By Dr. Edward J. Hagerty
Associate Professor, Military History at American Military University

It is a well-known axiom that our nation’s military forces reflect the society from which they are drawn. Hollywood films about the military over the last few decades have likewise reflected that society, rather than the military itself. War films are rarely just about war. They are instead statements that mirror society’s concerns about war. For historians, this has presented something of a conundrum. Films “based on a true story” often masquerade as history, despite what is sometimes a rather loose interpretation of historical fact. Historians and students alike can turn that conundrum to their advantage by using film as the basis of further discussion. Just as we can learn as much from a bad leader as we can from a good one, we can also learn from inaccurate films as well as those that are historically on target.