July 2026 CVBT History Wire – Demoralized and Unnerved: Cowardice on Central Virginia’s Battlefields – Part II
CVBT History Wire – Demoralized and Unnerved: Cowardice on Central Virginia’s Battlefields – Part II
The July 2026 “CVBT History Wire” examines several accounts concerning cowardice, and allegations of cowardice, at Mine Run, the Wilderness and Spotsylvania Court House.
Read Here: CVBT History Wire – Demoralized and Unnerved: Cowardice on Central Virginia’s Battlefields – Part II
Reams of studies of what comprises battlefield courage have been written. I have read a few, enough to know at least so far, the exact formula has not yet been found. One oft told example is the Batte if Ia Derang Valley. A movie was made of the first part of the book, known as “We were Soldiers.” But, the second half of the book may have been more instructive. After the vicious fighting depicted in the movie, LTC Hal Moore’s Battalion was flown out. But, a second Battalion under a different commander assumed the mission, that of locating and engaging NVA forces. After leaving their LZ, the second battalion found itself in the worst ambush. This story of battlefield failure appears in various studies. The commander of the second battalion essentially froze. He was unable to react. His battalion was reduced to fighting a series of small, localized battles with no Battalion wide coordination.
Yet, the commander had an excellent war record from WW II and the Korean War. As an individual, no one doubted his battlefield courage. The theory is that he was new to his Battalion. He had been placed in command just weeks before. Whereas, LTC Hal Moore had been in command of his battalion for many months, all through their long train-up for the Viet Nam war. One theory of battlefield courage is that it is important that the members of a fighting unit know each other and feel a strong sense of unit cohesion.
Tom