War Is a Racket Cover
Podcast Mentions

War Is a Racket

Smedley Butler

First published in 1935, this expose by former commandant of the U.S. Marine Corps Gen. Smedley D. Butler recounts his experiences as a gangster for capitalism, operating an official protection racket in Latin America and around the world on behalf of Wall Street. Butler's candid analysis of America...

Podcasts 6
Quotes 33
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The Joe Rogan Experience

Podcast

The Joe Rogan Experience

Joe and Matt noted that Smedley Butler had written a 1935 book titled War is a Racket.

"

That guy smidley butler wrote a book in 1935 called like war is a racket.

— Episode: #1394 - Matt Farah

Episode: #1394 - Matt Farah

Joe and Matt noted that Smedley Butler had written a 1935 book titled War is a Racket.

"

That guy smidley butler wrote a book in 1935 called like war is a racket.

The Shawn Ryan Show

Podcast

The Shawn Ryan Show

He described it as a short pamphlet about a veteran who became critical of corporate wars, calling it a small read that critiques war profiteering.

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War is a Racket. I've heard this. It's a very small read and it's written by a man who was very upset.

— Episode: #305 AJ Pasciuti - Marine Scout Sniper o...

Episode: #305 AJ Pasciuti - Marine Scout Sniper on Hunting...

He described it as a short pamphlet about a veteran who became critical of corporate wars, calling it a small read that critiques war profiteering.

"

War is a Racket. I've heard this. It's a very small read and it's written by a man who was very upset.

He wrote a book that nobody really talks about and it's called War is a Racket. It's a very small pamphlet and it's talking about how he was effectively a corporate, he was a thug for corporations.

Behind the Bastards

Podcast

Behind the Bastards

It was a book based on a series of speeches that Smedley Butler gave, expressing his disillusionment with war and the way in which it was used as a tool for profit and control by the wealthy.

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War is a racket. It always has been. It is possibly the oldest, easily the most profitable, surely the most vicious.

— Episode: Behind the Insurrections - The Business...

Episode: Behind the Insurrections - The Business Plot: When...

It was a book based on a series of speeches that Smedley Butler gave, expressing his disillusionment with war and the way in which it was used as a tool for profit and control by the wealthy.

"

War is a racket. It always has been. It is possibly the oldest, easily the most profitable, surely the most vicious.

A racket is best described, I believe, as something that is not what it seems to the majority of the 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 very many.

Out of war, a few people make huge fortunes.

Our boys were sent off to die with beautiful ideals painted in front of them. No one told them that dollars and cents were the real reason they were marching off to kill and die.

Episode: Behind the Insurrections - The Business Plot: When...

It was a short book based on a series of speeches where Butler expressed his views on war, describing it as a racket that benefited a few at the expense of many and was the oldest, most profitable, and most vicious business in the world.

"

War is a racket. It always has been. It is possibly the oldest, easily the most profitable, surely the most vicious.

A racket is best described, I believe, as something that is not what it seems to the majority of the 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 very many.

Out of war, a few people make huge fortunes.

Our boys were sent off to die with beautiful ideals painted in front of them. No one told them that dollars and cents were the real reason they were marching off to kill and die.

Episode: Behind the Insurrections - The Business Plot: When...

It was a book based on a series of speeches, where Butler detailed his belief that war was a racket used by the wealthy, often at the cost of human lives.

"

War is a racket. It always has been. It is possibly the oldest, easily the most profitable, surely the most vicious.

A racket is best described, I believe, as something that is not what it seems to the majority of the 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 very many.

Our boys were sent off to die with beautiful ideals painted in front of them. No one told them that dollars and cents were the real reason they were marching off to kill and die.

Timcast IRL

Podcast

Timcast IRL

Smedley Butler discussed the military industrial complex in the 1930s, highlighting its exploitation of the country for profit.

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There's that book uh war is a racket by smithley bundler he talked about this in the 30s

— Episode: Timcast IRL #716 Chris Cuomo Says He Was...

Episode: Timcast IRL #716 Chris Cuomo Says He Was Going To...

Smedley Butler discussed the military industrial complex in the 1930s, highlighting its exploitation of the country for profit.

"

There's that book uh war is a racket by smithley bundler he talked about this in the 30s

Stuff They Don't Want You To Know

Podcast

Stuff They Don't Want You To Know

The hosts highlighted the title as an influential anti‑war work that exposed how foreign interventions served banking, oil and corporate interests, framing wars as profit‑driven rackets. Jonathan Katz and other contributors noted its historical significance in Butler’s turn from Marine officer to outspoken critic of the military‑industrial complex, and the podcast repeatedly urged listeners to read the short pamphlet to learn more about his story. Overall, the book was presented as a valuable, eye‑opening resource for understanding imperialist motivations.

Highly Recommended

Episode: Strange News: Alabama's Fast Food Slave Trade, US...

It was mentioned as a book that discussed conflicts of interest, and it was implied that the current situation may have been inspired by similar situations in the past.

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Oh, my God. We're just watching to protect. And hey, by the way, bro, we saw that you read War is a Racket. Walk carefully.

Episode: Book Excerpt: Assassinations

It was mentioned in relation to Smedley Butler's claims that many of the foreign conflicts he participated in were conspiracies for resource extraction and racketeering.

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In an interview with Common Sense, a socialist magazine of the day, the retired general referred to himself as a gangster for capitalism, claiming that American interventions were ultimately meant to help the bottom line of banking houses, oil interests, fruit companies, and the like.

Episode: Gangsters of Capitalism, with Jonathan Katz

It was mentioned as a book written by Smedley Butler, discussing his anti-war and anti-imperialist activism in the 1930s, and was also the inspiration for the name of Jonathan Katz's newsletter 'The Racket'.

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...either the business plot or his sort of anti-war anti-imperialist activism in the 1930s, especially his book War as a Racket.

...named for Smelly Butler's book, Wars a Racket.

Episode: Guantanamo Bay, Part One: An Origin Story

It was briefly mentioned as a short pamphlet or book, with the podcast hosts encouraging listeners to check it out to learn more about Smedley Butler's story.

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If you don't know who we're talking about, please, please, please go online and check out a short pamphlet. It's barely even a book called War is a Racket and you'll learn the story in full.

Episode: Gangsters of Capitalism, with Jonathan Katz

It was mentioned by Jonathan Katz, who noted that many people knew about Smedley Butler through his anti-war and anti-imperialist stance, particularly because of this book, which highlighted his views on the military-industrial complex.

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I am part of a minority of a minority of people who know about him principally because of his work overseas, especially as you note in Haiti... either the business plot or his sort of anti-war anti-imperialist activism in the 1930s, especially his book War as a Racket.

Episode: Guantanamo Bay, Part One: An Origin Story

It was described as a short pamphlet, barely a book, which detailed the story of Smedley Butler, who was mentioned in the podcast.

"

If you don't know who we're talking about, please, please, please go online and check out a short pamphlet. It's barely even a book called War is a Racket and you'll learn the story in full.

Episode: Guantanamo Bay, Part One: An Origin Story

It was described as a pamphlet, barely a book, that was briefly mentioned in the podcast as a resource to learn more about the story of Smedley Butler.

"

If you don't know who we're talking about, please, please, please go online and check out a short pamphlet. It's barely even a book called War is a Racket and you'll learn the story in full.

The Dollop with Dave Anthony and Gareth Reynolds

Podcast

The Dollop with Dave Anthony and Gareth Reynolds

Smedley Butler's book, 'War Is a Racket', was mentioned in the context of his criticism of the motives behind wars, specifically the financial gains made by corporations and the lack of transparency about the real reasons soldiers were sent to die.

"

Quote beautiful ideas were painted for our boys who were sent out to die. There was the war to end wars, This was the war to make the world safe for democracy No one told them that dollars and cents w...

— Episode: 94 - The Business Plot

Episode: 94 - The Business Plot

Smedley Butler's book, 'War Is a Racket', was mentioned in the context of his criticism of the motives behind wars, specifically the financial gains made by corporations and the lack of transparency about the real reasons soldiers were sent to die.

"

Quote beautiful ideas were painted for our boys who were sent out to die. There was the war to end wars, This was the war to make the world safe for democracy No one told them that dollars and cents were the real reason no one mentioned to them as they marched away That they're going and they're dying would meet huge war profits

No one told these American soldiers that they might be shot down by bullets made by their own brothers in America No one told them that the ships on which they were going to cross might be torpedoed by submarines built with United States patents

They were just told it was to be a glorious adventure thus having stuffed patriotism down their throats It was decided to make them help pay for war, too So we gave them the large salary of $30 a month all that they had to do

For this sum was to leave their dear ones behind give up their jobs lie Lie in swampy trenches eat canned Willie and kill kill kill and be killed

Episode: 94 - The Business Plot

It was written by Smedley Butler after his retirement, and he detailed his beliefs that war was primarily driven by financial gain, rather than serving the interests of the American people.

"

beautiful ideas were painted for our boys who were sent out to die. There was the war to end warsThis was the war to make the world safe for democracy

No one told them that dollars and cents were the real reason no one mentioned to them as they marched awayThat they're going and they're dying would meet huge war profits

No one told these American soldiers that they might be shot down by bullets made by their own brothers in America No one told them that the ships on which they were going to cross might be torpedoed by submarines built with United States patents

They were just told it was to be a glorious adventure thus having stuffed patriotism down their throats It was decided to make them help pay for war, too So we gave them the large salary of $30 a month all that they had to doFor this sum was to leave their dear ones behind give up their jobs lieLie in swampy trenches eat canned Willie and kill kill kill and be killed

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