Major General Smedley Butler, USMC, on war: words for our times

Smedley Butler was one of the very few Americans awarded the Medal of Honor twice. In the first half of the 20th century, he was the most decorated Marine alive – and is possibly the most honored Marine of all time.

He wrote a short book about war some years after his retirement. You can read the entire short book online here (this link’s at the bottom of the page, also). And just below is an excerpt from a speech he gave in 1933.

This is one of the truly important documents about the motives of warfare in American history. I hope you’ll ponder and save these words.

Smedley Butler on Interventionism

— Excerpt from a speech delivered in 1933, by Major General Smedley Butler, USMC.

War is just a racket. A racket is best described, I believe, as something that is not what it seems to the majority of people. Only a small inside group knows what it is about. It is conducted for the benefit of the very few at the expense of the masses. …

The trouble with America is that when the dollar only earns 6 percent over here, then it gets restless and goes overseas to get 100 percent. Then the flag follows the dollar and the soldiers follow the flag.