The US will celebrate its Independence Day from Great Britain on Wednesday.
America's initial split from the British crown, which was codified in the Declaration of Independence, took a lot of political will and negotiation by the members of the Continental Congress, since many states were not open to the split at first.
But it was the Continental Army, and the militias that took up arms in support, that would go on to win the war — not to mention a little help from the French Navy.
In honor of their service, here is a list of some of the best military movies to watch on the 4th of July.
Jeremy Bender contributed to an earlier version of this post.
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"The Patriot" (2000)
"The Patriot" tells the fictional tale of a colonial father who gets swept up in the American Revolution.
Haunted by his exploits during the French and Indian Wars, and initially unwilling to serve, he eventually goes on to form and lead a militia against the British.
"Top Gun" (1986)
Starring Tom Cruise and Val Kilmer, "Top Gun" follows Cruise as he attends the Top Gun aviation school. An aggressive but extremely competent pilot, Cruise competes throughout his training to become the best pilot in training. The film was selected in 2015 by the Library of Congress for preservation due to its cultural significance.
"The Longest Day" (1962)
"The Longest Day" tells the story of heroism and loss that marked the Allies' successful completion of the Normandy Landings on D-Day during World War II.
The film stands out due to its attention to detail, as it employed many Axis and Allied D-Day participants as advisers for how to depict the D-Day landings in the movie.
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