The Glory of War

Volunteers to Fight Our Wars, #4

What motivates men to go to war? The answer is the desire for recognition and the opportunity to gain eternal fame. War is perhaps the most common way in which a man can become a hero. We tend to romanticize war. War is portrayed as a daring adventure for a sacred cause, where the soldier will ultimately reach the highest level of self-actualization. As demonstrated by the great military figures in history, the promise of honor and heroism can help a man conquer the world. Persuading talented officers to forsake field command for a desk job has historically been difficult. Foot soldiers, too, know that their way to glory and historical immortality lies with the sword and not the pen.

This book examines the dream of membership in an elite society and battle as the supreme test of the individual; promises of great rewards and military training as a “pleasant pastime”; and the tendency to grow fond of the pleasure/pain dichotomy of war. The material in this book is excerpted from For God, Gold, and Glory: A History of Military Service and Man’s Search for Power, Wealth, and Adventure, also by Martina Sprague. The full series comprises the following books:

1. The Forces of War: Patriotism, Tradition, and Revenge

2. The Financial Incentives of War: Poverty Draft, Mercenaries, and Volunteers in Foreign Armies

3. The Propaganda of War: Personal Transformation and the Search for Adventure

4. The Glory of War: The Way to Historical Immortality

5. The Reality of War: Boredom, Disillusion, and Desertion