Military history

War is a Racket: The Antiwar Classic by America’s Most Decorated Soldier

War is a Racket: The Antiwar Classic by America’s Most Decorated Soldier

General Smedley Butler’s frank book shows how American war efforts were animated by big-business interests. This extraordinary argument against war by an unexpected proponent is relevant now more than ever.

Originally printed in 1935, War Is a Racket is General Smedley Butler’s frank speech describing his role as a soldier as nothing more than serving as a puppet for big-business interests. In addition to photos from the notorious 1932 anti-war book The Horror of It by Frederick A. Barber, this book includes two never-before-published anti-interventionist essays by General Butler. The introduction discusses why General Butler went against the corporate war machine and how he exposed a fascist coup d’etat plot against President Franklin Roosevelt. Widely appreciated and referenced by left- and right-wingers alike, this is an extraordinary argument against war - more relevant now than ever.

Introduction by Jesse Ventura

Chapter 1. War Is a Racket!

Chapter 2. Who Makes the Profits?

Chapter 3. Who Pays the Bills?

Chapter 4. How to Smash this Racket!

Chapter 5. To Hell With War!

Speeches

Memorial Day Speech (1931)

Memorial Day Speech (1933)

Discovering America (1939)

The War in Europe (Undated)

Avoiding War in the Pacific by Attending to Our Own Business (1939)

Concerning Law Enforcement (Undated)

Veterans’ Rights (Undated)

Radio Addresses

Address From October 11, 1939

Articles

My Services with the Marines (Undated)

Dictatorship? (Undated)

The Peace Racket (Undated)

Let’s Quit Kidding Ourselves (Undated)

America’s Veteran Problem (1936)

Government Aid for Veterans (Undated)

The Chip on Uncle Sam’s Shoulder as told to Barney Yanofsky (Undated)

War Is a Racket (Draft)

Afterword by Cindy Sheehan

If you find an error or have any questions, please email us at admin@erenow.org. Thank you!