This concept of deceiving follows into suicide missions 'for the greater good' is nothing new. It has been done using numerous brainwashing methods during many ages. Sadly, religion and believes are most commonly used to manipulate and encourage (read force) subjects to sacrifice their lives in order to cause death among the adversary.
It happened during the end of WW2, when Japan, in a last desperate attempt, thought up glorious afterlives for all those who would crash into enemy ships flying a plane filled with explosives: the well known kamikaze's.
In the medieval ages, civilians were made to believe mortal self-sacrifice was the path to heaven and were by that forced to get in to battle unarmed. Just get hold of the enemies swords with their bare hands, so the more fortunate knights on their side had a better chance of slaying the enemy while getting out alive themselves...