Spiritual weapons : the Cold War and the forging of an American national religion / T. Jeremy Gunn.

Includes bibliographical references (pages [279]-285) and index.

Ch. 1. Launching Spiritual Weapons -- Pt. I. Foundations -- Ch. 2. Present at the Creation: The American National Religion -- Ch. 3. Enduring American Themes -- Pt. II. An American National Religion -- Ch. 4. Governmental Theism: Religion as the "First Line of Defense" -- Ch. 5. A Military Second to None -- Ch. 6. Capitalism as Freedom: The Baptism of Free Enterprise -- Pt. III. Deploying America's "Spiritual Weapons" Abroad -- Ch. 7. Guatemala: Coups and Consequences -- Ch. 8. Religion and the Origins of American Involvement in Vietnam -- Ch. 9. Conclusion: The Lessons of History -- Appendix I. President Harry Truman's 1951 Speech -- Appendix II. Chronology of 1954 Coup in Guatemala -- Appendix III. CIA Cable April 28, 1954.

"Tracing the development of Cold War influence on American religion, T. Jeremy Gunn reveals a new way of looking at how public faith has been transformed by world events and the United States's reaction to them." "Covering topics such as American national religion, government sponsorship of God and prayer, military activities, the Vietnam war, and current views on religion and foreign policy, the author underscores the ongoing influence foreign affairs and foreign policy have on religion and the ways in which it is practiced, both privately and publicly, in the United States. The post-World War II backlash to events occurring around the world, he contends, continues to shape and inform our notions of God and country, public faith, and the position of the United States in the global village. Taking the reader through this history to the present day, the author sheds new light on this important topic."--BOOK JACKET.