war heroes
Celebrated battlefield figures
War heroes are military personnel celebrated for exceptional bravery or achievement in combat.
The term implies recognition—medals, honors, public acclaim—though what qualifies varies by era and conflict.
Politicians invoke war heroes to justify policy or attack opponents: How dare you question a war hero's patriotism.
The singular war hero describes an individual; the plural often appears as a collective category.
- medalsAwards for achievement
- military honorsAwards for armed service
- braveryBoldness before danger
- acts of valorCourageous deeds under peril
- commendationsFormal expressions of approval
courage · sacrifice · Purple Heart · martyrs · leadership · monuments · veterans · welcome home · fallen soldiers · integrity · selflessness · Red Army · combat veterans · museums · Victoria Cross · memorials · Napoleonic Wars · band of brothers
- Americanspresidents, senators, governors, generals, authors
- hero storiesmythology, legends, Arthurian legend, Greek myths, Norse sagas
- military historybattles, soldiers, campaigns, officers, battlefields
- national mythsfounding myth, founding myths, national origin, origin story, origin stories
- Notable FinnsSibelius, national icons, independence leaders, Olympic champions
- Vietnamese FiguresHo Chi Minh, military commanders, political leaders, independence leaders, resistance fighters
war heroescowards
Those lacking courage
deserters · traitors · defectors · turncoats · collaborators
war heroeswar criminals
Violators of armed conflict
mass murderers · war profiteers · torturers · pillagers · warmongers
war heroespacifists
Those opposing all warfare
conscientious objectors · war resisters · peace activists · peacemakers · appeasers