Smedley D. Butler (1881–1940)
Author of War Is a Racket
About the Author
Image credit: Wikimedia (U.S. Marine Corps Photo)
Works by Smedley D. Butler
American marines in China 1 copy
Tagged
Common Knowledge
- Legal name
- Butler, Smedley Darlington
- Birthdate
- 1881-07-30
- Date of death
- 1940-06-21
- Gender
- male
- Nationality
- USA
- Organizations
- United States Marine Corps (Major General)
- Awards and honors
- Congressional Medal of Honor (2)
Members
Reviews
Closer to a pamphlet than a book, clocking in at just over 40 pages, War is a Racket is a condemnation of the military machine by a man who was at the time the most decorated war veteran in America with 19 medals - including 2 medals of honor.
While some of the numbers were eye-opening and I'd imagine very surprising to the public in 1935, I wonder if his stance would have changed at all if he lived to write it after the atrocities and aggression of WWII. He did provide a good amount of numbers showing price gouging from American companies to the government in times of war and showed the double-sacrifice the common person had to make while the rich got richer. I appreciated that. I don't know if I can get behind his idea of American isolationism though...it's a smaller world than ever before.… (more)
While some of the numbers were eye-opening and I'd imagine very surprising to the public in 1935, I wonder if his stance would have changed at all if he lived to write it after the atrocities and aggression of WWII. He did provide a good amount of numbers showing price gouging from American companies to the government in times of war and showed the double-sacrifice the common person had to make while the rich got richer. I appreciated that. I don't know if I can get behind his idea of American isolationism though...it's a smaller world than ever before.… (more)
An extremely short and concise book on who benefits in monetary profits and who pays for those profits during war. Equally interesting is the role played by military operations in securing benefits and market areas for various corporations and international bankers. It is worth a read and, unfortunately, I think will be once again timely and prophetic in the near future as it was in regard to WWII. (The book was written prior to WWII and the author died before the US entry into that war.)
This was so depressing. Originally published in 1935, it drives home the fact that not a single thing has changed. In fact, it has only gotten more entrenched. Worse by magnitudes. Instead of hiding behind platitudes and patriotism, our ruling class barely hides their greed and lack of motivation for waging war beyond greed and avarice now. The press are still their cheerleaders and worse, they aid in spreading the propaganda to enrich themselves.
Reading it felt like an exercise in helplessness. It's cliche to say that you are anti-war, but as long as there are still so many who cheer for war there will be a need for anti-war activists.
Mark Twain's posthumous [b:The War Prayer|237050|The War Prayer|Mark Twain|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1375469139l/237050._SY75_.jpg|229608] was also part of this volume. I read this some time ago. It's a wonderful piece that I return to for a reminder that I have not run out of empathy for my fellow human beings.… (more)
Reading it felt like an exercise in helplessness. It's cliche to say that you are anti-war, but as long as there are still so many who cheer for war there will be a need for anti-war activists.
Mark Twain's posthumous [b:The War Prayer|237050|The War Prayer|Mark Twain|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1375469139l/237050._SY75_.jpg|229608] was also part of this volume. I read this some time ago. It's a wonderful piece that I return to for a reminder that I have not run out of empathy for my fellow human beings.… (more)
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Statistics
- Works
- 4
- Members
- 731
- Popularity
- #34,741
- Rating
- 4.1
- Reviews
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- ISBNs
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When called to take part in something under the boom of loud patriotism, take a step down and do wonder what is going on and who actually is doing the work, for whom and why.
Highly recommended.