BEYOND THE BATTLE: RELIGION AND AMERICAN TROOPS IN WORLD WAR II

摘要: OF DISSERTATION BEYOND THE BATTLE: RELIGION AND AMERICAN TROOPS IN WORLD WAR II This dissertation examines the ways in which military personnel interacted with religion during World War II. It argues that challenges of wartime service provided impetus and opportunity to improvise religious practices, refine beliefs amid new challenges, broaden understanding through interaction those from other traditions. Methodologically, this moves beyond existing analyses focus primarily on institutions their representatives such as chaplains. Instead, it explores first-person accounts left by men women who were not part chaplain corps analyzes non-chaplains engaged religion. The exigencies war contributed innovation soldiers sailors improvised practices. Lay leaders sometimes filled lead services chaplains often available. Soldiers also modified individual practices diet, fasting, prayer fit context service. led troops previously held well adopt interpretations based personal experiences. clung whatever or they saw potentially beneficial. Finally, mixing combined social dislocation stress create an atmosphere questioned reformulated identities. As formed bonds traditions, became more difficult maintain previous assumptions rooted suspicion rumor about faiths. Understanding how anticipates significant aspects what many scholars have described a revival two decades following war. suggests veterans returned civilian life confidence own agency sharpened conceptions considered essentials.