Customer Reviews

War is a racket

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
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In this short book, retired Marine Corps Major General Smedley D. Butler, winner of two Congressional Medals of Honor, describes his understanding of the motivations and causes of America's turn-of-the-century international wars (AKA: The Banana Wars) in the Carribean, South America, and China.

Here, General Butler explains the actual motivations for 'fighting for the USA' beyond the USA's borders and shores. The reader will learn how big business, hand-in-hand with government, is often the reason we get into wars outside our own country.

An extremely interesting book, complex yet clearly written, "War is a Racket" is relevant to today's situation and will help you understand how we choose our overseas fights and why we fight them.

-- JJ Timmins

A must read for anyone who has contemplated the horrors of war. Illuminates early twentieth century cases of U.S. war driven by business. Provides unparalleled commentary from a military insider that foreshadows the concept of the military-industrial complex.

This is an interesting short read, something I definitely was not assigned in history class unfortunately. The author was a major part of an era in American history were we did some less than humane things in order to build our country. An important reminder that our cushy lifestyle was stolen at the expense of a great many people and countries.

This somewhat historical text may well have it's merits but potential buyers should be aware that this "Book" consists of a total of approx. 18 pages. (In words eighteen pages!)

What more do I need to say.