War Is a Racket: Original Edition

This book should be required reading for everyone who decides questions of war and peace, even as a citizen writing letter to Congress or the President. General Butler gives a whole new view of what is involved in using military force "to protect American interests." WARNING: Some of the photographs in the back of war's results are not just graphic but gruesome.

Smedley Butler is a true American hero and he was warning about the military industrial complex decades before Ike. His ideas about government wouldn't fly these days but man oh man are they interesting. It's a really short book and definitely a great one to have on your kindle.

Absolutely everyone should read this book. It was written by a true American Hero that is not well known today, Smedley Darlington Butler. He was a two times Medal of Honor recipient, 33 years in the USMC and attained the rank of General. It is not unreasonable to claim that he saved our nation from an internal Fascist putsch. In fact I will claim it.

There Should Be A Few Movies About This Great American General & All The Real History He Was Involved In, This Should Be Taught in Grade School History Class Every Child Should Be Taught This ,Truth Matters About History .Peace Out Rock On Go Go Green!

What goes around comes around. Although this book was written about events in the 1930's, it's as relevant today as it was when it first came to press.

War Is A Racket by Smedley D Butler should be a must read for everyone in school as well as anyone interested in knowing why things are the way they are in America and the rest of the world.

A great informational read. I read it in one afternoon. This has so much eye opening information about the government, about how the rich get richer and how the soldiers suffer. It is an easy read but will definitely cause one to have their blood boil.

Having survived Nazi occupation in the Netherlands, I can say that war is terror. That those who declare it should, like Gen. Butler says spent at least 30 days in the trenches and be subject to bombings rather then financially benefiting from it. War is indeed a racket that benefits a few and destroys the innocents. Gen. Butler's words may come across as harsh, to someone like myself who survived 3 bombings by the allies with a faulty atlas they are at once comforting as well as infuriating for its truth.

General butler's experiences and ideas should be read by everyone that seems so eager to bomb other countries and send our soldiers to war at some distant territory. I had heard Jesse Ventura quoting butler in his interviews and got interested in reading more about about this man. I'm glad I did.

War is a Racket, is an outstanding little book written by one of our nations most decorated military soldiers. This book should be read by everyone able to vote, for war is no lighthearted matter. The book is a quick read but, nonetheless, to the point. Smedley Butler served his country honorably, and after separating from the Marine Corps he finally realized that war was racket; where the few profit (immensely) at the expense of the many--our honorable Airman, Marine's, solder's, and sailor's. Like mentioned before this book is a quick read, moreover, it is an easy read, and quite funny at times--what with Butler's witty and sarcastic writing. Give it a try, heck, just go to the book store and read it while you are there, wont take you but an hour.

A classic anti-war treatise by the decorated Marine General who derailed a 1930's plan to overthrow the U.S. government. This is not a naive peacenick screed against all violence, rather a dissection of the political and financial mechanisms which provide incentives for financial elites (in all nations) to push their countrymen into unnecessary conflict.

If you call yourself a patriot you should read this book. American soldiers are not sent oversees to fight for "freedom", they are sent to gain control of people and resources. "Freedom, democracy, and human rights" are just words the government and media uses to get our men to do the fighting . Every soldier should read this book.

This is a quick read - something you will want to hand to someone immediately and say, "you have to read this right now!". It means a lot more coming from someone who actually did it. This is something you will also want in your public library.

This book is priceless and should MANDATORY reading for all high school students. We have put our nation into debt to provide to enrich a few and kill millions due to false patriotism at the expense of 99.9% of Americans. The Federal Reserve Act, Income Tax Act and others were enacted to fleece the American people for "Democracy" which is new speak for Empire. War is indeed, a racket.

After WW1 he retired, He fought in several wars and in this book Marine Lt. General Smedly Butler realized that he was being used to take over different countries for big corporations by ultra rich people. The ultra rich people then put in a puppet dictator so they could took over the countries natural resources. He figured out that he was just being used and that the wars, all of them were bogus and used our men just to be used as pawns.

Author a reputed soldier who served in the US Marine Corps, in nutshell, talks about horrors of war.Having engaged in a lot of close quarter combat General Butler came to despise war.

Soldiers of US Marine Corps have waged wars thousands of miles from country's shores.The government justified this move by claiming security considerations dictated it.Is that so, Butler asks? The author says America shielded by two mighty oceans[except for a brief period of time] immune from overseas invasion.Twice in the previous century, America embroiled herself in European wars.

Government resorting to lies, deceit, disinformation made people think Germany posed a formidable threat to nation's safety.Fact goes in both world wars Germany failed to subjugate Britain, a country lying near its door step.How can Germans storm their way across several thousand miles of ocean when they could not even effect a simple channel crossing.So official reasoning sounds deceitful, fraudulent.

American people have been repeatedly taken for a ride by their government. Wars have benefitted only a few people: corporate barons.It stimulates demand for armaments generating huge profits to these death merchants, the author says.

Author has outlined measures to curb Government from engaging in foreign wars.The most important statement he makes to take the profit motive out of the war.This will discourage politicians, corporates, militarists from fuelling wars.

Further US Navy must stop the practice of sending the fleet to patrol distant shores, a very provocative practice.Remember Gulf of Tonkin incident in 1964 which eventuated in America's costly, bloody war in Indo China.

Let me caution readers: Do not dub this book as a treatise on pacifism. The author says wars must be fought only for genuine causes.All other wars are nothing but a racket.

Written nearly 80 years ago this book lays out the political and economic reasons for modern warfare in a harsh and uncompromising fashion. War, the way it is waged now, is unjustified and the reasons he laid out then remain true today. A must read for anyone interested in history and modern warfare.

Well, if you want the ultimate antiwar tract, here it is, and from a decorated Marine who knew just what he had done. He called himself a racketeer for Wall Street. We don't have such honesty in public figures any longer. Sad to say.

A bit dated but the problems General Butler points out are still with us. A true American hero both in war and in his opposition to war. I wish we had a person with his courage, character, and experience to address our current situation.

The book confirms what many of my vintage have thought or at least suspected. Getting this information from a highly placed and credible individual and combined with the author quite literally being in the trenches to see it all firsthand make for an interesting and compelling read.

Gen. Butler pulls no punches in this easy to read booklet exposing the sinister machinations behind the warmongering profiteers. Within less than 30 minutes, you'll see exactly why War is a Racket, a very evil one!

Quite refreshing to think that even as early as WWI, we had servicemen of high rank that understood this. Everything from 1990-on is blatant in-your-face obvious. Wish we had more Gen Butlers around instead of these ones we got now chasing tail like they were the Wolf of Wall street! More like the Dog of the Division rear area!

This classic book is more relvant today than ever. It is an indictment of the MILITARY INDUSTRIAL complex and its tight knit inter relationship with crony capitalism. In Butler's age this relatinship was only in its infancy and Eisenhower warned the nation in his farewell address that our liberties and the very foundation of our freedom was at stake if this relationship between private industry and the military remained unchecked.
Certainly, the authors exceptional military history and service to his country place him in a unique pedestal to serve as a critic whose standing and experience are beyond reproach.

Insight from a highly decorated lifer. Patriotic. Honorable. Dedicated. Reveals the truth behind war...Profit above all else. And you thought Congress was running the show; WRONG! Nothing has changed in 70+ yrs.!

Nothing much has changed since Smedley Butler wrote these essays. But now, as then, the public prefers to remain comatose, plugged into the matrix. Every day, the decision is made to swap lives for dollars. The machine must be fed.

Everyone should read this. His dedicated the rest of his life when he retired to making anti war speeches. He was convinced that all foreign soil wars were to make a profit for corporate America or to protect their factories and people who worked at them .

Not a bad book. It will challenge your assumptions of the reasons we got to war. One should take care to remember the time General Butler wrote this book. Some people would say nothing other we have evolved pass that point. I will leave to the reader but it is worth buying.

Very interesting essay (less than 30 pages long) written in 1935. Most interesting when you keep in mind that it dealt with a time period before WW2. You can judge for yourself how much things mentioned in this essay have or have not changed in the last 75 years.

Quite the eye opening book. Written in 1948 and yet there are names back then that are still involved in the running of our government. Some of which tried to take over our great land. I wish everyone could read this book.

Major General Butler is one of the BEST GENERALS this nation ever had. He was awarded 2 Congressional Medals of Honor. I suggest to know more about General Butler! Read THE PLOT TO SEIZE. THE WHITE HOUSE by Jules Archer.

I've heard about Smedley Butler, just haven't read any of his writings. This is a great place to start! A little hard to read in spots, but that can be overlooked. I look forward to reading more about this great military man.

Simply A CLASSIC!! It's amazing that what goes around comes back around. General Butler tells the truth and has no reason to lie. WAR IS A PROFIT ARRANGEMENT FOR THE RICH & DISABILITY AND DEATH FOR THOSE WHO FIGHT IN THOSE WARS FOR THE RICH.

Just as applicable today as it was after the first 'Great War'. The service people and citizens do all the suffering while all the war-mongers make all the money. If you are even contemplating military service READ this book FIRST!

Absolute truth spoken here! It's always been a rich man's war and a poor man's fight! Declaring war ought to put the President, the vice president, the cabinet and the congress on the front lines. That would end this racket!

Must read for anyone in governemnt, the military, military industry, etc. Actually, a must read for any American. The fact that is it written by the most highly decorated Marine of ever gives it that much more credibility.

As a current member of the military, and an American, this book hits close to home for me. General Butler puts a lot of our feelings into very comprehendible and power words; he's a true American hero.

great pamphlet that truly stands the test of time as it pertains to its relevance to modern events. Smedley Butler was one of the good guys and his ilk will likely never be seen again that high up in the military.

Mr. Butler tells how many banks, car companies, airplane manufacturers, etc. make billions of dollars during a war. Especially when they provide both sides with products, guns, tanks, etc. Right on!