War Is a Racket by Major General Smedley D. Butler is a short but powerful book. Published in 1935, it shares Butler’s belief that wars often benefit big businesses while ordinary people, including soldiers, pay the price. Based on his long military career, Butler’s words carry weight. However, the book leaves readers wishing he had explored the bigger picture of what we now call the Military-Industrial Complex (MIC). In this review, we’ll talk about the strengths of the book, what could have been improved, and why it’s still important today.What Makes This Book Hit Hard~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~1. A Clear and Bold MessageButler’s main argument is simple and strong: war helps a small group of people make a lot of money, while the rest of society suffers. His writing is easy to follow, which makes his ideas clear to a wide audience. At just 35 pages, the book is short enough for anyone to read quickly and understand the main points.2. He’s Been There, Done ThatAs a highly decorated Marine and two-time Medal of Honor winner, Butler speaks from experience. He admits that during his career, he often acted to protect the interests of wealthy businesses rather than the country. This honesty makes the book feel real and trustworthy. Readers get a rare glimpse into how the system worked from someone who was part of it.3. Ideas to Fix a Broken SystemIn Chapter 4, Butler suggests three ideas to stop war profiteering:-> Force businesses and industries to take the same risks as soldiers during war.-> Make war decisions through public votes.-> Keep the military focused on defending the country, not fighting abroad.These ideas are practical starting points. However, they don’t address the full, complex system of the MIC—the web of government, military, and business interests that keeps wars profitable. For example, Butler’s idea to let only eligible military voters decide on wars excludes the general public, who also pay for wars and live with their consequences.Where the Book Falls Short~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~1. Too Quick to EndThe book’s short length makes it easy to read, but it leaves out details that could have made the arguments stronger. Butler gives examples of war profiteering, but he doesn’t dig deeper into how industries, governments, and the military work together to make money from war. Today, we would call this system the MIC, but Butler doesn’t fully explain it.2. The Bigger Picture Is MissingWhile Butler criticizes war profiteering, he focuses more on individual examples than on the larger system. A broader discussion about how industries and politicians work together to keep wars going could have added more depth. He mentions symptoms, like companies benefiting from war contracts, but not the causes or solutions.3. Only Tells One Side of the StoryButler’s critique is strong, but he doesn’t explore opposing arguments. For example, some people argue that military spending creates jobs or helps keep the country safe. By not addressing these ideas, the book feels one-sided, even if its main points are convincing.What Butler Could Have Added~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~If Butler had expanded the book, he might have included:-> A history of how war profiteering developed and why it became so common.-> A global look at how the MIC works in other countries.-> An analysis of how military spending affects education, healthcare, and other public services.-> A closer look at how propaganda and nationalism convince people to support wars.-> Specific steps governments could take to break the system.Why It Still Matters Today~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Even though it’s short and doesn’t cover everything, War Is a Racket is still important today. It was one of the first works to openly challenge the financial motives behind wars. Butler’s honesty and clear writing make it a valuable starting point for conversations about the ethics of war and the systems that sustain it. While the book doesn’t fully explain the MIC, it points readers in the right direction to learn more.Why I Wanted More~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Reading War Is a Racket is both inspiring and frustrating. Butler’s courage to speak out against war profiteering is admirable. His ideas about focusing the military on defense could lead to a calmer, more peaceful world. At the same time, his critique feels incomplete. The idea of the MIC, though hinted at, isn’t fully explored. I couldn’t help but wish for more—more depth, more examples, and more discussion about how to fix the system. While the book raises important questions, it feels like the beginning of a conversation rather than a complete answer.Books to Read Next~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~These books further amplify some of the issues Butler raises:-> Addicted to War by Joel Andreas: A graphic novel that makes Butler’s ideas more visual and engaging.-> The Shock Doctrine by Naomi Klein: A book about how disasters, including wars, are used for profit.Closing thoughts.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~War Is a Racket is a bold and important book that asks tough questions about who really benefits from war. While it falls short of fully explaining the Military-Industrial Complex, it’s a powerful introduction to the topic. For younger readers or those new to these ideas, Butler’s book is a great place to start.It’s a call to think critically about the systems that shape our world—and to imagine ways we can make them better.