"Am I on God's side?": U.S. Military Chaplains and the Dilemma of the Vietnam War

Arguably the Vietnam War was the most divisive conflict in which the armed forces of the United States have been involved. The divisions were not only within political circles and the general public, but were also present in the Chaplain Corps. These divisions can be explained by understanding the background of the war, the environment of the 1960s, and the debate about the morality of U.S. involvement in Southeast Asia. A basic question plagued chaplains: Could they bridge the gap between serving "two masters," God and church, and the military? While in some ways the Vietnam War was unique, many aspects of the chaplain's role were consistent across conflicts. Serving in front and back lines, chaplains provided a ministry of service that justified their presence as military officers and ministers of the gospel even amidst the Vietnam conflict's tensions at home and abroad.