Every November, we honor all of the brave men and women in the United States Armed Forces who fought to keep the U.S. and other parts of the world safe and free. Originally known as Armistice Day, Veterans Day was originally established to honor those who fought in World War I, but was later expanded to include all veterans. This Veterans Day, Infobase is highlighting content related to the major wars of the past and the brave warriors who fought in them.
Learn about America’s Wars with American History
Infobase’s American History database features Topic Centers that bring together specially selected content—articles, shareable slideshows, videos, primary sources, timelines, and more—on the major battles our veterans have fought in, including:
- Revolutionary War Battles
- War of 1812
- U.S.-Mexican War
- American Civil War
- Plains Indian Wars
- Spanish-American War
- World War I
- World War II in Europe and the Pacific
- Korean War
- Vietnam War
- Persian Gulf War
- Iraq War
- Afghanistan War
American History’s editorially curated Topic Centers provide valuable study guides and entry points into the relevant, authoritative content, making it easy for users to locate and explore the content they need quickly and efficiently.
Want even more history content? If your institution also subscribes to African-American History, American Indian History, Ancient & Medieval History, and Modern World History, you have the ability to cross-search all five Infobase History Research Center databases for an even broader view of American and world history.
Learn More about American War History with Credo
If you’re interested in learning more about the wars our veterans fought in, check out Credo Source for high schools and Credo Reference for higher education institutions and public libraries. The Encyclopedia of American Studies from Johns Hopkins University Press offers articles and images covering every U.S. war from precolonial times to the present. In addition, the historical atlas Concise Atlas of World History, Andromeda offers centuries worth of historical maps. Trace military battles fought across the world and throughout history.
Shine a Spotlight on Our Veterans with These Videos
Our streaming video and media products—including Learn360 for K–12 schools and districts, Classroom Video On Demand for secondary schools, Access Video On Demand for public libraries, and Films On Demand for colleges and universities—each include entertaining and enlightening videos that educators at all levels can use to highlight our veterans’ sacrifices and struggles, the importance of Veterans Day, and the country they fought for. Here are just a few related titles. (The titles appear on all four platforms unless otherwise noted. Some of these titles contain mature themes or content; viewer discretion is advised.)
- American Veteran series (PBS, 2021, Item #274708; available on Access Video On Demand and Films On Demand): Today, America has nearly 18 million living military veterans, from the “Greatest Generation” that fought in World War II to men and women coming home from recent tours in Afghanistan and Iraq. This film illuminates the veteran experience with a moving range of voices from today and across the arc of American history. Narrated by veterans Drew Carey, Senator Tammy Duckworth, Wes Studi, and J.R. Martinez.
- History Shorts: Veterans Day (A&E, 2019, Item #281197; available on Access Video On Demand and Films On Demand): In this 60-second video short from the History Shorts series, historian and author Don Miller discusses the importance of Veterans Day.
- Your Country Needs You! Selective Service (SSS) (Makematic, 2021, Item #238876): In times of peace, the U.S. Armed Forces are well stocked with brave men and women who voluntarily sign up to serve. In the event of a catastrophic global conflict, however, it is possible for the U.S. government to rapidly recruit from the civilian population, thanks to the Selective Service System. In this video from the Untold: America Explained series, you will find out where it comes from and how compulsory it really is.
- Tuskegee Airmen (Untold: Things You Didn’t Know series) (Makematic, 2023, Item #285568; available on Learn360, Classroom Video On Demand, and Access Video On Demand): The Tuskegee Airmen, otherwise known as the Red Tails, were the first all Black air squadron in U.S. history. Their bravery and skill during the Second World War is legendary. Learn about them in this video.
- The Registry (PBS, 2020, Item #215273; available on Classroom Video On Demand, Access Video On Demand, and Films On Demand): The Registry profiles veterans of World War II who served in the Military Intelligence Service (M.I.S.)—a secret unit of mostly Japanese Americans—U.S. citizens who joined the U.S. Army to fight against Japan in the Pacific. These veterans want to make sure their legacy lives on through the M.I.S. registry where all of their names have been recorded. (Available in the U.S. and Canada.)
- Martha Gellhorn: The War Correspondent Who Covered D-Day (Makematic, 2023, Item #285556; available on Learn360, Classroom Video On Demand, and Access Video On Demand): One of the United States’ finest war correspondents, Martha Gellhorn battled sexism and misogyny to report on the D-Day landings during the Second World War. Learn more about her in this video from the Untold: Hidden Figures series.
- Just Like Me: The Vietnam War/The American War (Ronald J Osgood, 2020, Item #213647; available on Access Video On Demand and Films On Demand): The Vietnam War/The American War is a journey from present to past and back again that follows Vietnam veteran Ron Osgood in his quest to recover fragmented and buried stories from all sides of the Vietnam War/American War, revealing multiple perspectives that are thematically interconnected. The stories from veterans and non-combatants look at the ways in which war becomes inscribed into the life histories of ordinary individuals and the attempt to humanize our former enemies. By interweaving American and Vietnamese perspectives, the program promotes cross-cultural connection, empathy, and compassion.
- The Longest Month (Filmhub, 2022, Item #289491; available on Classroom Video On Demand, Access Video On Demand, and Films On Demand): You’ve heard about the Iraq War surge, but what really happened? Four gripping true stories are told by the Apache pilots, ground crews, and infantry who lived through the longest and deadliest tour of duty in the war.
- Ghost Army (Untold: America Explained series) (Makematic, 2023, Item #285586; available on Learn360, Classroom Video On Demand, and Access Video On Demand): The WWII 23rd Headquarters Special Troops—otherwise known as the Ghost Army—was a top-secret tactical deception unit deployed by the U.S. Army during the Second World War to fool the enemy by any means necessary. This video will show you more.
- The War to End All Wars… And Its American Veterans (El Dorado Films, 2019, Item #210710; available on Access Video On Demand and Films On Demand): Relying on newly discovered archival footage, memoirs from the fallen, and expert commentary from scholars, this documentary tells the story of World War I from the American perspective: its Ace pilots, mine-laying sailors, heroic doughboys, Harlem Hellfighters, and courageous nurses.
- Reg Saunders: Aboriginal War Hero (ClickView Pty Limited, 2018, Item #203303; available on Learn360, Classroom Video On Demand): Although Indigenous Australians were considered unfit to fight during the Second World War, plenty of them enlisted—including Reg Saunders, who fought in the Mediterranean and New Guinea, becoming the first commissioned Aboriginal officer. This frank account of his valor and the toll that war took on him from the World War II: Australian Experience series is told by his daughter Glenda Humes. It is an outstanding resource for middle and senior secondary-level history students. (Available everywhere except the U.K. and Australia/New Zealand.)
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