From The Battle of the Somme (1916) through to American Sniper (2014), war and conflict has been a staple source of inspiration for the film industry since the turn of the 20th century. Today, this genre and its continued popularity, which has covered some of the most important conflicts in recent history, has become a means of educating the young and remembering the fallen. They are the war memorials of a modern society. This new study, which includes classics such as Sergeant York (1941) and The Great Escape (1963), and modern Hollywood epics such as Black Hawk Down (2001) and The Hurt Locker (2008), details fifty of the greatest war films of the last hundred years. Expert analysis detailing the varying influences behind each film is accompanied by a host of images and original movie posters, offering the reader rare and invaluable insight into some of the greatest cinematic productions ever made.

Author Biography

Tim Newark is the author of several critically acclaimed military history books, including Highlander, The Fighting Irish, The Mafia at War, and Camouflage, which accompanied the Imperial War Museum exhibition. He was the editor of Military Illustrated for 17 years and has written seven TV military history documentary series, including Hitler's Bodyguards.