Eisenhower Believed 'Under God' Was Vital to America's Identity

It was both a spiritual and strategic move when President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed a bill adding the words "under God" to the Pledge of Allegiance.

"From this day forward, the millions of our schoolchildren will daily proclaim in every city and town, every village and rural schoolhouse, the dedication of our nation and our people to the Almighty," the president said upon signing the bill on Flag Day, June 14, 1954.

"To anyone who truly loves America, nothing could be more inspiring than to contemplate this rededication of our youth, on each school morning, to our country’s true meaning," he continued...

"In this way we are reaffirming the transcendence of religious faith in America’s heritage and future. In this way we shall constantly strengthen those spiritual weapons, which forever will be our country’s most powerful resource, in peace or in war," Eisenhower said...

"To omit the words 'under God' in the Pledge of Allegiance is to omit the definitive factor in the American way of life," [Rev.] Docherty preached.