War films do more than tell stores and provide catharses for viewers. Each film also conveys the social values and the mores of the period in which it was produced and addresses attitudes not only toward war, but also toward topics closely associated with was, such as the morality of fighting, the causes for which it is moral and just to fight and the responsibility of the individual to exhibit ethical behavior. The causes worth fighting for are frequently political systems, home, and family. This last topic lends itself to an examination of the roles of women in society, both those in traditional roles and those more actively involved in the war effort. In this unit selected films that deal with the wars of the 20th century are used to examine the criteria required for just wars, the responsibility of soldiers to follow ethical behavior toward the enemy, the role of women, the use of film as propaganda, and the importance of the historical period in which the film was made. This last topic shows how contemporary events influence the depiction of the events shown in the film. Films are suggested for World Wars I and II, the Korean Conflict and the Vietnam and Gulf Wars. The lesson plans include selected scenes for the films used.