No matter how old they are, those WW2 movies are still considered the best in the war genre.

Although it sounds odd, all the wars that took place in our world have actually served as a source of inspiration for many directors. They create their movies to make the viewers understand the horrible reality of those times and to promote anti-war sentiments.

Here are ten most accurate World War 2 (WW3) movies that anyone with even a passing interest in history should see. Courtesy Screenrant.

Downfall (2004)

A Faithful Portrayal Of Adolf Hitler During His And Nazi Germany’s Final Days.

With brilliant performances and shocking realism, Oliver Hirschbiegel’s Downfall depicts the final days in the life of Adolf Hitler as he witnesses the collapse of the Nazi party. According to The Guardian, the film is highly authentic thanks to a lot of research on the circumstances, people, and even the visual accuracy of various locations linked to these real events. Beyond its historical accuracy, Downfall excels in portraying the complexities of Hitler’s character and the dynamics of those around him during this pivotal period.

Come And See (1985)

A Remarkably Accurate Portrayal Of The Emotional Tolls Of War.

One of the most harrowing war movies of all time, the Soviet film Come and See provides a stark perspective on the Nazi occupation of Belarus, recounted through the eyes of a young teenager who becomes involved in the resistance movement. According to Real History, the film is remarkably accurate, a quality attributed to its co-writer, Ales Adamovich, whose own childhood experiences closely parallel those of the movie’s central character. The film not only achieves historical accuracy but goes beyond it to delve into the emotional tolls of war, concentrating on the relentless struggle for survival of one young boy.

Das Boot (1981)

A Faithful Depiction Of a German U-96 Submarine Crew During World War II.

This tense, claustrophobic film follows a German submarine and its crew navigating the perils of life below the surface after being detected by British forces. Das Boot draws from the real-life experiences of Lothar-Günther Buchheim, and two authentic veterans who served on a U-96 submarine were consultants on the film as well. According to SlashFilm, the filmmakers painstakingly used reference photos of the U-96 submarine model to recreate sets that closely mirrored the actual vessel. Das Boot offers a nuanced portrayal of German soldiers, especially those who held anti-Nazi sentiments, and an adept depiction of the unrelenting stress faced in such dire circumstances.

Letters From Iwo Jima (2006)

A Faithful Depiction Of The Battle Of Iwo Jima From The Japanese Perspective.

Clint Eastwood’s Letters from Iwo Jima follows the battle and subsequent capture of the island of Iwo Jima by American soldiers from the viewpoint of the Japanese. According to Coffee or Die Magazine, while many of the characters in the film are fictional, the portrayal of events is notably faithful to the facts. One particular accurate detail is the limited choice Japanese soldiers had when it came to military service. Letters from Iwo Jima excels in various other aspects as well, including the weaponry employed, its depiction of the events of the battle, and the faithful representation of the island’s challenging terrain.

Patton (1970)

An Accurate Portrayal Of World War II Operations Led By General George S. Patton.

Patton is a biopic about General George S. Patton, a prominent figure in the U.S. Army who commanded several troops during World War II. According to The Guardian, the film made no attempt to obfuscate history. Notably, one scene in which Patton visits a field hospital and berates a young soldier for perceived cowardice reflects a real incident that nearly jeopardized the general’s career, though the real subsequent apology was less contrived. Patton excels in capturing General Patton’s larger-than-life personality, his outspokenness, and his remarkable leadership skills. Moreover, it masterfully portrays the intensity of the battles he led his troops through and the actual military operations that were executed.

Tora! Tora! Tora! (1970)

A Fairly Accurate Depiction Of The Attack on Pearl Harbor From Both Sides.

Named after the code words used by Japanese pilots to signal the commencement of their attack, Tora! Tora! Tora! provides a comprehensive look at the days leading up to the devastating attack on Pearl Harbor, shown from both the American and Japanese viewpoints. According to Daily History, while the film does have a few notable instances of the wrong aircraft models being used and combines multiple events in an attempt to streamline the narrative, it is fairly accurate. The film largely succeeds in capturing the surprise experienced by the Americans, as well as conveying Japan’s planning of the attack and the underlying political tensions that led to it.

Dunkirk (2017)

An Accurate Depiction Of The Dunkirk Evacuation From The Perspectives Of Fictional Characters.

Christopher Nolan’s Dunkirk vividly portrays the evacuation of Allied soldiers from the titular French region after being encircled by the German army. While the characters in the film are fictional, Slate notes that the representation of the evacuation is quite faithful to the real historical events of the Dunkirk evacuation. A significant aspect that the film accurately depicts is the limited one-hour operational time of Royal Air Force planes due to their small fuel capacity. Additionally, the film effectively captures the confrontations between British soldiers and French soldiers desperate to escape after the French chose to hold their troops back.

The Longest Day (1962)

An Accurate Depiction Of D-Day From The Perspectives Of Both Sides.

The Longest Day offers an accurate recreation of the events of D-Day from the perspective of both the Allied forces and Axis powers. This technically stunning film boasts an ensemble cast of iconic stars including Robert Mitchum, Henry Fonda, Richard Burton, John Wayne, and Sean Connery. The movie impressively captures the authentic essence of the real events, including the reservations held by both sides, the complete surprise of the attacks, and the invaluable assistance provided by French civilians. Time notes that the harrowing scene of a paratrooper becoming entangled in a church tower actually transpired during the operation. One egregious omission, however, is the absence of representation for Black soldiers.

Hacksaw Ridge (2016)

A Faithful Telling Of The True Story Of The Pacifist World War II Hero Desmond Doss.

Hacksaw Ridge is a gripping portrayal of the remarkable true story of Desmond Doss, a combat medic during World War II who staunchly adhered to his religious beliefs and refused to bear arms, yet still heroically saved 75 men in the heat of battle. According to NPR, the film is commendably accurate in its depiction of Doss’s wartime experiences, especially the relentless mistreatment he endured from fellow soldiers who sought to force him out of their company. It also faithfully recreates the Battle of Okinawa, meticulously capturing the treacherous terrain characterized by steep cliffs and numerous hidden perils.

Nonetheless, Hacksaw Ridge does take some creative liberties, with one notable example being the invention of a backstory for Doss’s pacifism. The film suggests that Doss’s commitment to nonviolence was rooted in a traumatic incident where his father threatened his mother with a gun, a narrative that doesn’t align with historical records. It also contains an inaccurate representation of how grenades work, which is one of the things movies always get wrong about war.

Saving Private Ryan (1997)

A Fictional Story With a Historically Accurate Portrayal Of The Omaha Beach Assault.

With an ensemble cast that includes Tom Hanks, Matt Damon, Tom Sizemore, and Vin Diesel, Saving Private Ryan recounts the story of a group of U.S. soldiers on a mission to retrieve one of their own and relieve him of duty. While the film’s characters are fictional, they draw inspiration from real individuals. Damon’s titular character, for instance, is loosely based on U.S. military paratrooper Fritz Niland. According to History.com, the film presents a highly accurate portrayal of the harrowing Omaha Beach assault, making it one of the best D-Day movies. Director Steven Spielberg meticulously recreated the events, from the aircraft to the authentic sound effects used for the gunfire.

However, several elements of the film, particularly the crew’s daytime crossing of enemy lines to find Private Ryan, did not happen, as it would have exposed them to significant risk. Even more, the battle of Ramelle is entirely invented for the movie. One of the most notable discrepancies in Saving Private Ryan is that Fritz Niland was not hard to find, at least not in the same way as portrayed in the film, although similar situations did occur during the war.

Plenty of World War II movies take artistic liberties when recounting their true stories, either to enhance drama or because they are only interested in using historical events as a backdrop for their fictional narratives, but there are also some that are historically accurate. There is no shortage of World War II movies with glaring historical inaccuracies, ranging from the reimagined events in Pearl Harbor to the intentionally reconfigured history in Inglourious Basterds to add comedic action. However, some films stand out for their meticulous attention to historical accuracy. These movies strive to faithfully depict events from World War II.