Veterans Day is a great opportunity to reflect on those who have served and to thank them for their service. Documentaries are an excellent way to learn about our veterans from firsthand accounts of historians and veterans.
Here is a selection of documentaries that you can watch for free online. From biographies to battlefield accounts and everything in between, these are some great resources to explore and reflect.
Tribute To American Soldiers – Vintage Memorial
Traditions and achievements – story of the valor and determination of the citizen soldier to preserve the American ideal of freedom from revolutionary times to Korean war.
Watch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mL2gjGPVPDI
Normandy Revisited
A feature documentary that explores the untold stories of history’s greatest invasion, ensuring that the memories of our last surviving D-Day veterans are preserved for future generations.
Watch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jYTC17SM5Ks
Dreams in the Mist of the Jungle
An America’s Silent Heroes documentary about Raul De La Paz, a Vietnam Veteran. Raul tells his story about the trials and tribulations he faced with his brothers in Vietnam.
Watch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6WdRwFZZZ4I
June 6th, 1944 – The Light of Dawn
This documentary, made entirely with remastered and colorized archive footage, traces Operation Overlord from its genesis to the Battle of Normandy.
Watch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P4l8Ua4-al4
The Battle Never Ends
When the guns have gone silent, many of our brave men and women who have sacrificed so much for this country are often forgotten. For them, the battle never ends.
Watch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2X8IXluMi-8
The Vietnam War
The US’s fear of communism caused American troops to go into Vietnam under President Kennedy in 1961. A war fought nightly on TV, and it engendered a huge anti-war movement.
Watch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z_YkVo0qEAA
The Soldier’s Heart
This PBS documentary tells the stories of soldiers who have come home haunted by their experiences during the Iraq War and asks whether the government is doing enough to help.
Watch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1FCOyuZ2JJI
Invisible Wounds of War: A Veteran Documentary
In this original documentary, Nick Morrison details why he enlisted, his experiences overseas, and the challenges he and those close to him faced when he returned home. From one veteran’s own experience, you’ll have a detailed look at the impacts of invisible wounds of war.
Watch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GOkoxNcZq4o
Veteran’s Day 11.11.11
A nationwide “day in the life” exploration of what it means to be a military veteran in the United States.
Watch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q59XH-3FWwI
Crisis Hotline: Veterans Press 1
A tremendously moving testament to the need for services for veterans suffering from PTSD.
Watch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r1w8ZJT-n8A
One thing that these documentaries all have in common is that they tell the stories of American veterans in their own words. They stand as testament to not only the sacrifices and service of our warfighters, but also what it’s like to go to war. For that reason alone, they should be viewed by every American on Veterans Day.