Top 10 War movies about American History

I found this list on the internet. Any suggestions to change the list?
Here are the top 10 war movies based on events from America's past. Enjoy!

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

1. Saving Private Ryan
A very accurate portrayal of the rigors of war. An instant classic that most people would argue is the most accurate war movie ever created. The film chronicles the mission of Captain John Miller (Tom Hanks) and his men to find Private Ryan (Matt Damon) during the World War II invasion of Normandy of.

2. Gettysburg
The classic Civil War movie detailing arguably the most important battle of American History. This fantastic movie is based on the even better novel, "The Killer Angels" by Michael Shaara.

3. Patton
The classic portrayal of Patton by George C. Scott. He was one of the most interesting figures of the World War II era and was instrumental in the US victory.

4. Sands of Iwo Jima
A John Wayne classic in which he was Oscar nominated for his portrayal of Sgt. Stryker. The movie shows the marines at their finest, island hopping through the Pacific to assault Iwo Jima during World War II.

5. Glory
The Civil War movie that chronicles the 54th Regiment of Massachusetts. This African American unit fought bravely in an effort to win freedom for themselves and all slaves. The final battle is heroic and poignant.

6. Hamburger Hill
A true story of the 101st Airborne's fight to gain a hill in Vietnam. This movie is considered to be one of the best movies about the war in Vietnam.

7. Tora! Tora! Tora!
A classic World War II movie focusing on the war in the Pacific. It is unique in that it shows both perspectives (Japanese and American) of the war.

8. Black Hawk Down
A true story of the Army Rangers in action in Somalia. This movie highlights the courage of the US forces and the complexities of modern warfare.

9. We Were Soldiers
An inspiring depiction of one of the earliest pitched battles in Vietnam. Mel Gibson does an excellent job portraying the courageous commander involved in a no-win situation. His inspired leadership saves the majority of his troops.

10. The Patriot
A compilation of true historical figures formed the basis for Mel Gibson's character in this film set during the American Revolution. It shows that not all colonists were committed to the war on ideological grounds.

source

Most are entertaining, but you shouldn't use them if you wanted to learn about american history

Originally Posted by Ojf

Most are entertaining, but you shouldn't use them if you wanted to learn about american history

Agreed -- that is why I posted here in the Arts. Is there one that you would add? Which one would drop?

I started looking after I spotted a NY Times list of best movies of all time and I thought that the readers of this forum might be interested in something more focused. Even a 100 top list is controversial for all movies with all of the differant styles and genres available.

Originally Posted by Viking Prince

Agreed -- that is why I posted here in the Arts.

Thanks you. Thank you so very much. Nice to see someone else say that for once.

I shall ponder this list and grok it in fullness.

The list uses the word "classic" a tad much I think and calling Saving Private Ryan the "most accurate war movie ever created" is downright ridiculous.
I'd also drop The Patriot from the list. Sure it's entertaining but there must be something more worthwhile than this overly patriotic and cheesy movie about the Revolution.

Originally Posted by Rapax

The list uses the word "classic" a tad much I think and calling Saving Private Ryan the "most accurate war movie ever created" is downright ridiculous.

Originally Posted by Rapax

I'd also drop The Patriot from the list. Sure it's entertaining but there must be something more worthwhile than this overly patriotic and cheesy movie about the Revolution.

Well the word classic should apply to all on the list so yeah it is a bit mush to include. I think the list was a cust and paste job -- that might explain it.

Saving Private Ryan was impressive -- I would neither take it off the list or find a complaint with the short comment.

My changes are probably less based on "true" story and more based on a capture of the spirit of the event:

Adds --

Apocalypse Now, 1979 just because I have not seen Hamburger Hill as a switch out and keep someting from the era

The Bridges at Toko-Ri, 1954 I think this is the first true jet pilot war movie – good footage, included just because my sweetie's dad died as a test pilot during the Korean war-- call it an emotional bias but the final scenes and the final line at the end sums it up quite well.

Twelve O’Clock High, 1949 From the pilots that I know that flew, this captures the spirit of the times quite well.

Drops --

Hamburger Hill – I have not seen this, put it on my to do list
Black Hawk Down – maybe quite accurate, but not for me
The Patriot – not a top ten, maybe not a top 50

Of course, this will change from time to time with me. Making up any short list plays on the emotions of the moment. This is art and not history.

I would probley drop Black Hawk Down and Patriot, maybe replace Patriot with Last of the Mohecans (or however that is spelt, but apparently there are no longer any to complain about my misspelling so who cares). I dunno if its accurate but I just saw it and its much better than patriot imo.

Nice list. I'm yet to see some of those films. Here are my suggestions.

Letters from Iwo Jima (the rare occasions where Japanese soldiers are human-like creatures with face, background story and moral decisions)
Apocalypse Now
Platoon
Full Metal Jacket

These are "love it or hate it" movies, but all great movies are like that, aren't they?

9. We Were Soldiers
An inspiring depiction of one of the earliest pitched battles in Vietnam. Mel Gibson does an excellent job portraying the courageous commander involved in a no-win situation. His inspired leadership saves the majority of his troops.

Am I the only person who absolutely hated that movie?

Full Metal Jacket & Apocalypse now are amazing war films though, and thats American history

"1. Saving Private Ryan
A very accurate portrayal of the rigors of war. An instant classic that most people would argue is the most accurate war movie ever created."
wtf? Most people argue that it is the most accurate war movie created? Then I guess most people must be retarded and should see some more WWII movies, especially european ones. The ONLY part of that movie which was accurate was the first battle. The plot is quite far fetched, and if the last battle is accurate in any way, then I wonder why Germany survived the war for 6 years and conquered so much if their soldiers fought like retards.

It is an entertaining movie, and I think it's a very good movie that should be on the list, but I would not call it most accurate war movie made, far from it. If you are to give the movie credit, give it it for the right things.

i prefer the longest day to saving private ryan
also does nobody like gods and generals?

Rather than pare a long list down to only 10, you can add a digit and just do 100. Or look at the 100 and pare it down to 10 with 100 Greatest War Movies

I forgot about the Thin Red Line -- maybe because the book is so much better than the movie for me. I still would not include it on a 10 list.

One proble with such a list is do you build it strictly on best or do you pick a balance of subgenres such as WWII, Civil War, Indian War etc. I think this is how you can justify the Lastof the Mohicans or the Patriot on your 10 list. Years ago I did this for a local student paper with a top 10 Ocsar list and caught heck for the genre representation argument.

Dances with Wolves would be quite a good film to add into that list, and maybe Platoon too.

You don't have to include any movie on your top ten list. I picked the ones I thought were the best.

In no particular Order.

Gettysburg
God's and Generals
Flags of Our Fathers
Glory
The Lost Battalion
Forrest Gump (kind of)
The Alamo
Thin Red Line
The Longest Day
I can't think of any Revolution movies so...The Patriot

Originally Posted by André Masséna

I can't think of any Revolution movies so...The Patriot

And that is why it was listed in the list the OP found. I can't really think of many other Revolution wars

I think the list misses a movie with focus on all the "bad stuff" in Vietnam. The drug abuse among soldiers, bad morale, the despicable treatment of homecoming soldiers, the massacres on civilians etc. Platoon, Full Metal Jacket, Born on the 4th of July and Deer Hunter (dont know if you can call the two last 100 % war movies tho). I know Hamburger Hill features it a bit, but not in as effective and thought provoking as the ones I mentioned. Besides that I would put Black Hawk Down a bit up because it shows a very good (and often ignored) side of the US military; I mean their was absolutely nothing to gain for America in Somalia, but they still decide to go in and intervene, losing 18 men. I think it is relevant these days when all you hear about is how americans are evil imperialists invading countries for their own economical purposes.

I too agree with the inclusion of Apocalypse Now, Platoon, and Full Metal Jacket. I think they serve as a good balance to films like We Were Soldiers.

However, I would remove Sands of Iwo Jima and replace that with Flags of Our Fathers...this is quite simply an amazing film. Sands was nothing more than a post-war, nationalistic, all-American bleeding piece of...whatever...it was propaganda.

I would also like to add Band of Brothers (if you consider that to be say...one long movie). I feel that this series was fairly accurate in it's portrayal of events, men, and everything else.

Also, never...ever...add Gods and Generals...that film was TERRIBLE.

Barely seen any American War Movies, but saw The Alamo (2004) the other day and thought it was pretty good.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

As for best American history film, although it's not really history based (though it does give a brief chronologicaly background of events of the time), I just love Forest Gump.

The Alamo!!