Smedley Butler
Smedley Butler
Smedley Darlington Butlerwas 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.S. history. During his 34-year 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 World War I. Butler is well known for having later become an outspoken critic of U.S. wars and their consequences,...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionWar Hero
Date of Birth30 July 1881
CityWest Chester, PA
CountryUnited States of America
I spent thirty-three years in the Marines, most of my time being a hlgh class muscle man for Big Business, for Wall Street and the bankers. In short, I was a racketeer for capitalism.
I helped make Mexico, especially Tampico, safe for American oil interests in 1914. I helped make Haiti and Cuba a decent place for the National City Bank boys to collect revenues in. I helped in the raping of half a dozen Central American republics for the benefits of Wall Street. The record of racketeering is long. I helped purify Nicaragua for the international banking house of Brown Brothers in 1909-1912. I brought light to the Dominican Republic for American sugar interests in 1916. In China I helped to see to it that Standard Oil went its way unmolested.
Only those who would be called upon to risk their lives for their country should have the privilege of voting to determine whether the nation should go to war.
I served in all commissioned ranks from second lieutenant to major general. And during that period, I spent most of my time being a high-class muscle man for big business, for Wall Street and for the Bankers. In short, I was a racketeer, a gangster for capitalism.
There are only two things we should fight for. One is the defense of our homes and the other is the Bill of Rights.
If only more of today's military personnel would realize that they are being used by the owning elite's as a publicly subsidized capitalist goon squad
No one told these American soldiers they might be shot down by bullets made by their own brothers here. No one told them that the ships on which they were going to cross might be torpedoed by submarines built with US patents.
War is a racket. It is the only one international in scope. It is the only one in which the profits are reckoned in dollars and the losses in lives.
I spent thirty-three years and four months in active military service as a member of this country's most agile military force, the Marine Corps. I served in all commissioned ranks from Second Lieutenant to Major-General.
War is just a racket... I believe in adequate defense at the coastline and nothing else.
Why don't those damn oil companies fly their own flags on their personal property-maybe a flag with a gas pump on it.
One hundred and twenty Marines were detailed to officer a force of twenty-six hundred Haitians.
My mental faculties remained in suspended animation while I obeyed the orders of the higher-ups. This is typical with everyone in the military.
It is dressed into speeches about patriotism, love of country...but the profits...skyrocket...