War is never pretty, but the lessons it can teach us are innumerable.
Since the invention of the photograph, people who haven’t been to war have been able to see it in an entirely new light. And perhaps we should see these things since they involve great sacrifice on our behalf.
Let’s look at some of the most famous war photos and their historical context:
1. “Custer And A Wounded Prisoner,” Henry William Elson, 1862
The Civil War was the bloodiest conflict in American history and involved friends and family looking (and shooting) across battle lines at one another.
This photo shows a younger General Custer as a lieutenant. His friend, on the left, was a Confederate Army Captain named John Lea. Custer saw Lea in the wounded tent and promised him he would be treated well.
2. “The Valley Of The Shadow Of Death,” Roger Fenton, 1855
Roger Fenton was one of the first war photographers. Since the technology was novel when he started, it required lugging hundreds of pounds of equipment around.
This photo shows the Valley of the Shadow of Death and some of the many, many people killed while trying to claim or defend it during the Crimean War.
3. “Raising The Flag On Iwo Jima,” Joe Rosenthal, 1945
Perhaps THE most famous war photo in history was taken during the Battle of Iwo Jima. Snapped by Joe Rosenthal, the moment comes as US Marines raise a flag, declaring Iwo Jima as Allied territory.
The photo shows six Marines, three of which would die in the battle directly after this.
The image would later be used as a stamp and turned into a sculpture.
4. “Burst Of Joy,” Slava Veder, 1974
In 1973, the Vietnam War was finally coming to a close. 14 years of fighting had left many dead, and soldiers were ready to come home,- none more so than the 600 American POWs that were negotiated to be released.
This photo shows Lt. Col. Robert Stirm as he sees his family after six years as a POW.
5. “President Lincoln Visiting Antietam,” Alexander Gardner, 1862
The bloodiest war in American history was without a doubt the Civil War and the bloodiest battle was the Battle of Antietam where over 3,500 people were killed, 17,300 wounded, and nearly 2,000 missing.
This photo shows President Lincoln as he visits the battlefield nearly two weeks later and pays his respects.
6. “Sharbat Gula,” Steve McCurry, 1984
This incredibly famous photo depicts a 12-year-old Pashtun orphan named Sharbat Gula at a refugee camp. The surrounding context was the war between Afghanistan and the Soviet Union in the 80s.
The photo was circulated, bringing national awareness to the conflict.
She was only recently (in 2021) granted refugee status in France.
7. “Hitler Touring The Eiffel Tower,” Heinrich Hoffman, 1940
Hitler had a personal photographer named Heinrich Hoffman.
After the crushing defeat of France at the beginning of the war, Hitler photographed himself, along with his senior officers, in front of the Eiffel Tower.
The resulting image was used as propaganda showing the strength of Germany.
8. “USS New Ironsides In Action,” Haas & Peale, 1863
The USS New Ironsides was the first and only Union ironclad ship used in the Civil War and this is the first photo of it in combat.
The warship was attacking two forts in the Charleston harbor, Fort Sumpter and Moultrie. Ironclad warships revolutionized naval warfare since cannonballs couldn’t sink them.
9. “Burning Oil Fields In Kuwait,” 1991
In 1991, Iraqi forces were pushed back from Kuwait in late February. Soon, the Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein ordered that all the oil fields in Kuwait be destroyed in retaliation.
As a result, 650 wells were burned and the fires lasted for nearly a year. This photo shows fighter jets as they patrol over those burning oil fields.
10. “Homecoming,” Earle L. Bunker, 1944
WWII called for the enlistment of millions of men in the United States. During breaks, these men would return home to their families for small periods of time.
This photo shows Lt. Col. Robery Moore returning home for the first time in 16 months to see his family. The photographer, Earle L. Bunker, waited for 24 hours to get this photo.
11. “The Falling Soldier,” Robert Capa, 1938
The Spanish Civil War broke out in 1936 as a result of prodding from a radicalized Germany led by Hitler. Fascists tried to undermine the democratically-elected government.
This photo was among the first to bring the realities of what was happening to people’s homes as a man was shot and fell to the ground. It was taken by Robert Capa, who would become known as the “world’s greatest war photographer” at only 25.
12. “The Weeping Frenchman,” 1940
This image, a still frame from an American film, Why We Fight: Divide and Conquer, was designed as propaganda to show to American troops before they left for war.
The film’s footage was taken from newsreel footage as well as staged actors, so whether this image is “genuine” or not is unknown. It depicts a Frenchman crying as Germany takes France, a major point in the war.
13. “Wounded At Savage Station, After The Battle Of 27th June, 1862,” James Gibson
This photo is one of the earliest examples of photographic war documentation. Although portions of the Mexican-American War were documented, the Civil War was much more so.
This photo shows a Union Army hospital tent after the Battle of Savage Station.
14. “March On The Pentagon,” Albert R. Simpson, 1967
The Vietnam War was criticized by many United States citizens who turned to protests as a way to voice dissent. The famous “March on the Pentagon” brought 100,000 demonstrators in DC as 35,000 people marched to the Pentagon.
In this photo, a protestor offers a Military Police Officer a flower.
15. “Occupation Of Saltillo, Mexican-American War,” c. 1846-1848
The daguerreotype was the first publicly available process for taking photos, and subsequently, the name of the photos taken using the process.
The process was first used to photograph warfare in the Mexican-American War, giving us insight into a 200-year-old conflict.
This photo shows the American Occupation of Saltillo in Coahuila, a Mexican state.
War photography allows us to see into the past and learn some seriously valuable lessons.
It also lets us remember the mistakes and achievements of those who came before in a beautiful way. History, captured.
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