Major General Smedley Butler

Silver_Panther · 05-05-2009, 17:23

What are your thoughts on Major General Smedley Butler?

What are your thoughts on his book War is a Racket?

Anyone care to share some history about him?

**Pete** · 05-05-2009, 17:35

When popping up out of the blue it would be nice to include some kind of link.

http://www.lexrex.com/enlightened/ar...risaracket.htm

He was some Marine.

Silver_Panther · 05-05-2009, 17:40

2 Time Medal of Honor recipient
Among others

just your average marine

**The Reaper** · 05-05-2009, 18:11

I believe that he desecrated Stonewall Jackson's grave.

TR

Dozer523 · 05-05-2009, 19:07

this from wikipedia:
Smedley Darlington Butler (July 30, 1881 – June 21, 1940), nicknamed "The Fighting Quaker" and "Old Gimlet Eye", was a Major General in the U.S. Marine Corps and, at the time of his death, the most decorated Marine in U.S. history.

During his 34 years of Marine Corps service, Butler was awarded numerous medals for heroism including the Marine Corps Brevet Medal (the highest Marine medal at its time for officers), and subsequently the Medal of Honor twice. Notably, he is one of only 19 people to be twice awarded the Medal of Honor, and one of only three to be awarded a Marine Corps Brevet Medal and a Medal of Honor, and the only person to be awarded a Marine Corps Brevet Medal and a Medal of Honor for two different actions.

In addition to his military career, Smedley Butler was noted for his outspoken anti-interventionist views, and his book War is a Racket. His book was one of the first works describing the workings of the military-industrial complex and after retiring from service, he became a popular speaker at meetings organized by veterans, pacifists and church groups in the 1930s.

In 1934, he alleged to the United States Congress that a group of wealthy industrialists had plotted a military coup known as the Business Plot to overthrow the government of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The allegations were controversial and hurt his post-military standing

IMHO: Since he died just 5+ months before Pearl harbor we can be pretty sure it was not an accident

Silver_Panther · 05-05-2009, 20:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Reaper

I believe that he desecrated Stonewall Jackson's grave.

TR

Sir, What do you mean?

Silver_Panther · 05-05-2009, 20:52

Quote from his book that is linked above....
I find him interesting because he seems to predict WW2,
after explaining the money flow behind WW1

"Undoubtedly Mussolini means exactly what he says. His well-trained army, his great fleet of planes, and even his navy are ready for war – anxious for it, apparently. His recent stand at the side of Hungary in the latter's dispute with Jugoslavia showed that. And the hurried mobilization of his troops on the Austrian border after the assassination of Dollfuss showed it too. There are others in Europe too whose sabre rattling presages war, sooner or later.

Herr Hitler, with his rearming Germany and his constant demands for more and more arms, is an equal if not greater menace to peace. France only recently increased the term of military service for its youth from a year to eighteen months.

Yes, all over, nations are camping in their arms. The mad dogs of Europe are on the loose. In the Orient the maneuvering is more adroit. Back in 1904, when Russia and Japan fought, we kicked out our old friends the Russians and backed Japan. Then our very generous international bankers were financing Japan. Now the trend is to poison us against the Japanese. What does the "open door" policy to China mean to us? Our trade with China is about $90,000,000 a year. Or the Philippine Islands? We have spent about $600,000,000 in the Philippines in thirty-five years and we (our bankers and industrialists and speculators) have private investments there of less than $200,000,000."

**The Reaper** · 05-05-2009, 20:54

Quote:

Originally Posted by Silver_Panther

Sir, What do you mean?

Google not available in Canada?

TR

Silver_Panther · 05-05-2009, 20:57

I googled "desecrated Stonewall Jackson's grave."
I just got info on Jackson.

Could you paraphrase history for me?
Could you link me please?

FSU_CJ · 05-05-2009, 21:05

Here is what Google found for me:

http://www.usa-civil-war.com/Jackson/jackson_arm.html

Silver_Panther · 05-05-2009, 21:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by FSU_CJ

Here is what Google found for me:

http://www.usa-civil-war.com/Jackson/jackson_arm.html

Thanks.
I was expecting it to be some sorta political protest or something....
Sounds like he was just ranking officer during some paper work

**The Reaper** · 05-05-2009, 21:17

Quote:

Originally Posted by Silver_Panther

Thanks.
I was expecting it to be some sorta political protest or something....
Sounds like he was just ranking officer during some paper work

Paperwork?

No, the story is that he dug under the monument to prove a point that the arm was not there, and his troops found the arm while excavating.

Rumor has it that he buried the arm with honors, and left a marker.

http://www.historynet.com/visiting-s...llorsville.htm

In the South, digging up fallen Confederate generals, or their body parts, is desecration.

TR

Silver_Panther · 05-05-2009, 21:39

TR,
Thank you for clearing up the arm story.
Can you guess as to what his mentality was?
Like why mess with the site in the first place?

Also,
Thank you for clearing up the whole Dragon Skin thing.
When I first heard the liberal news media story
I was disillusioned.

Thanks for pointing out the Dragon Skin flaws.
Your absolutely right body armor that looses effectiveness
in heat and when it comes in contact with diesel is hugely flawed when
an army is in a desert and uses diesel.

You did a good job in defending nobility and America's image.
Thank you,

Could you sorta do the same with War is a Racket.
I am sure there must be different sides to the story.

Id also love it if you could rip to pieces that smarmy kids video
"Lose Change"
That kids more arrogant sounding then his idiot idol Micheal Moore

ZonieDiver · 05-05-2009, 22:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by Silver_Panther

TR,
Thank you for clearing up the arm story.
Can you guess as to what his mentality was?
Like why mess with the site in the first place?

Also,
Thank you for clearing up the whole Dragon Skin thing.
When I first heard the liberal news media story
I was disillusioned.

Thanks for pointing out the Dragon Skin flaws.
Your absolutely right body armor that looses effectiveness
in heat and when it comes in contact with diesel is hugely flawed when
an army is in a desert and uses diesel.

You did a good job in defending nobility and America's image.
Thank you,

[COLOR="rgb(46, 139, 87)"]Could you sorta do the same with War is a Racket.[/COLOR]
I am sure there must be different sides to the story.

[COLOR="rgb(46, 139, 87)"]Id also love it if you could rip to pieces that smarmy kids video
"Lose Change" [/COLOR]
That kids more arrogant sounding then his idiot idol Micheal Moore

That is quite a request list. I guess you're lucky he doesn't want you to wash his car, too!

Silver_Panther · 05-06-2009, 08:23

I agree better shorten it.

http://www.america.gov/st/pubs-engli...0.9919245.html

I think that might be link to gov website that debunks the movie...

TR
Could you just focus on Smedley and his book to prevent my
ADHD from hijacking my own thread.

If you have the time maybe you could start a thread
debunking other stuff like the Dragon Skin....

Sorta like a Myth Busters only more intellectual