![]() ![]() And if he doesn’t blow the whistle on this fascist coup against FDR in 1934, does it or something like this happen? He plays such a singular role. Maybe some of his choices just boil down to “Let’s take that hill instead of that hill,” but if he hadn’t decided to re-enslave Haitians, would that have happened? Possibly not. Our choices as individuals matter up to a certain point, and the structures of our society and history matter a lot as well. If Butler had not been born, wouldn’t much of this still have happened? 6 is a fixed point on this country’s timeline. Like the Challenger disaster, the Oklahoma City bombing and the fall of the Twin Towers, Jan. It is a flashbulb memory, fixed and irrevocable entry into another world war, Buter was as well known for his “ War Is a Racket” speech and writings as he was for his military career.Įntertainment & Arts Column: Jan. By the end of his life in 1940, a year before U.S. He then risked a court-martial by repeatedly attacking the manipulation of American power by its plutocrats. Not only did he serve in Cuba, the Philippines, China, Nicaragua, Panama, Mexico, Haiti and the Dominican Republic but he also personally implemented horrific tactics to exploit those lands and their people, including the essential re-enslavement of Haitians.Īnd finally, Smedley Butler was an American hero again, testifying before Congress to stop “the Business Plot,” an alleged attempt by ultra-wealthy Americans to halt Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s New Deal and install a fascist government in its place. ![]() Smedley Butler was also a symbol of America’s racist, imperialist and hyper-capitalist policies. Smedley Butler was an American hero of the early 20th century, a symbol of the country’s growing power as a Marine for more than three decades who received 16 medals, including two Medals of Honor and one Marine Corps Brevet Medal. If you buy books linked on our site, The Times may earn a commission from, whose fees support independent bookstores. Letters are edited for accuracy, clarity and length.Gangsters of Capitalism: Smedley Butler, the Marines and the Making and Breaking of America’s Empire Writers should disclose any personal or professional connections with the subjects of their letters. Letters under 200 words have the best chance of being published. Have something on your mind? Send to or click here to submit via any web browser. ![]() If so, why apply American muscle and arms to Taiwan? Again, here is another example that American wars are extremely expensive fights for other people’s resources and for control of global resources. government has agreed that Taiwan is really part of China. Hypothetically, if there were a civil war in the United States and the losing side fled to Hawaii, would this island no longer be part of America? For decades, the U.S. We can see these same forces in our sale of expensive American arms to Taiwan and our threat to intervene with our military. In his farewell address, President Dwight Eisenhower also warned us about the military-industrial (congressional) complex. Today, nobody, except those who have been deceived, really should believe that veterans have been fighting for their country.American wars are fights for rich corporations to seize other people’s resources and for control of global resources. He claimed to be a racketeer who provided the muscle to do this. ![]() About 80 years ago, two-time winner of the Congressional Medal of Honor, Major General Smedley Butler, wrote his book, “War is a Racket.” Butler wrote from personal experience how he led six military invasions and occupations of little countries on five continents to enrich already extremely rich American corporations. ![]()
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