Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire United States Marine Corps General Smedley Darlington Butler

Major General Smedley Darlington Butler (July 30, 1881 – June 21, 1940), nicknamed the Maverick Marine, was a senior United States Marine Corps officer. During his 34-year career, he fought in the Philippine–American War, the Boxer Rebellion, the Mexican Revolution, World War I, and the Banana Wars. At the time of his death, Butler was the most decorated Marine in U.S. history. By the end of his career, Butler had received sixteen medals, including five for heroism; he is the only Marine to be awarded the Brevet Medal as well as two Medals of Honor, all for separate actions.

In 1933, he became involved in a controversy known as the Business Plot, when he told a congressional committee that a group of wealthy industrialists were planning a military coup to overthrow President Franklin D. Roosevelt, with Butler selected to lead a march of veterans to become dictator, similar to fascist regimes at that time. The individuals involved all denied the existence of a plot, which included the father of George H. W. Bush, Prescott Bush, and the media ridiculed the allegations, but a final report by a special House of Representatives Committee confirmed some of Butler's testimony.

Butler later became an outspoken critic of American wars and their consequences. In 1935, Butler wrote the book War Is a Racket, where he alleged imperialist motivations for U.S. foreign policy and wars (such as those in which he had been involved). After retiring from service, he became a popular advocate, speaking at meetings organized by veterans, pacifists, and church groups in the 1930s.

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Major General Smedley Butler, USMC, 1933: Smedley Butler on Interventionism (fas.org):

“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.

I believe in adequate defense at the coastline and nothing else. If a nation comes over here to fight, then we’ll fight. 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.

I wouldn’t go to war again as I have done to protect some lousy investment of the bankers. There are only two things we should fight for. One is the defense of our homes and the other is the Bill of Rights. War for any other reason is simply a racket.

There isn’t a trick in the racketeering bag that the military gang is blind to. It has its “finger men” to point out enemies, its “muscle men” to destroy enemies, its “brain men” to plan war preparations, and a “Big Boss” Super-Nationalistic-Capitalism.

It may seem odd for me, a military man to adopt such a comparison. Truthfulness compels me to. 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. 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.” …….

It hasn’t changed in a century

Fugk off parrot.

Excellent post !

I Double Dare anyone on Campfire to call General Butler a "Putin Puffer" and a liar.

Maj Gen Smedley…
Personal friends with Sgt Maj Dan Daly.

Two Marines enshrined in USMC folklore. Badasses.

This.

Thanks

Good stuff, Foo.

Interesting.

RIP, general.

Ol’ Gimlet Eye

Looks like true patriot to me.

Rolling over in his grave after what has become of our Military and America

Gen. Butler was against going and fighting for Bankers.

He would have encouraged Ukraine to fight for their freedom from the Orcs and he would have scorned Putin for invading Ukraine.


I went on Camp Smedley Butler many times while on Okinawa. It's funny to think of the name Smedley in this day and age but my jarhead buddies said he was revered.

was stationed at Camp Butler for 9 months many moons ago.....

Foo’s right you know. It is a racket.

Seen him bad mouthed on a few firearms forums due to War is a Racket.

He didn't understand how FDR's communist takeover was worse than what the business interests had in mind. Ironically, he sold out America when he might have helped salvage some of its original principles.

He's one of those Marines who's story is drilled into your head at recruit training, just like Robin Olds and Billy Mitchell is in the Air Force.
Good times!

Please elaborate.