Chapter 5, Religion is What Makes Brave Soldiers Summary and Analysis

In war, soldiers often come to believe that their fate is predetermined. And when soldiers come to believe that their fate is sealed, they look to religious or superstition. These beliefs help soldiers to cope. Many soldiers carried Bibles or New Testaments to protect themselves. Many tell stories of a Bible stopping a bullet. Both sides were products of the Second Great Awakening. As a result, Civil War armies were among the most religious in history.

Wars increase religious conviction because it makes death a reality. And religious conviction increases morale. The main thing that kept men going in World War II was prayer, and the same was true in the Civil War. Many men before the war were not serious Christians, but their experiences changed them. Already religious...