Smedley Butler Quotes About Soldiers

Quotes about: Soldiers

• For a great many years, as a soldier, I had a suspicion that war was a racket; not until I retired to civil life did I fully realize it.

  Smedley Butler

  War, Years, Soldier

  Smedley Butler, Mark Twain, Bertrand Russell (2015). “War is a Racket!: And Other Essential Reading”, p.8, The Forlorn Press

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

  Smedley Butler

  Brother, Dark, Soldier

  Smedley Butler, Mark Twain, Bertrand Russell (2015). “War is a Racket!: And Other Essential Reading”, p.52, The Forlorn Press

• My interest is, my one hobby is, maintaining a democracy. If you get these 500,000 soldiers advocating anything smelling of Fascism, I am going to get 500,000 more and lick the hell out of you, and we will have a real war right at home.

  Smedley Butler

  Real, War, Home

  Smedley Butler's reply to Gerald MacGuire, after being asked to organize WWI veterans (for military support) in a fascist-coup of FDR, as related by Butler in testimony before Congress, 1934.

• The trouble with America is that when the dollar only earns 6 percent over here, then it gets restless and goes overseas to get 100 percent. Then the flag follows the dollar and the soldiers follow the flag.

  Smedley Butler

  America, Soldier, Dollars

  "War Is a Racket". Smedley Butler's speech in the U.S. (1933); later published as a book "War Is a Racket", www.businessinsider.com. 1935.

• I believe in adequate defense at the coastline and nothing else. If a nation comes over here to fight, then we'll fight. The trouble with America is that when the dollar only earns 6 percent over here, then it gets restless and goes overseas to get 100 percent. Then the flag follows the dollar and the soldiers follow the flag.

  Smedley Butler

  War, Believe, Fighting

  Major General Smedley Butler's speech, 1933.

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