Smedley Butler

¿Qué impulsó al militar más condecorado de Estados Unidos a publicar el más fiero alegato contra la guerra? Tal vez nunca se sepa, aunque Smedley Butler sí que sabía de lo que hablaba a la hora de lanzar su anatema contra los intereses economicos que llevaron a generaciones enteras al matadero. Butler participo en multiples operaciones militares de expansion colonial y comercial de Estados Unidos antes de que este pais se convirtiera, tras la II Guerra Mundial, en la superpotencia hegemonica. Alli donde se necesitara intervenir militarmente (Mexico, Honduras, Nicaragua, China), el Gobierno estadounidense echaba mano del Cuerpo que mas veces intervino en conflictos belicos en el siglo XX, el de los Marines, y a su mas destacado y fiel servidor, Smedley Butler. Pero fue la barbarie industrializada de la I Guerra Mundial, con una factura de millones de muertos, y el inminente corolario de una II Guerra Mundial, lo que hizo que, en 1935, Butler estallara y publicara La guerra es una estafa, mucho mas que un alegato panfletario: mas bien el relato documentado de como los jovenes son masacrados por intereses economicos inconfesables de sus gobiernos, es decir, de sus mayores."Tengo el sentimiento de haber actuado durante todo ese tiempo de bandido altamente calificado al servicio de las grandes empresas de Wall Street y sus banqueros. En una palabra, he sido un pandillero al servicio del capitalismo. De tal manera, en 1914 afirme la seguridad de los intereses petroleros en Mexico. Contribui a transformar Cuba en un pais donde la gente del National City Bank podia burlar tranquilamente los beneficios. Participe en la limpieza de Nicaragua de 1902 a 1912, por cuenta de la firma bancaria internacional Brown Brothers Harriman. En 1916, por cuenta de los grandes azucareros norteamericanos, aporte a la Republica Dominicana la civilizacion. En 1923 enderece, los asuntos en Honduras en interes de las compañias fruteras norteamericanas. En 1927, en China, afiance los intereses de la Standard oil.

US Marine Corps Major General Smedley Butler collected an award cabinet full of medals for his battlefield bravery. But perhaps his bravest act of all was to declare, after his retirement in the early 1930s, who was really winning (and losing) during the bloody clashes.It was business interests, he revealed, who commercially benefited from warfare. War Is a Racket is the title of the influential speech Butler delivered on a tour across the United States, as well the expanded version of the talk that was later published in 1935and is now reprinted here. This seminal piece of writing rings as true today as it did during Butlers lifetime.In his introduction, Jesse Ventura reviews Butlers original writings and relates them to our current political climateexplaining how right he was, and how wrong our current system is. With an insightful new foreword by Salon.com founder David Talbot, this portable reference will appeal to anyone interested in the state of our country and the entire world.Skyhorse Publishing, as well as our Arcade imprint, are proud to publish a broad range of books for readers interested in history--books about World War II, the Third Reich, Hitler and his henchmen, the JFK assassination, conspiracies, the American Civil War, the American Revolution, gladiators, Vikings, ancient Rome, medieval times, the old West, and much more. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are committed to books on subjects that are sometimes overlooked and to authors whose work might not otherwise find a home.

US Marine Corps Major General Smedley Butler collected an award cabinet full of medals for his battlefield bravery. But perhaps his bravest act of all was to declare, after his retirement in the early 1930s, who was really winning (and losing) during the bloody clashes.It was business interests, he revealed, who commercially benefited from warfare. War Is a Racket is the title of the influential speech Butler delivered on a tour across the United States, as well the expanded version of the talk that was later published in 1935and is now reprinted here. This seminal piece of writing rings as true today as it did during Butlers lifetime.In his introduction, Jesse Ventura reviews Butlers original writings and relates them to our current political climateexplaining how right he was, and how wrong our current system is. With an insightful new foreword by Salon.com founder David Talbot, this portable reference will appeal to anyone interested in the state of our country and the entire world.Skyhorse Publishing, as well as our Arcade imprint, are proud to publish a broad range of books for readers interested in history--books about World War II, the Third Reich, Hitler and his henchmen, the JFK assassination, conspiracies, the American Civil War, the American Revolution, gladiators, Vikings, ancient Rome, medieval times, the old West, and much more. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are committed to books on subjects that are sometimes overlooked and to authors whose work might not otherwise find a home.

Después de retirarse del Cuerpo de Marines, en 1935, el general Smedley Butller, el militar más condecorado de la historia de Estados Unidos, escribió el discurso War is a racket (La guerra es una estafa) en el que denuncia el uso de las fuerzas armadas de los Estados Unidos para el beneficio de Wall Street. Este libro detalla como Estados Unidos intervino militarmente en Latinoamerica, Europa y China en beneficio de las grandes compañias estadounidenses, pasando el costo de la guerra finalmente a los ciudadanos estadounidenses. "He servido durante 30 años y cuatro meses en las unidades mas combativas de las Fuerzas Armadas estadounidenses: en la Infanteria de Marina. Tengo el sentimiento de haber actuado durante todo ese tiempo de bandido altamente calificado al servicio de las grandes empresas de Wall Steet y sus banqueros. En una palabra, he sido un pandillero al servicio del capitalismo. De tal manera, en 1914 afirme la seguridad de los intereses petroleros en Mexico. Contribui a transformar a Cuba en un pais donde la gente del National City Bank podia burlar tranquilamente los beneficios. Participe en la "limpieza" de Nicaragua de 1902 a 1912, por cuenta de la firma bancaria internacional Brown Brothers Harriman. En 1916, por cuenta de los grandes azucareros norteamericanos, aporte a la Republica Dominicana la "civilizacion". En 1923 "enderece" los asuntos en Honduras en interes de las compañias fruteras norteamericanas . En 1927, en China, afiance los intereses de la Standard oil. (..)"

Considerada como la primera gran crítica a las guerras, escrita por el marine más condecorado en la historia de los Estados Unidos.

Después de retirarse del Cuerpo de Marines, en 1935, el general Smedley Butller, el militar más condecorado de la historia de Estados Unidos, escribió el discurso War is a racket (La guerra es una estafa) en el que denuncia el uso de las fuerzas armadas de los Estados Unidos para el beneficio de Wall Street. Este libro detalla como Estados Unidos intervino militarmente en Latinoamerica, Europa y China en beneficio de las grandes compañias estadounidenses, pasando el costo de la guerra finalmente a los ciudadanos estadounidenses.

Updated with fresh material, including a new foreword by Kristofer Goldsmith, this edition brings the prophetic warnings of the 2-time Medal of Honor recipient to a new generation."A short, blunt, and extremely vigorous blast." The New York TimesSmedley Butler, a retired Marine Corps major general and the most decorated combat veteran of his era, is best known today for War is a Racket (1935), a searing anti-war, anti-imperialism, anti-capitalism critique of U.S. military interventionism that has remained perennially in-print and is as relevant today as ever.This new collection features additional writings that underscore Butlers role as a staunch advocate for veterans rights and a fearless defender of democracy. In addition to his 1932 call-to-action, "Youve Got to Get Mad," this volume includes his explosive 1934 testimony before the McCormack-Dickstein Committee. There, Butler exposed "The Business Plot"a conspiracy by a group of Wall Street and other powerful figures that sought to convince Buter to use his influence over disgruntled veterans to seize control of the federal government and install a fascist regime.With Americas present day military activity more closely tied to corporate profits and the enrichment of its leaders than ever, Butlers insightful breakdown of the military-industrial complex remains highly resonant. Featuring a new foreword from combat veteran and advocate Kristofer Goldsmith, this edition is an essential resource for anyone looking to build their antifascist toolkit.

War Is a Racket is a speech and a 1935 short book, by Smedley D. Butler, a retired United States Marine Corps Major General and two-time Medal of Honor recipient. Based on his career military experience, Butler frankly discusses how business interests commercially benefit (including war profiteering) from warfare. He had been appointed commanding officer of the Gendarmerie during the United States occupation of Haiti, which lasted from 1915 to 1934.