The best series and films from World War II streaming on Netflix | Television & Radio | Showbiz and television

History buffs often like to treat themselves to one or two war films. For World War II fans who want to learn more about the smaller resistance movements and battles that led to the final defeat of the Nazis, Netflix has a wide selection of war films that will delight you.

The deadliest conflict in world history remains a vivid memory, and many events of World War II were made into films in the decades that followed.

There are hundreds of films set during World War II, and a significant number of them are available on the giant streaming service.

Whether it’s a documentary, a series or a feature-length drama that recreates the theaters of war, there’s definitely something for everyone.

Express.co.uk takes a look at some of the best World War II films, series and documentaries currently available on Netflix.

Inglourious Basterds (2009 film)

Quentin Tarantino’s World War II film centers on the assassination of the Nazi leadership in a Paris cinema. Brad Pitt’s Lieutenant Aldo Raine leads a team of Jewish-American soldiers who join forces with a French-Jewish movie theater owner to avenge their father.

The tongue-in-cheek film with its alternate history storyline was nominated for eight Oscars, with Christoph Waltz winning best supporting actor for his iconic role as the villainous SS Colonel Hans Landa.

Hitler and the Nazis: Evil on Trial (Documentary 2024)

In six episodes, the documentary traces Adolf Hitler’s rise to power and the most important milestones of the Second World War. This riveting documentary examines Adolf Hitler and the rise, rule and reckoning of the Nazis from the pre-World War II period through the Holocaust to the Nuremberg Trials.

The aim is to tell the story of the Second World War in a new, engaging way for a younger audience. In addition to interviews with scientists and archival footage typical of World War II documentaries, it also features actors recreating key moments in the war’s history, giving the series the feel of watching a silent film.

Saving Private Ryan (1998 film)

In Steven Spielberg’s war epic, Tom Hanks plays US Captain John H. Miller, tasked with locating Matt Damon’s Private Ryan and having him sent home because his three other brothers were killed in battle.

Upon release in 1998, World War II veterans found the battle scenes, including the opening sequence of D-Day, to be an incredibly realistic depiction of their own experiences, with some unable to even continue watching. Although not everything was historically accurate.

The Liberator (2020 series)

A diverse, deeply courageous group of ragtag soldiers become one of the most heroic fighters of the European invasion in World War II. The series consists of four episodes based on true events. U.S. Army maverick Felix “Shotgun” Sparks and his infantry unit fight for more than 500 days to liberate Europe.

On July 10, 1943, a unit from Oklahoma consisting of Native Americans, Mexican Americans and Dust Bowl Cowboys, most of whom could not drink together in the same bars at home, landed in Sicily and endured a brutal 500-day trek Nazi-occupied Europe. This is the story of these men, a group of soldiers known as the Thunderbirds.

The Pianist (2002 film)

Roman Polanski’s Holocaust epic is based on the autobiography of the same name by the Polish-Jewish pianist and composer Władysław Szpilman. The film follows his incredible story of survival from the Warsaw Ghetto to hiding from the Nazis and liberation. A Palme d’Or winner, The Pianist also won best director for Polanski, best adapted screenplay for Ronald Harwood and best actor for Adrian Brody.