'I was a gangster
for capitalism'
Gen. Smedley Butler
United States Marine Corps
Marine Gen. Smedley Butler led U.S. military
interventions in China, Central America and the Caribbean in
the early 20th century, and later described his role in the
frankest terms:
I was a racketeer, a gangster for capitalism. ...
I helped make Mexico, especially Tampico, safe for American
oil interests in 1914. I helped make Haiti and Cuba a decent
place for the National City Bank boys to collect revenues in. I
helped in the raping of half a dozen Central American republics
for the benefits of Wall Street. ... I helped purify Nicaragua
for the international banking house of Brown Brothers in
1909-1912 ... I brought light to the Dominican Republic for
American sugar interests in 1916. In China I helped to see to
it that Standard Oil went its way unmolested. ...
Looking back on it, I feel that I could have given [Chicago
gang leader] Al Capone a few hints. ... He ... operate[d] his
racket in three districts. I operated on three continents.
--from "War Is A Racket," (New York: Round Table Press,
1935)
Reprinted from the April 25, 2002, issue of
Workers World newspaper
This article is copyright under a Creative
Commons License.
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