lends to the authenticity of the film. (Buy) (Watch Now)
	Come and See (1985) Directed by Elem Klimov, this Soviet war movie based on the experiences of Ales Adamovich, who fought with Russian partisans in Belarus in 1943, when the Nazis systematically torched over 600 villages and slaughtered their inhabitants. (Buy) (Watch Now)
	A Bridge too Far (1977) This epic war film was based on the 1974 book of the same name by Cornelius Ryan and tells the story of the failure of Operation Market Garden during World War II, the Allied attempt to break through German lines and seize several bridges in the occupied Netherlands, including one at Arnhem, with the main objective of outflanking German defences. (Buy) (Watch Now)
	The Dirty Dozen (1967) Major Reisman (played by Lee Marvin) recruits twelve military prisoners sentenced to life in prison to go on a suicide mission to infiltrate a French chateau held by the Nazis. With the promise of receiving a pardon for their crimes, the Dirty Dozen set off to train for their mission. (Buy) (Watch Now)
	The Sound of Music (1965) One of the most popular movie musicals of all time, The Sound of Music is based on the true story of the von Trapp family in Austria during the Second World War. While not quite as dramatic as the previous movies in the list, this World War II film is perfect for the whole family. (Buy)

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Chris Rivait

Chris loves history and hopes that Yesteeyear becomes a place where everyone can share their history knowledge. Chris owns an Internet Marketing company, Arrivait Marketing. He has a wonderful wife and four great children.