Major general smedley butler was a fraud and a liar cutting. Butler had been approached by a group of corporate. Marine corps and, at the time of his death, the most decorated marine in u. So effectively this would be a rift in the federal government. War is a racket pdf by smedley butler free download. The life of smedley butler is an uniquely american story. These wall street millionaires literally plotted to. Based on his career military experience, butler discusses how business interests commercially benefit, such as war profiteering from warfare.
Without a doubt, smedley butler was an american hero. War is a racket by major general smedley butler usmc. Did a shady clique of politicians and businessmen attempt to lead a fascist coup against fdr. The profit motive behind warfare butler, smedley on. Born in 1881, major general smedley butler was the eldest son of a quaker family. Bettmann archive via getty images at this point, butler knew macguire was taking orders from someone, and requested to speak up the chain of command.
It involved some of the wealthiest businessmen in the united states us. Did a vast, powerful, and influential clique of businessmen and politicians briefly plan and perhaps attempt to execute a coup against president. This war is a racket pdf can be viewed, downloaded and printed. Smedley darlington butler 18811940 blew the whistle on the little known plot of the. Butler had been approached by a group of corporate leaders to. Major general smedley butler exposed the attempted coup detat in 1934. The military is also the recruiting ground for much of the federal workforce from the cia to the post ofiice whi. Butler s claims that a mysterious clique of businessmen and politicians attempted to lead a fascist coup against president roosevelt in the early years of his administration. Marine corps, the highest rank authorized at that time, and at the time of his death the most decorated marine in u. Also, butlers book war is a racket is given as a general reference.
Butler s outing of an attempted coup by big business to oust roosevelt was a publicity stunt designed to make roosevelt look like the savior of the common man instead of a wall street yesman. Smedley darlington butler i reckon that most of you reading this have heard of the socalled business plot, which is sometimes described as wall streets failed 1934 coup or the banksters fascist coup. This book is one of the most requested pdfs that we come across. This is the second installment of our investigation into general smedley d. I found this book to be as much, if not more, of a biography of smedley butle,r as a book about a plot to seize the white house. By the way, i believe that smedley butler s short war is a racket book should be required reading in high school and before anyone signs the bottom line to join or be drafted into the military. This historical biography explores the life of butler, a littleknown american marine who exposed an alleged fascist coup to remove president franklin d.
It is possibly the oldest, easily the most profitable, surely the most vicious. Furthermore, the us armed forces were at decreased peacetime levels. Feb 12, 2012 when the bankers plotted to overthrow fdr franklin delano roosevelt was subject to the kind of vitriol we often see directed at barack obama today. The retired general who stopped a wall street coup general smedley butler blew the whistle on a wall street led corporate coup against franklin d. Butlers outing of an attempted coup by big business to oust roosevelt was a publicity stunt designed to make roosevelt look like the savior of the common man instead of a wall street yesman. Originally printed in 1935, war is a racket is general smedley butlers frank speech describing his role as a soldier as nothing more than serving as a puppet for bigbusiness interests. Smedley darlington butler july 30, 1881 june 21, 1940 was a united states marine corps major general, the highest rank authorized at that time, and at the time of. General smedley butlers frank book shows how american war efforts were animated by bigbusiness interests. The practice of big business promoting war to profit materially was firmly in place by the time major general smedley d.
Smedley darlington butler was a united states marine corps major general, the highest rank authorized at that time, and at the time of his death the most decorated marine in u. This extraordinary argument against war by an unexpected. Just recently read the plot to seize the white house in reprint by julius archer and am amazed butler isnt way better known since his life story is so like an action novel of the era he lived in. At the time of his death, major general smedley darlington butler, also known as the fighting quaker, was the most decorated marine in us history. Smedley darlington butler was born july 30, 1881, in west chester, pennsylvania, the eldest of three sons. Major general smedley butler was a fraud and a liar. The us military is the largest component of the us federal government. It was clear that roosevelt intended to conduct a massive redistribution of wealth from the rich to the poor. Wikiproject military historyassessmentsmedley butler. Facebook is showing information to help you better understand the purpose of a page. Smedley darlington butler july 30, 1881 june 21, 1940, nicknamed the fighting quaker and old gimlet eye, was a major general in the u.
In november 1934, famed double medal of honor winner marine gen. In addition to photos from the notorious 1932 antiwar book the horror of it by frederick a. The business plot was a conspiracy to overthrow president franklin d. General smedley butler s frank book shows how american war efforts were animated by bigbusiness interests. In the autumn of 1934, general smedley old duckboard butler finally sprang into action. The business plot to overthrow roosevelt in the summer of 1933, shortly after roosevelts first 100 days, americas richest businessmen were in a panic. Major general smedley darlington butler july 30, 1881 june 21, 1940, nicknamed old gimlet eye, was a senior united states marine corps officer who fought in both the mexican revolution and world war i.
Now that he had a second witness, butler brought his story to the feds. The mood fed on books like all quiet on the western front and. His parents, thomas and maud nee darlington butler, were descended from local quaker families. Smedley darlington butler july 30, 1881 june 21, 1940 was a major general in the u. As reported in jules archers book, the plot to seize the white house, smedley butler had under gone a transformation in the times of 1930 32. In them, butler frankly discusses from his experience as a career military officer how business interests commercially benefit including war profiteering from warfare. Smedley butler november 12, 2015 rich winkel 18 comments during the fdr years, general smedley butler singlehandedly saved this country from a fascist coup by wall street financiers including prescott bush, money launderer for fritz thyssen, a major german industrialist, war profiteer and financial backer of. These wall street millionaires literally plotted to overthrow.
In 1934, butler testified before the united states house of representatives. Butler is one of the greatest americans of all time who has sadly been forgotten about. Major general smedley butler during his 34 years of marine corps service, butler was awarded. Here are links to the twopart series i wrote exposing smedley butler and the business plot against roosevelt. This pdf is within the public domain, therefore can be used for personal usage. Smedley butler and the 1930s plot to overthrow the. His views were published in his wellknown short book war is a racket. In 1933, retired marine corps general smedley butler was asked by a group. Major general smedley butler americans who tell the truth. Retired marine corps major general smedley butler revealed that wealthy businessmen were plotting to create a fascist veterans organization with butler as its leader and use it in a coup detat to overthrow president franklin d. Barber, this book includes two neverbeforepublished antiinterventionist essays by general butler. What would happen if the american military command. Smedley butler and the business plot today i found out. Butler, a retired united states marine corps major general and twotime medal of honor recipient.
Mar 16, 2014 smedley butler was a united states marine corps major general, the highest rank authorized at that time, and at the time of his death the most decorated marine in u. In 1935, butler wrote a book titled war is a racket, where he described and criticized the workings of the united states. Smedley butler and the 1930s plot to overthrow the president. In short, i was a racketeer, a gangster for capitalism. At the same time, we need to believe hes the kind of guy the bankers would approach to lead the coup.
Butler went on to publish his book war is a racket later that same year. Smedley darlington butler 1881, 1940 was a major general in the u. When the bankers plotted to overthrow fdr franklin delano roosevelt was subject to the kind of vitriol we often see directed at barack obama today. The twice decorated wwi veteran and former commander of the marine corps testified before the mccormackdickstein congressional committee and laid out an amazing saga, detailing how the conspirators. At the time of his death, smedley was the most decorated marine in u. On july 17, 1932, thousands of world war i veterans converged on washington, d. Aug 11, 2017 the only men who have the patriotism to do it are the soldiers and smedley butler is the ideal leader. War is a racket project gutenberg selfpublishing ebooks. At the time of his death, major general smedley darlington butler, also known. War is a racket is the title of two works, a speech and a booklet, by retired united states marine corps major general and two time medal of honor recipient smedley d. Butlers tale of a wall street coup detat would be the topic of my senior thesis. Originally printed in 1935, war is a racket is general smedley butler s frank speech describing his role as a soldier as nothing more than serving as a puppet for bigbusiness interests. Butler told congress that macguire had told him the attempted coup was backed by three million dollars, and.
Libertarian icon general smedley butler swore as much. Butler testified that the pretext for the coup would be that the presidents health was failing. It refers to the planning of a coup against franklin. On smedley butler and the fdr coup plot the constantine report.
On smedley butler and the fdr coup plot the constantine. Smedley butler was a united states marine corps major general, the highest rank authorized at that time, and at the time of his death the most decorated marine in. Smedley darlington butler was a major general in the u. Smedley darlington butler 18811940, nicknamed the fighting quaker and old gimlet eye, was a major general in the u. Major general smedley darlington butler july 30, 1881 june 21, 1940, was a united states marine corps major general, the highest rank authorized at that time, and at the time of his death the most decorated marine in u.
Forty times, envoys of wall street tried to persuade him to lead a coup detat. The business plot was a political conspiracy in 1933 in the united states. Smedley butler gave secret testimony before the mccormackdickstein committee a precursor to the house committee on unamerican. By jim hackett ii, january 30, 2006 in jfk assassination debate. The revenge of the fighting quaker damn interesting. Murphy, director of guaranty trust company and other morgancontrolled companies. Smedley butler wrote a book called, war is a racket, which is a damning criticism of what would later be called the military industrial complex. Both of his parents were of entirely english ancestry, all of whom had been in what is now the united states since the 17th century. Click on the link below to read the full text of his book, war is a racket. Jun 09, 2018 it took the illuminati another thirty years until they would successfully assassinate a president and stage a coup in washington, d. Again, a book by the subject of the article should not be used as a general source in the article, as people who are writing about themselves generally put themselves in the best light possible, leading to pov, misrepresented facts, etc. The wall street putsch, as its known today, was a plot by a group of.
Butler wrote about it in his anticorporate pamphlets. Smedley butler november 12, 2015 rich winkel 17 comments during the fdr years, general smedley butler singlehandedly saved this country from a fascist coup by wall street financiers including prescott bush, money launderer for fritz thyssen, a major german industrialist, war profiteer and financial backer of. It is the only one in which the profits are reckoned in dollars and. Butler, usmc, who had won the congressional medal of honor twice, was approached by men representing a cabal of multimillionaire industrialists and bankers. Buy a cheap copy of war is a racket book by smedley d. I spent 33 years and four months in active military service and during that period i spent most of my time as a high class muscle man for big business, for wall street and the bankers. General smedley butler was also an outspoken critic of firstterm president franklin d. A coup detat is the sudden, illegal overthrow of a government, to be replaced by others. War is a racket, by major general smedley butler, 1935. If you follow the attempt in 1933 forward you will see a few names that keep popping up. For more information about major general butler, contact the united states marine corps. Story of the wall street scheme to launch a fascist coup in america.
War is a racket is a speech and a 1935 short book, by smedley d. This is the second volume of joseph farrells examination of senator joseph r mccarthy and the strange connections stemming from the man, from the littleknown dewey commission to the implications of his attacks on general marshall, and the smedley butler coup affair. Dec 02, 2011 in november 1934, famed double medal of honor winner marine gen. Apr 26, 2012 smedley darlington butler 1881, 1940 was a major general in the u. During his 34year career as a marine, he participated in military actions in the philippines, china, in central america and the caribbean during the banana wars, and france in. Butler, usmc, who had won the congressional medal of honor twice, was approached by men representing a. Most importantly, bush prescott bush was known to be part of the business plot of 1933 in which gen smedley butler was approached to lead. See actions taken by the people who manage and post content. Smedley darlington butler july 30, 1881 june 21, 1940, was a major general in the u.