Timeline of World War II
World War II, also called the Second World War, was a global conflict during the years 1939–1945.
The principal combatants were the Axis powers—Germany, Italy, and Japan—and the Allies—France, Great Britain, the United States, the Soviet Union, and, to a lesser extent, China.
The war was in many respects a continuation, after an uneasy 20-year hiatus, of the disputes left unsettled by World War I and the conditions imposed on Germany in the Treaty of Versailles, ending “The Great War.”
The 50,000,000–70,000,000 deaths incurred in World War II make it the bloodiest conflict, as well as the largest war, in history.
Below are some key dates in World War II.
Some of these events actually took place before the first “official” shot of WWII was fired on September 1, 1939, when Germany invaded Poland touching off the war in Europe.
There had already been fighting in the Pacific between Japan and neighboring countries. Japan’s December 7, 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor took the war to another level as the United States was thrust into this global conflict.
Even today, everyone has a personal connection to World War II in their family in some manner. It’s up to you to discover what that is.
30 Jan 1933
Adolf Hitler becomes Chancellor of Germany
1931
Japanese invasion of Manchuria
1938
German Anschluss with Austria
30 SEPT 1938
Treaty of Munich
MARCH 1939
Hitler invades Czechoslovakia
MARCH/APRIL 1939
Britain rearms and reassures Poland
LATE AUG 1939
Russia and Germany sign pact
1 SEPT 1939
Hitler invades Poland
3 SEPT 1939
Britain and France declare war on Germany
SEPT 1939-MAY 1940
“Phoney War”
APRIL/MAY 1940
Hitler invades Denmark and Norway
10 MAY 1940
Blitzkrieg
10 MAY 1940
Chamberlain resigns
26 MAY 1940
Dunkirk (Operation Dynamo)
11 JUNE 1940
Italy enters war on side of Axis powers
22 JUNE 1940
France signs armistice with Germany
10 JULY-31 OCT 1940
Battle of Britain
22 SEPT 1940
Tripartite Pact
DECEMBER 1940
British rout Italians in N. Africa
EARLY 1941
Italy and Germany attack Yugoslavia
22 JUNE 1941
Hitler attacks Russia – Operation Barbarossa
7 DEC 1941
Pearl Harbor
8 DEC 1941
Britain and US declare war on Japan
18 APR 1942
Doolittle Raiders Bomb Japan
JUNE 1942
Battle of Midway
AUG 1942
Allies invade N. Africa
23 OCT 1942
Battle of El Alamein
NOV 1942
Battle of Stalingrad/
Allies push into N. Africa
12 MAY 1943
Axis surrenders in N. Africa
JULY 1943
Allies invade Sicily
AUG 1943
Allies take Sicily
3 SEPT 1943
Italy surrenders
NOV 1943
Allies meet at Tehran
JAN 1944
German siege of Leningrad ends
5 June 1944
Rome liberated
6 June 1944
D-Day in Normandy
25 AUG 1944
Paris liberated
8 SEPT 1944
V2 Flying Bombs
16 DEC 1944
Battle of the Bulge Begins
MARCH 1945
Allies cross the Rhine
APRIL 1945
Russians reach Berlin
28 APRIL 1945
Mussolini captured and executed
30 APRIL 1945
Hitler commits suicide
7 MAY 1945
Germany unconditionally surrenders
8 MAY 1945
V.E. day
5 JULY 1945
Churchill loses election
8 July 1945
Russia declares war on Japan
6 AUG 1945
Atomic Bomb dropped on Hiroshima
9 AUG 1945
Atomic bomb dropped on Nagasaki
14 AUG 1945
Japanese surrender
2 Sept 1945
MacArthur accepts Japan’s unconditional surrender
Navy
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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
"Naval" and "Naval Force" redirect here. For other uses of "Naval", see Naval (disambiguation). For other uses of "Navy", see Navy (disambiguation).
"Naval power" redirects here. For a country with a strong navy, see Maritime power.
USS Mitscher, a modern guided-missile destroyer, escorting a reproduction of the 18th-century French frigate Hermione.
A navy, naval force, military maritime fleet, war navy, or maritime force is the branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake-borne, riverine, littoral, or ocean-borne combat operations and related functions. It includes anything conducted by surface ships, amphibious ships, submarines, and seaborne aviation, as well as ancillary support, communications, training, and other fields.
The strategic offensive role of a navy is projection of force into areas beyond a country's shores (for example, to protect sea-lanes, deter or confront piracy, ferry troops, or attack other navies, ports, or shore installations). The strategic defensive purpose of a navy is to frustrate seaborne projection-of-force by enemies. The strategic task of a navy also may incorporate nuclear deterrence by use of submarine-launched ballistic missiles. Naval operations can be broadly divided between riverine and littoral applications (brown-water navy), open-ocean applications (blue-water navy), and something in between (green-water navy), although these distinctions are more about strategic scope than tactical or operational division.
Etymology and meanings
This section contains special characters. Without proper rendering support, you may see question marks, boxes, or other symbols.
First attested in English in the early 14th century,[1] the word "navy" came via Old French navie, "fleet of ships", from the Latin navigium, "a vessel, a ship, bark, boat",[2] from navis, "ship".[3] The word "naval" came from Latin navalis, "pertaining to ship";[4] cf. Greek ναῦς (naus), "ship",[5] ναύτης (nautes), "seaman, sailor".[6] The earliest attested form of the word is in the Mycenaean Greek compound word 𐀙𐀄𐀈𐀗, na-u-do-mo (*naudomoi), "shipbuilders", written in Linear B syllabic script.[n 1]
The word formerly denoted fleets of both commercial and military nature. In modern usage "navy" used alone always denotes a military fleet, although the term "merchant navy" for a commercial fleet still incorporates the non-military word sense. This overlap in word senses between commercial and military fleets grew out of the inherently dual-use nature of fleets; centuries ago, nationality was a trait that unified a fleet across both civilian and military uses. Although nationality of commercial vessels has little importance in peacetime trade other than for tax avoidance, it can have greater meaning during wartime, when supply chains become matters of patriotic attack and defense, and when in some cases private vessels are even temporarily converted to military vessels. The latter was especially important, and common, before 20th-century military technology existed, when merely adding artillery and naval infantry to any sailing vessel could render it fully as martial as any military-owned vessel. Such privateering has been rendered obsolete in blue-water strategy since modern missile and aircraft systems grew to leapfrog over artillery and infantry in many respects; but privateering nevertheless remains potentially relevant in littoral warfare of a limited and asymmetric nature.
History
Main articles: Naval warfare and Naval history
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Naval warfare developed when humans first fought from water-borne vessels. Before the introduction of the cannon and ships with enough capacity to carry them, navy warfare primarily involved ramming and boarding actions. In the time of ancient Greece and the Roman Empire, naval warfare centered on long, narrow vessels powered by banks of oarsmen (such as triremes and quinqueremes) designed to ram and sink enemy vessels or come alongside the enemy vessel so its occupants could be attacked hand-to-hand. Naval warfare continued in this vein through the Middle Ages until the cannon became commonplace and capable of being reloaded quickly enough to be reused in the same battle.
In ancient China, large naval battles were known since the Qin dynasty (also see Battle of Red Cliffs, 208), employing the war junk during the Han dynasty. However, China's first official standing navy was not established until the Southern Song dynasty in the 12th century, a time when gunpowder was a revolutionary new application to warfare.[11] The Chola Dynasty in Southern India had a navy composed of trade ships transporting armies overseas.[12] The Chola Navy reached its peak under Rajendra I, and was most notably used in invasions of Sri Lanka and Southeast Asia.[13][14]
Nusantaran thalassocracies made extensive use of naval power and technologies. This enabled the seafaring local people (either Malays of Srivijaya or Javanese of Mataram) to attack as far as the coast of Tanzania and Mozambique with 1000 boats and attempted to take the citadel of Qanbaloh, about 7,000 km to their West, in 945–946 AD.[15]: 110 [16]: 39 In 1350 AD Majapahit launched its largest military expedition, the invasion of Pasai, with 400 large jong and innumerable smaller vessels.[17] The second largest military expedition, invasion of Singapura in 1398, Majapahit deployed 300 jong with no less than 200,000 men.[18][19] The average jong used by Majapahit would be about 76.18–79.81 m LOA, carrying 600–700 men, with 1200–1400 tons deadweight.[20]: 60–62
The mass and deck space required to carry a large number of cannon made oar-based propulsion impossible, and ships came to rely primarily on sails. Warships were designed to carry increasing numbers of cannon and naval tactics evolved to bring a ship's firepower to bear in a broadside, with ships-of-the-line arranged in a line of battle.
The development of large capacity, sail-powered ships carrying cannon led to a rapid expansion of European navies, especially the Spanish and Portuguese navies that dominated in the 16th and early 17th centuries, and helped propel the Age of Discovery and colonialism. The repulsion of the Spanish Armada (1588) by the English fleet revolutionized naval warfare by the success of a guns-only strategy and caused a major overhaul of the Spanish Navy, partly along English lines, which resulted in even greater dominance by the Spanish. From the beginning of the 17th century the Dutch cannibalized the Portuguese Empire in the East and, with the immense wealth gained, challenged Spanish hegemony at sea. From the 1620s, Dutch raiders seriously troubled Spanish shipping and, after a number of battles that went both ways, the Dutch Navy finally broke the long dominance of the Spanish Navy in the Battle of the Downs (1639).
England emerged as a major naval power in the mid-17th century in the first Anglo-Dutch war with a technical victory. Successive decisive Dutch victories in the second and third Anglo-Dutch Wars confirmed the Dutch mastery of the seas during the Dutch Golden Age, financed by the expansion of the Dutch Empire. The French Navy won some important victories near the end of the 17th century but a focus upon land forces led to the French Navy's relative neglect, which allowed the Royal Navy to emerge with an ever-growing advantage in size and quality, especially in tactics and experience, from 1695. As a response to growing naval influence of the navies of Portuguese, the warrior king of the Marathas, Shivaji laid the foundation of the Maratha navy in 1654.
Throughout the 18th century the Royal Navy gradually gained ascendancy over the French Navy, with victories in the War of Spanish Succession (1701–1714), inconclusive battles in the War of Austrian Succession (1740–1748), victories in the Seven Years' War (1754–1763), a partial reversal during the American War of Independence (1775–1783), and consolidation into uncontested supremacy during the 19th century from the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805. These conflicts saw the development and refinement of tactics that came to be called the line of battle.
The next stage in the evolution of naval warfare was the introduction of metal plating along the hull sides. The increased mass required steam-powered engines, resulting in an arms race between armor and weapon thickness and firepower. The first armored vessels, the French Gloire and British HMS Warrior, made wooden vessels obsolete. Another significant improvement came with the invention of the rotating turrets, which allowed the guns to be aimed independently of ship movement. The battle between CSS Virginia and USS Monitor during the American Civil War (1861–1865) is often cited as the beginning of this age of maritime conflict. The Russian Navy was considered the third strongest in the world on the eve of the Russo-Japanese War, which turned to be a catastrophe for the Russian military in general and the Russian Navy in particular. Although neither party lacked courage, the Russians were defeated by the Japanese in the Battle of Port Arthur, which was the first time in warfare that mines were used for offensive purposes. The warships of the Baltic Fleet sent to the Far East were lost in the Battle of Tsushima. A further step change in naval firepower occurred when the United Kingdom launched HMS Dreadnought in 1906, but naval tactics still emphasized the line of battle.
The German submarine U-995, in service during World War II.
The first practical military submarines were developed in the late 19th century and by the end of World War I had proven to be a powerful arm of naval warfare. During World War II, Nazi Germany's submarine fleet of U-boats almost starved the United Kingdom into submission and inflicted tremendous losses on U.S. coastal shipping. The German battleship Tirpitz, a sister ship of Bismarck, was almost put out of action by miniature submarines known as X-Craft. The X-Craft severely damaged her and kept her in port for some months.
A major paradigm shift in naval warfare occurred with the introduction of the aircraft carrier. First at Taranto in 1940 and then at Pearl Harbor in 1941, the carrier demonstrated its ability to strike decisively at enemy ships out of sight and range of surface vessels. The Battle of Leyte Gulf (1944) was arguably the largest naval battle in history; it was also the last battle in which battleships played a significant role. By the end of World War II, the carrier had become the dominant force of naval warfare.
World War II also saw the United States become by far the largest naval power in the world. In the late 20th and early 21st centuries, the United States Navy possessed over 70% of the world's total numbers and total tonnage of naval vessels of 1,000 tons or greater.[21] Throughout the rest of the 20th century, the United States Navy would maintain a tonnage greater than that of the next 17 largest navies combined. During the Cold War, the Soviet Navy became a significant armed force, with large numbers of large, heavily armed ballistic missile submarines and extensive use of heavy, long-ranged antisurface missiles to counter the numerous United States carrier battle groups. Only two nations, the United States and France, presently operate CATOBAR carriers of any size, while Russia, China and India operate sizeable STOBAR carriers (although all three are originally of Russian design). The United Kingdom is also operating two Queen Elizabeth-class carriers, which are the largest STOVL vessels in service, and India is currently building one aircraft carrier, INS Vikrant, and considering another. France is also looking at a new carrier, probably using a CATOBAR system and possibly based on the British Queen Elizabeth design.
Operations
A navy typically operates from one or more naval bases. The base is a port that is specialized in naval operations, and often includes housing, a munitions depot, docks for the vessels, and various repair facilities. During times of war temporary bases may be constructed in closer proximity to strategic locations, as it is advantageous in terms of patrols and station-keeping. Nations with historically strong naval forces have found it advantageous to obtain basing rights in other countries in areas of strategic interest.
Navy ships can operate independently or with a group, which may be a small squadron of comparable ships, or a larger naval fleet of various specialized ships. The commander of a fleet travels in the flagship, which is usually the most powerful vessel in the group. Before radio was invented, commands from the flagship were communicated by means of flags. At night signal lamps could be used for a similar purpose. Later these were replaced by the radio transmitter, or the flashing light when radio silence was needed.
A "blue water navy" is designed to operate far from the coastal waters of its home nation. These are ships capable of maintaining station for long periods of time in deep ocean, and will have a long logistical tail for their support. Many are also nuclear powered to save having to refuel. By contrast a "brown water navy" operates in the coastal periphery and along inland waterways, where larger ocean-going naval vessels can not readily enter. Regional powers may maintain a "green water navy" as a means of localized force projection. Blue water fleets may require specialized vessels, such as minesweepers, when operating in the littoral regions along the coast.
Traditions
Main article: Naval tradition
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A basic tradition is that all ships commissioned in a navy are referred to as ships rather than vessels, with the exception of destroyers and submarines, which are known as boats. The prefix on a ship's name indicates that it is a commissioned ship.
An important tradition on board naval vessels of some nations has been the ship's bell. This was historically used to mark the passage of time, as warning devices in heavy fog, and for alarms and ceremonies.
The ship's captain, and more senior officers are "piped" aboard the ship using a Boatswain's call.
In the United States, the First Navy Jack is a flag that has the words, "Don't Tread on Me" on the flag.
By English tradition, ships have been referred to as a "she". However, it was long considered bad luck to permit women to sail on board naval vessels. To do so would invite a terrible storm that would wreck the ship. The only women that were welcomed on board were figureheads mounted on the prow of the ship.
Firing a cannon salute partially disarms the ship, so firing a cannon for no combat reason showed respect and trust. As the tradition evolved, the number of cannons fired became an indication of the rank of the official being saluted.
Naval organization
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Ships
Main article: Naval ship
Historically, navy ships were primarily intended for warfare. They were designed to withstand damage and to inflict the same, but only carried munitions and supplies for the voyage (rather than merchant cargo). Often, other ships that were not built specifically for warfare, such as the galleon or the armed merchant ships in World War II, did carry armaments. In more recent times, navy ships have become more specialized and have included supply ships, troop transports, repair ships, oil tankers and other logistics support ships as well as combat ships.
Modern navy combat ships are generally divided into seven main categories: aircraft carriers, cruisers, destroyers, frigates, corvettes, submarines, and amphibious assault ships. There are also support and auxiliary ships, including the oiler, minesweeper, patrol boat, hydrographic and oceanographic survey ship and tender. During the age of sail, the ship categories were divided into the ship of the line, frigate, and sloop-of-war.
Naval ship names are typically prefixed by an abbreviation indicating the national navy in which they serve. For a list of the prefixes used with ship names (HMS, USS, LÉ, etc.) see ship prefix.
Today's warships are significantly faster than in years past, thanks to much improved propulsion systems. Also, the efficiency of the engines has improved, in terms of fuel, and of how many sailors it takes to operate them. In World War II, ships needed to refuel very often. However, today ships can go on very long journeys without refueling. Also, in World War II, the engine room needed about a dozen sailors to work the many engines, however, today, only about four or five are needed (depending on the class of the ship). Today, naval strike groups on longer missions are always followed by a range of support and replenishment ships supplying them with anything from fuel and munitions, to medical treatment and postal services. This allows strike groups and combat ships to remain at sea for several months at a time.
Boats
The term "boat" refers to small craft limited in their use by size and usually not capable of making lengthy independent voyages at sea. The old navy adage to differentiate between ships and boats is that boats are capable of being carried by ships. (Submarines by this rule are ships rather than boats, but are customarily referred to as boats reflecting their previous smaller size.)
Navies use many types of boat, ranging from 9-foot (2.7 m) dinghies to 135-foot (41 m) landing craft. They are powered by either diesel engines, out-board gasoline engines, or waterjets. Most boats are built of aluminum, fiberglass, or steel. Rigid-hulled inflatable boats are also used.
Patrol boats are used for patrols of coastal areas, lakes and large rivers.
Landing craft are designed to carry troops, vehicles, or cargo from ship to shore under combat conditions, to unload, to withdraw from the beach, and to return to the ship. They are rugged, with powerful engines, and usually armed. There are many types in today's navies including hovercraft. They will typically have a power-operated bow ramp, a cargo well and after structures that house engine rooms, pilot houses, and stowage compartments. These boats are sometimes carried by larger ships.
Special operations craft are high-speed craft used for insertion and extraction of special forces personnel and some may be transportable (and deployed) by air.
Boats used in non-combat roles include lifeboats, mail boats, line handling boats, buoy boats, aircraft rescue boats, torpedo retrievers, explosive ordnance disposal craft, utility boats, dive boats, targets, and work boats. Boats are also used for survey work, tending divers, and minesweeping operations. Boats for carrying cargo and personnel are sometimes known as launches, gigs, barges or shore party boats.
Units
Naval forces are typically arranged into units based on the number of ships included, a single ship being the smallest operational unit. Ships may be combined into squadrons or flotillas, which may be formed into fleets. The largest unit size may be the whole Navy or Admiralty.
A task force can be assembled using ships from different fleets for an operational task.
Personnel
Despite their acceptance in many areas of naval service, female sailors were not permitted to serve on board U.S. submarines until the U.S. Navy lifted the ban in April 2010.[22] The major reasons historically cited by the U.S. Navy were the extended duty tours and close conditions which afford almost no privacy. The United Kingdom's Royal Navy has had similar restrictions. Australia, Canada, Norway, and Spain previously opened submarine service to women sailors.[23]
Ranks
Main article: Naval officer ranks
A navy will typically have two sets of ranks, one for enlisted personnel and one for officers.
Typical ranks for commissioned officers include the following, in ascending order (Commonwealth ranks are listed first on each line; USA ranks are listed second in those instances where they differ from Commonwealth ranks):
Midshipman / Ensign / Corvette Lieutenant
Sub Lieutenant / Lieutenant Junior Grade / Frigate Lieutenant
Lieutenant (Commonwealth & US)/ Ship-of-the-Line Lieutenant / Captain Lieutenant
Lieutenant Commander (Commonwealth & US)/ Corvette Captain
Commander (Commonwealth & US)/ Frigate Captain
Captain (Commonwealth & US)/ Ship-of-the-Line Captain
Commodore / Flotilla Admiral (in US only: Rear Admiral (lower half))
Rear Admiral (in US only: Rear Admiral (upper half))
Vice Admiral (Commonwealth & US)
Admiral (Commonwealth & US)
Admiral of the Fleet (Commonwealth) / Fleet Admiral (US) / Grand Admiral
"Flag officers" include any rank that includes the word "admiral" (or commodore in services other than the US Navy), and are generally in command of a battle group, strike group or similar flotilla of ships, rather than a single ship or aspect of a ship. However, commodores can also be temporary or honorary positions. For example, during World War II, a Navy captain was assigned duty as a convoy commodore, which meant that he was still a captain, but in charge of all the merchant vessels in the convoy.
The most senior rank employed by a navy will tend to vary depending on the size of a navy and whether it is wartime or peacetime, for example, few people have ever held the rank of Fleet Admiral in the U.S. Navy, the chief of the Royal Australian Navy holds the rank of Vice Admiral, and the chief of the Irish Naval Service holds the rank of Commodore.
Naval infantry
Main article: Marines
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22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit conducting a beach landing exercise.
Naval infantry, commonly known as marines, are a category of infantry that form part of a state's naval forces and perform roles on land and at sea, including amphibious operations, as well as other, naval roles. They also perform other tasks, including land warfare, separate from naval operations.
During the era of the Roman empire, naval forces included marine legionaries for maritime boarding actions. These were troops primarily trained in land warfare, and did not need to be skilled at handling a ship. Much later during the age of sail, a component of marines served a similar role, being ship-borne soldiers who were used either during boarding actions, as sharp-shooters, or in raids along shorelines.
The Spanish Infantería de Marina was formed in 1537, making it the oldest, current marine force in the world. The British Royal Marines combine being both a ship-based force and also being specially trained in commando frogman-style operations and tactics, operating in some cases separately from the rest of the Royal Navy. The Royal Marines also have their own special forces unit.
In the majority of countries, the marine force is an integral part of the navy but there are variations such as the French Troupes de marine, which is actually part of the French Army. The United States Marine Corps is a separate armed service within the United States Department of the Navy, with its own leadership structure.
Naval aviation
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Main article: Naval aviation
USS John C. Stennis (left) and HMS Illustrious.
Naval aviation is the application of military air power by navies, whether from warships that embark aircraft, or land bases.
In World War I, several navies used floatplanes and flying boats – mainly for scouting. By World War II, aircraft carriers could carry bomber aircraft capable of attacking naval and land targets, as well as fighter aircraft for defence. Since World War II helicopters have been embarked on smaller ships in roles such as anti-submarine warfare and transport. Some navies have also operated land-based aircraft in roles such as maritime patrol and training.
Naval aviation forces primarily perform naval roles at sea. However, they are also used in a variety of other roles.
See also
Blue-water navy
Coast guard
List of auxiliary ship classes in service
List of countries by level of military equipment
List of naval battles
List of naval ship classes in service
List of navies
List of submarine classes in service
Naval academy
Naval fleet
Naval militia
Naval tactics
Naval warfare
Navies of landlocked countries
Shore patrol
Notes and references
Notes
Found on the KN U 736, PY Na 568, PY Vn 865 and PY Xn 990 tablets.[7][8][9] Cf. ναυπηγός.[10]
Citations
Harper, Douglas. "navy". Online Etymology Dictionary.
navigium. Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short. A Latin Dictionary on Perseus Project.
navis. Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short. A Latin Dictionary on Perseus Project.
navalis. Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short. A Latin Dictionary on Perseus Project.
ναῦς. Liddell, Henry George; Scott, Robert; A Greek–English Lexicon at the Perseus Project.
ναύτης in Liddell and Scott.
"The Linear B word na-u-do-mo". Palaeolexicon. Word study tool of ancient languages. Archived from the original on 8 October 2024. Retrieved 25 March 2014.
Raymoure, K.A. "na-u-do-mo". Minoan Linear A & Mycenaean Linear B. Deaditerranean. Archived from the original on 13 October 2013. Retrieved 25 March 2014.
"KN 736 U (unknown)". Archived from the original on 25 March 2014. Retrieved 25 March 2014. "PY 568 Na (1)". Archived from the original on 25 March 2014. Retrieved 25 March 2014. "PY 865 Vn + fr. (Ci)". Archived from the original on 25 March 2014. Retrieved 25 March 2014. "PY 990 Xn (unknown)". DĀMOS: Database of Mycenaean at Oslo. University of Oslo. Archived from the original on 25 March 2014.
ναυπηγός.
de Crespigny (1990), p. 264, "The engagement at the Red Cliffs took place in the winter of the 13th year of Jian'an, probably about the end of 208."
Majumdar, Romesh Chandra (2001). The History and Culture of the Indian People, Volume V: The Struggle for Empire. Mumbai: Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan.
Kulke, p. 212.
Spencer 1976, p. 409.
Kumar, Ann (2012). 'Dominion Over Palm and Pine: Early Indonesia's Maritime Reach', in Geoff Wade (ed.), Anthony Reid and the Study of the Southeast Asian Past (Singapore: Institute of Southeast Asian Studies), 101–122.
Nugroho, Irawan Djoko (2011). Majapahit Peradaban Maritim. Suluh Nuswantara Bakti. ISBN 978-602-9346-00-8.
Hill (June 1960). "Hikayat Raja-Raja Pasai". Journal of the Malaysian Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society. 33: pp. 98 and 157: "Then he directed them to make ready all the equipment and munitions of war needed for an attack on the land of Pasai – about four hundred of the largest junks, and also many barges (malangbang) and galleys." See also Nugroho (2011), pp. 270 and 286, quoting Hikayat Raja-Raja Pasai, 3: 98: "Sa-telah itu, maka di-suroh baginda musta'idkan segala kelengkapan dan segala alat senjata peperangan akan mendatangi negeri Pasai itu, sa-kira-kira empat ratus jong yang besar-besar dan lain daripada itu banyak lagi daripada malangbang dan kelulus." (After that, he is tasked by His Majesty to ready all the equipment and all weapons of war to come to that country of Pasai, about four hundred large jongs and other than that much more of malangbang and kelulus.)
Nugroho (2011), pp. 271, 399–400, quoting Sejarah Melayu, 10.4: 77: "... maka bagindapun segera menyuruh berlengkap tiga ratus buah jung, lain dari pada itu kelulus, pelang, jongkong, tiada terbilang lagi." (then His Majesty immediately ordered to equip three hundred jong, other than that kelulus, pelang, jongkong in uncountable numbers.)
Leyden, John (1821). Malay Annals: Translated from the Malay language. London: Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme and Brown. p. 86: "The bitara immediately fitted out 300 junks together with the vessels calúlús, pelang, and jongkong in numbers beyond calculation, and embarked on board of them two Cati of Javans (200,000). Then having set sail, they arrived at Singhapura, and immediately engaged in battle."
Averoes, Muhammad (2022). "Re-Estimating the Size of Javanese Jong Ship". HISTORIA: Jurnal Pendidik Dan Peneliti Sejarah. 5 (1): 57–64. doi:10.17509/historia.v5i1.39181. S2CID 247335671.
"Weighing the US Navy", Defense & Security Analysis, Volume 17, Issue 3, December 2001, pp. 259–265.
"The Associated Press: Biden notes big year, sub service for Navy women". 1 June 2010. Archived from the original on 1 June 2010.
"NATO Review – Vol. 49 – No 2 – Summer 2001". NATO. Archived from the original on 28 April 2021. Retrieved 22 March 2021.
References
de Crespigny, Rafe (2018) [1990]. Generals of the South: The Foundation and Early History of the Three Kingdoms State of Wu (Internet ed.). Canberra: Australian National University. ISBN 978-0-7315-0901-0. Archived from the original on 9 July 2012. Retrieved 9 November 2023.
Spencer, George W. (1976). "The Politics of Plunder: The Cholas in Eleventh-Century Ceylon". The Journal of Asian Studies. 35 (3): 405–419. doi:10.2307/2053272. ISSN 0021-9118. JSTOR 2053272. S2CID 154741845.
Further reading
Non-fiction:
Combat Fleets of the World: Their Ships, Aircraft and Systems – Naval Institute Press. Published annually. Comprehensive.
Braudel, Fernand, The Mediterranean in the Ancient World.
Corbett, Sir Julian, Some Principles of Maritime Strategy, 1911.
Hughes Jr., Wayne P., Fleet Tactics and Coastal Combat, 1999, Naval Institute Press, ISBN 1-55750-392-3.
Kennedy, Paul. The Rise and Fall of British Naval Mastery. New York: Scribner, 1976. ISBN 0-394-54674-1.
Mahan, Alfred Thayer, The Influence of Sea Power upon History, 1660–1783, 1918, Boston: Little Brown.
Marder, Arthur. The Anatomy of British Seapower. New York: Octagon Books, 1940.
Marder, Arthur. "The Influence of History on Sea Power: The Royal Navy and the Lessons of 1914–1918", Pacific Historical Review. November 1972.
Richmond, Herbert. National Policy and National Strength and other Essays. London: Longman, Green and Co., 1928.
Sprout, Harold and Margaret Sprout. Toward a New Order of Sea Power: American Naval Policy ... 1918–1922. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1940.
Starr, Chester G., The Influence of Sea Power on Ancient History, 1989, Oxford University Press, ISBN 0-19-505666-3.
Tangredi, Sam, "Globalization and Maritime Power", 2002 – National Defense University, ISBN 1-57906-060-9.
Trafalgar 200 Through the Lens, ISBN 0-9553004-0-1.
Wombacher, Joerg and Joerg Felfe. (2012) United We Are Strong: An Investigation into Sense of Community among Navy Crews, Armed Forces & Society, Vol. 38, No. 4.
Woolley, Peter J. "The Role of Strategy in Great Power Decline", Naval War College Review. Vol. XLIX, no. 1 (1996). ISBN 1-884733-06-9.
Fiction:
Alan Lewrie series by Dewey Lambdin
Aubrey–Maturin series by Patrick O'Brian
Horatio Hornblower series by C. S. Forester
Richard Bolitho series by Alexander Kent (pseudonym of Douglas Reeman)
Tom Clancy, The Hunt for Red October (1984), Red Storm Rising (1986)
External links
Wikiquote has quotations related to Navy.
Look up navy in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.
Naval Technology – News, projects, images and white papers on the naval industry
NOSI (Naval Open Source Intelligence) – a library of world naval operational news
Navy at Scottish Military Heritage Centre
"Navy, The" . Collier's New Encyclopedia. 1921.
Hannay, David McDowall (1911). "Navy" . Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 19 (11th ed.). pp. 299–317.
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The 50 best WWII movies
by daperry001 • Created 11 years ago • Modified 11 years ago
A list of the finest World War II movies ever made. In my opinion, of course.
List activity
595K views
2.4K this week
50 titles
Sort by
List order
Oliwia Dabrowska in Schindler's List (1993)
1. Schindler's List
1993
3h 15m
15
9.0
(1.5M)
95
Metascore
In German-occupied Poland during World War II, industrialist Oskar Schindler gradually becomes concerned for his Jewish workforce after witnessing their persecution by the Nazis.
DirectorSteven SpielbergStarsLiam NeesonRalph FiennesBen Kingsley
Spielberg's masterpiece about the Holocaust has to top any list of WWII movies.
Tom Hanks, Matt Damon, Tom Sizemore, and Edward Burns in Saving Private Ryan (1998)
2. Saving Private Ryan
1998
2h 49m
15
8.6
(1.6M)
91
Metascore
Following the Normandy Landings, a group of U.S. soldiers go behind enemy lines to retrieve a paratrooper whose brothers have been killed in action.
DirectorSteven SpielbergStarsTom HanksMatt DamonTom Sizemore
Spielberg again. His bloody depiction of the Normandy landings is probably the finest battle sequence in movie history.
Jude Law and Joseph Fiennes in Enemy at the Gates (2001)
3. Enemy at the Gates
2001
2h 11m
15
7.5
(284K)
53
Metascore
A Russian and a German sniper play a game of cat-and-mouse during the Battle of Stalingrad.
DirectorJean-Jacques AnnaudStarsJude LawEd HarrisJoseph Fiennes
Brad Pitt, Til Schweiger, Daniel Brühl, Mélanie Laurent, Eli Roth, Christoph Waltz, and Diane Kruger in Inglourious Basterds (2009)
4. Inglourious Basterds
2009
2h 33m
18
8.4
(1.7M)
69
Metascore
In Nazi-occupied France during World War II, a plan to assassinate Nazi leaders by a group of Jewish U.S. soldiers coincides with a theatre owner's vengeful plans for the same.
DirectorQuentin TarantinoStarsBrad PittDiane KrugerEli Roth
Adrien Brody in The Pianist (2002)
5. The Pianist
2002
2h 30m
15
8.5
(958K)
85
Metascore
During WWII, acclaimed Polish musician Wladyslaw faces various struggles as he loses contact with his family. As the situation worsens, he hides in the ruins of Warsaw in order to survive.
DirectorRoman PolanskiStarsAdrien BrodyThomas KretschmannFrank Finlay
Alec Guinness, William Holden, Jack Hawkins, Sessue Hayakawa, Geoffrey Horne, and Ann Sears in The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957)
6. The Bridge on the River Kwai
1957
2h 41m
PG
8.1
(240K)
88
Metascore
British POWs are forced to build a railway bridge across the river Kwai for their Japanese captors in occupied Burma, not knowing that the allied forces are planning a daring commando raid through the jungle to destroy it.
DirectorDavid LeanStarsWilliam HoldenAlec GuinnessJack Hawkins
Richard Attenborough, Steve McQueen, and James Garner in The Great Escape (1963)
7. The Great Escape
1963
2h 52m
PG
8.2
(266K)
86
Metascore
Allied officers in a German prisoner of war camp during World War II making a daring plan for a mass escape by hundreds of their men, hoping to draw German personnel and resources away from combat operations.
DirectorJohn SturgesStarsSteve McQueenJames GarnerRichard Attenborough
A Bridge Too Far (1977)
8. A Bridge Too Far
1977
2h 55m
15
7.4
(64K)
63
Metascore
Operation Market Garden, September 1944: The Allies attempt to capture several strategically important bridges in the Netherlands in the hope of breaking the German lines.
DirectorRichard AttenboroughStarsSean ConneryRyan O'NealMichael Caine
Sean Astin, Matthew Modine, Eric Stoltz, D.B. Sweeney, Billy Zane, Harry Connick Jr., Tate Donovan, Reed Diamond, Courtney Gains, and Neil Giuntoli in Memphis Belle (1990)
9. Memphis Belle
1990
1h 47m
PG-13
6.9
(31K)
59
Metascore
In 1943, the crew of a B-17 based in the UK prepares for its 25th and final bombing mission over Germany before returning home to the USA.
DirectorMichael Caton-JonesStarsMatthew ModineEric StoltzTate Donovan
The Dam Busters (1955)
10. The Dam Busters
1955
2h 4m
PG
7.4
(12K)
Drama based on the attempt by the RAF to destroy six dams in Germany during World War II.
DirectorMichael AndersonStarsRichard ToddMichael RedgraveUrsula Jeans
Kenneth More in Reach for the Sky (1956)
11. Reach for the Sky
1956
2h 15m
U
7.2
(3.1K)
Biopic of RAF Group Captain Douglas Bader who, after having lost both legs, flew a British fighter plane during WWII.
DirectorLewis GilbertStarsKenneth MoreMuriel PavlowLyndon Brook
Roberto Benigni, Nicoletta Braschi, and Giorgio Cantarini in Life Is Beautiful (1997)
12. Life Is Beautiful
1997
1h 56m
PG
8.6
(771K)
58
Metascore
When an open-minded Jewish waiter and his son become victims of the Holocaust, he uses a perfect mixture of will, humor and imagination to protect his son from the dangers around their camp.
DirectorRoberto BenigniStarsRoberto BenigniNicoletta BraschiGiorgio Cantarini
Clint Eastwood, Donald Sutherland, Telly Savalas, and Don Rickles in Kelly's Heroes (1970)
13. Kelly's Heroes
1970
2h 24m
PG
7.6
(56K)
50
Metascore
A group of U.S. soldiers sneaks across enemy lines in WWII France to get their hands on a secret stash of Nazi treasure.
DirectorBrian G. HuttonStarsClint EastwoodTelly SavalasDon Rickles
Jenny Agutter, Michael Caine, Robert Duvall, and Donald Sutherland in The Eagle Has Landed (1976)
14. The Eagle Has Landed
1976
2h 15m
A
6.9
(26K)
61
Metascore
A German plot to kidnap Prime Minister Winston Churchill unfolds at the height of World War II.
DirectorJohn SturgesStarsMichael CaineDonald SutherlandRobert Duvall
David Niven and Kim Hunter in A Matter of Life and Death (1946)
15. A Matter of Life and Death
1946
1h 44m
U
8.0
(26K)
A British wartime aviator who cheats death must argue for his life before a celestial court, hoping to prolong his fledgling romance with an American girl.
DirectorsMichael PowellEmeric PressburgerStarsDavid NivenKim HunterRobert Coote
Richard Burton, Clint Eastwood, and Mary Ure in Where Eagles Dare (1968)
16. Where Eagles Dare
1968
2h 38m
PG
7.6
(65K)
63
Metascore
Allied agents stage a daring raid on a castle where the Nazis are holding American brigadier general George Carnaby prisoner, but that's not all that's really going on.
DirectorBrian G. HuttonStarsRichard BurtonClint EastwoodMary Ure
Das Boot (1981)
17. Das Boot
1981
2h 29m
AA
8.4
(277K)
85
Metascore
A German U-boat stalks the frigid waters of the North Atlantic as its young crew experience the sheer terror and claustrophobic life of a submariner in World War II.
DirectorWolfgang PetersenStarsJürgen ProchnowHerbert GrönemeyerKlaus Wennemann
Ivana Baquero in Pan's Labyrinth (2006)
18. Pan's Labyrinth
2006
1h 58m
15
8.2
(720K)
98
Metascore
In 1944 Spain, a girl is sent to live with her ruthless stepfather. During the night, she meets a fairy who takes her to an old faun. He tells her she's a princess, but must prove her royalty by surviving three gruesome tasks.
DirectorGuillermo del ToroStarsIvana BaqueroAriadna GilSergi López
Downfall (2004)
19. Downfall
2004
2h 36m
15
8.2
(386K)
82
Metascore
Traudl Junge, the final secretary for Adolf Hitler, tells of the Nazi dictator's final days in his Berlin bunker at the end of WWII.
DirectorOliver HirschbiegelStarsBruno GanzAlexandra Maria LaraUlrich Matthes
Catch-22 (1970)
20. Catch-22
1970
2h 2m
X
7.1
(27K)
70
Metascore
A military pilot makes a valiant effort to be certified insane during World War II so that he can be excused from flying missions. But there's a catch.
DirectorMike NicholsStarsAlan ArkinMartin BalsamRichard Benjamin
David Niven, Gregory Peck, and Anthony Quinn in The Guns of Navarone (1961)
21. The Guns of Navarone
1961
2h 38m
Not Rated
7.5
(57K)
72
Metascore
A team of Allied saboteurs is assigned an impossible mission: infiltrate an impregnable Nazi-held Greek island and destroy the two enormous long-range field guns that prevent the rescue of 2,000 trapped British soldiers.
DirectorJ. Lee ThompsonStarsDavid NivenGregory PeckAnthony Quinn
Sylvester Stallone, Michael Caine, and Pelé in Escape to Victory (1981)
22. Escape to Victory
1981
1h 56m
PG
6.6
(34K)
57
Metascore
As allied P.O.W.s prepare for a soccer game against the German National Team to be played in Nazi-occupied Paris, the French Resistance and British officers are making plans for the team's escape.
DirectorJohn HustonStarsMichael CaineSylvester StallonePelé
Ingrid Bergman, Humphrey Bogart, Peter Lorre, Claude Rains, Sydney Greenstreet, Paul Henreid, and Conrad Veidt in Casablanca (1942)
23. Casablanca
1942
1h 42m
U
8.5
(627K)
100
Metascore
A cynical expatriate American cafe owner struggles to decide whether or not to help his former lover and her fugitive husband escape the Nazis in French Morocco.
DirectorMichael CurtizStarsHumphrey BogartIngrid BergmanPaul Henreid
David Niven, Gregory Peck, Roger Moore, Trevor Howard, and Barbara Kellerman in The Sea Wolves (1980)
24. The Sea Wolves
1980
2h
PG
6.3
(5.6K)
During World War II, British Intelligence brings a crew of ex-soldiers out of retirement, using their age as cover, to take to the seas and pull off an unlikely undercover mission in neutral Goa.
DirectorAndrew V. McLaglenStarsGregory PeckRoger MooreDavid Niven
The Dirty Dozen (1967)
25. The Dirty Dozen
1967
2h 30m
X
7.7
(81K)
73
Metascore
During World War II, a rebellious U.S. Army Major is assigned a dozen convicted murderers to train and lead them into a mass assassination mission of German officers.
DirectorRobert AldrichStarsLee MarvinErnest BorgnineCharles Bronson
Stalag 17 (1953)
26. Stalag 17
1953
2h
PG
7.9
(60K)
84
Metascore
After two Americans are killed while escaping from a German P.O.W. camp in World War II, the barracks black marketeer, J.J. Sefton, is suspected of being an informer.
DirectorBilly WilderStarsWilliam HoldenDon TaylorOtto Preminger
David Bowie, Takeshi Kitano, Tom Conti, Ryuichi Sakamoto, and Jack Thompson in Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence (1983)
27. Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence
1983
2h 3m
15
7.2
(21K)
53
Metascore
During WWII, a British colonel tries to bridge the cultural divides between a British POW and the Japanese camp commander in order to avoid bloodshed.
DirectorNagisa ÔshimaStarsDavid BowieTom ContiRyuichi Sakamoto
Asa Butterfield and Jack Scanlon in The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas (2008)
28. The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas
2008
1h 34m
12A
7.7
(259K)
55
Metascore
Through the innocent eyes of Bruno, the eight-year-old son of the commandant at a German concentration camp, a forbidden friendship with a Jewish boy on the other side of the camp fence has startling and unexpected consequences.
DirectorMark HermanStarsAsa ButterfieldDavid ThewlisRupert Friend
Empire of the Sun (1987)
29. Empire of the Sun
1987
2h 33m
PG
7.7
(138K)
62
Metascore
A young English boy struggles to survive under Japanese occupation of China during World War II.
DirectorSteven SpielbergStarsChristian BaleJohn MalkovichMiranda Richardson
Publicity Poster
30. Pearl Harbor
2001
3h 3m
12
6.2
(360K)
44
Metascore
A tale of war and romance mixed in with history. The story follows two lifelong friends and a beautiful nurse who are caught up in the horror of an infamous Sunday morning in 1941.
DirectorMichael BayStarsBen AffleckKate BeckinsaleJosh Hartnett
The Thin Red Line (1998)
31. The Thin Red Line
1998
2h 50m
15
7.6
(205K)
78
Metascore
Adaptation of James Jones' autobiographical 1962 novel, focusing on the conflict at Guadalcanal during the second World War.
DirectorTerrence MalickStarsJim CaviezelSean PennNick Nolte
Ralph Fiennes and Kristin Scott Thomas in The English Patient (1996)
32. The English Patient
1996
2h 42m
15
7.4
(208K)
86
Metascore
At the close of World War II, a young nurse tends to a badly burned plane crash victim. His past is shown in flashbacks, revealing an involvement in a fateful love affair.
DirectorAnthony MinghellaStarsRalph FiennesJuliette BinocheWillem Dafoe
Tom Cruise in Valkyrie (2008)
33. Valkyrie
2008
2h 1m
12A
7.1
(265K)
56
Metascore
A dramatization of the July 20, 1944 assassination and political coup plot by desperate renegade German Army officers against Adolf Hitler during World War II.
DirectorBryan SingerStarsTom CruiseBill NighyCarice van Houten
Letters from Iwo Jima (2006)
34. Letters from Iwo Jima
2006
2h 21m
15
7.8
(173K)
89
Metascore
The story of the battle of Iwo Jima between the United States and Imperial Japan during World War II, as told from the perspective of the Japanese who fought it.
DirectorClint EastwoodStarsKen WatanabeKazunari NinomiyaTsuyoshi Ihara
Richard Burton, Henry Fonda, Robert Mitchum, John Wayne, Sean Connery, Sal Mineo, Eddie Albert, Richard Beymer, Red Buttons, Jeffrey Hunter, Roddy McDowall, Rod Steiger, Robert Wagner, Paul Anka, Arletty, Mel Ferrer, Steve Forrest, Gert Fröbe, Fabian, Jean-Louis Barrault, Bourvil, Ray Danton, Irina Demick, Leo Genn, Henry Grace, John Gregson, Paul Hartmann, Werner Hinz, Curd Jürgens, Alexander Knox, Peter Lawford, Christian Marquand, Kenneth More, Edmond O'Brien, Ron Randell, Madeleine Renaud, Robert Ryan, Tommy Sands, Richard Todd, Tom Tryon, Peter van Eyck, and Stuart Whitman in The Longest Day (1962)
35. The Longest Day
1962
2h 58m
PG
7.7
(61K)
75
Metascore
The events of D-Day, told on a grand scale from both the Allied and German points of view.
DirectorsKen AnnakinAndrew MartonGerd OswaldStarsJohn WayneRobert RyanRichard Burton
Patton (1970)
36. Patton
1970
2h 52m
PG
7.9
(110K)
86
Metascore
The World War II phase of the career of controversial American general George S. Patton.
DirectorFranklin J. SchaffnerStarsGeorge C. ScottKarl MaldenStephen Young
Nicolas Cage, John Hurt, and Penélope Cruz in Captain Corelli's Mandolin (2001)
37. Captain Corelli's Mandolin
2001
2h 11m
15
5.9
(37K)
36
Metascore
When a fisherman leaves to fight with the Greek army during World War II, his fiancée falls in love with the local Italian commander.
DirectorJohn MaddenStarsNicolas CagePenélope CruzJohn Hurt
Battle of Midway (1976)
38. Battle of Midway
1976
2h 12m
PG
6.8
(22K)
48
Metascore
A dramatization of the battle that was widely heralded as a turning point of the Pacific Theatre of World War II.
DirectorJack SmightStarsCharlton HestonHenry FondaJames Coburn
Laurence Olivier, Michael Caine, Christopher Plummer, Robert Shaw, Trevor Howard, Harry Andrews, Curd Jürgens, Ian McShane, Kenneth More, Nigel Patrick, Michael Redgrave, Ralph Richardson, Patrick Wymark, and Susannah York in Battle of Britain (1969)
39. Battle of Britain
1969
2h 12m
PG
6.9
(25K)
44
Metascore
In 1940, the British Royal Air Force fights a desperate battle to prevent the Luftwaffe from gaining air superiority over the English Channel as a prelude to a possible Axis invasion of the U.K.
DirectorGuy HamiltonStarsMichael CaineTrevor HowardHarry Andrews
Henry Fonda, Charles Bronson, Dana Andrews, Pier Angeli, Telly Savalas, Robert Shaw, Ty Hardin, James MacArthur, George Montgomery, Robert Ryan, and Barbara Werle in Battle of the Bulge (1965)
40. Battle of the Bulge
1965
2h 47m
PG
6.8
(18K)
A dramatization of Nazi Germany's final Western Front counterattack of World War II.
DirectorKen AnnakinStarsHenry FondaRobert ShawRobert Ryan
Stalingrad (1993)
41. Stalingrad
1993
2h 14m
15
7.5
(39K)
The story follows a group of German soldiers, from their Italian R&R in the summer of 1942 to the frozen steppes of Soviet Russia and ending with the battle for Stalingrad.
DirectorJoseph VilsmaierStarsDominique HorwitzThomas KretschmannJochen Nickel
Jack Hawkins in The Cruel Sea (1953)
42. The Cruel Sea
1953
2h 6m
PG
7.4
(5.7K)
The World War II adventures of a British convoy escort ship and its officers.
DirectorCharles FrendStarsJack HawkinsDonald SindenJohn Stratton
Ewan McGregor, Ricky Gervais, Pip Torrens, Buckley Collum, and Sharon Horgan in Valiant (2005)
43. Valiant
2005
1h 16m
U
5.5
(25K)
45
Metascore
At the height of World War II, a tiny wood pigeon enlists in the elite Royal Homing Pigeon Service to serve Britain, as the fearsome General Von Talon (Tim Curry) and his deadly squadron of falcons patrol the English Channel. Is he a war-hero in the making?
DirectorGary ChapmanStarsEwan McGregorRicky GervaisTim Curry
Richard Attenborough, Steve McQueen, and James Garner in The Great Escape (1963)
44. 633 Squadron
1964
1h 42m
PG
6.4
(4.7K)
A RAF squadron is assigned to knock out a German rocket fuel factory in Norway. The factory supplies fuel for the Nazi effort to launch rockets on England during D-Day.
DirectorWalter GraumanStarsCliff RobertsonGeorge ChakirisMaria Perschy
The Bridge at Remagen (1969)
45. The Bridge at Remagen
1969
1h 55m
PG
6.7
(11K)
As the Allied armies close in, the Germans decide to blow up the last Rhine bridge, trapping their own men on the wrong side. But will it happen?
DirectorJohn GuillerminStarsGeorge SegalRobert VaughnBen Gazzara
Von Ryan's Express (1965)
46. Von Ryan's Express
1965
1h 57m
PG
7.1
(16K)
An American POW leads a group of mainly British prisoners to escape from the Germans in WWII.
DirectorMark RobsonStarsFrank SinatraTrevor HowardRaffaella Carrà
James Mason, James Coburn, Senta Berger, Maximilian Schell, and David Warner in Cross of Iron (1977)
47. Cross of Iron
1977
2h 12m
X
7.4
(30K)
64
Metascore
German commander Hauptmann Stransky places a squad in extreme danger after Sergeant Rolf Steiner refuses to lie for him.
DirectorSam PeckinpahStarsJames CoburnMaximilian SchellJames Mason
John Wayne, John Agar, and Adele Mara in Sands of Iwo Jima (1949)
48. Sands of Iwo Jima
1949
1h 40m
PG
7.0
(12K)
75
Metascore
Haunted by personal demons, Marine Sgt. John Stryker is hated and feared by his men, who see him as a cold-hearted sadist. But when their boots hit the beaches, they begin to understand the reason for Stryker's rigid form of discipline.
DirectorAllan DwanStarsJohn WayneJohn AgarAdele Mara
Ice Cold in Alex (1958)
49. Ice Cold in Alex
1958
2h 10m
PG
7.7
(6.9K)
During World War II in North Africa, a medical field unit must cross the desert in their ambulance in order to reach the British lines in Alexandria.
DirectorJ. Lee ThompsonStarsJohn MillsAnthony QuayleSylvia Syms
Jeremy Northam, Kate Winslet, Saffron Burrows, and Dougray Scott in Enigma (2001)
50. Enigma
2001
1h 59m
15
6.4
(22K)
64
Metascore
A young genius frantically races against time to crack an enemy code and solve the mystery surrounding the woman he loves.
DirectorMichael AptedStarsDougray ScottKate WinsletSaffron Burrows
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