Jonathan M KatzGangsters of Capitalism

This is an incredible book that was written at either exactly the right time or the worst possible time. It will certainly play into the jaws of the political divide that is paralyzing the US at the moment, although I don’t believe that is the author’s intent.It is not a political book. I don’t recall that either political party is ever mentioned by name. And the most popular political slogans of the day are skillfully, and intentionally, I believe, omitted. It is a book specifically about American foreign policy and why we seem to be, in fact are, constantly at war beyond our borders.It is ultimately the story of Smedley Butler, one of the most celebrated, decorated, and famous Marines of the early 20th Century, who fought in wars from Cuba to Haiti to the Philippines and China. Fifteen of those conflicts are covered here, covering a period from 1898 – 1927.Ultimately, however, he concluded that he and his fellow Marines had been duped. He wasn’t risking his life to promote democracy or to defend the oppressed. He was often part of the oppression, both literally and figuratively. He was fighting, pure and simple, to protect and/or further the interests of America’s capitalists who ultimately control the American political process.“I spent 33 years and 4 months in active service as a member of our country’s most agile military force – the Marine Corps. I served in all commissioned ranks from a second lieutenant to Major-General. And during that period I spent most of my time being a high-class muscle man for Big Business, for Wall Street and the bankers. In short, I was a racketeer for capitalism.”It is a fascinating story, very well written, and exhaustively researched. Katz actually travels to many of the places that play prominent roles in Butler’s story. And it is a history you most certainly did not learn in school.The wars were often surgical in precision, sometimes clandestine, and more than a few times involved more money than men. But the defense industry always benefited. As did the capitalists who wanted to expand their empires and engorge their coffers. In Smedley’s days that usually meant the oil companies. Today it is the tech companies who look to expand their markets through the use of a favorable American foreign policy that often puts America’s true interests – the interests of all of the people – at risk. And, of course, the companies that make the instruments of war always, always, always benefited, often immensely so.In the end this is not a critique of the military. And some wars are clearly justified for legitimate reasons. It would have been immoral, for example, for the US not to join WWII.It is really a book about Orwellian doublespeak and could have easily been titled “War is Peace.” And a book about an incredibly brave but complex and far from angelic Marine named Smedley Butler.I highly recommend you read it.

I liked everything about this book. Well written, readable and a very comprehensive book about why our neighbors in the Western Hemisphere have reasons not to trust us after all the damage we have caused. And an interesting structure around the main character and his involvement in most of the action.

The author, Jonathan M. Katz, spent over 5 years researching and writing this book and has done an excellent job of detailing how the Marines were used by the U.S. Government (and powerful, moneyed interests) in many of the "small wars" America engaged in during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Focused on the career of Major General Smedley Butler, Katz uses Butler's career as a highly-decorated Marine officer to trace the involvement the United States had in what Max Boot has called "the Savage Wars of Peace and the rise of American power" during the Spanish-American war in Cuba and the Philippines in 1898, the Boxer Rebellion in China in 1900, and closer to home in the early 20th century: Panama, Nicaragua, Mexico, Haiti, and Dominican Republic. He also covers how Butler brought tactics used by the Marines abroad to the police of his home town of Philadelphia in the 1920s. Later he emphasizes Butler's conversion and rejection of those same policies and actions, the General's support of the military veteran Bonus Army in Washington D.C. in 1932, his publication of a short book/pamphlet called "War is a Racket" in 1935, and his presentation before the Special House Committee on Un-American Activities in 1934 which revealed a planned antigovernmental coup (a.k.a. the "Business Plot) to depose president Franklin Roosevelt from office.An especially apropos element of the book is the author's comments how the effects of U.S. policies in the early 1900s are still being felt today, both abroad and here in the U.S.My only criticism is that the author repeatedly switches to his own present day experience when he "followed Smedley Butler around the world" by travelling to many of the places Butler had been stationed. This would have worked better if he had made smoother, more obvious, transitions between the past and the present. While the "today" information was interesting, it was also distracting from the flow of the narrative.

Major General Smedley Darlington Butler was a man of unimaginable HONOR! He saved this country from falling into the hands of the type of people just like those who are peddling the 2025 doctrine which pushes the overthrow of the Constitution of the USA! When any man or woman says they want to be a dictator that is an individuals, a group and a nations first clue. Let this book be an awakening. Read it asap and introduce it to others!

I've read a two books about general Butler, one of which was written by himself and he disparaged his involvement in most if not all of the US military adventures he was involved in as being the enforcer for US business interests (see War is a Racket) this book explains how Butler's own perception of his life are accurate, but citing historical records, memoirs and government records.The author uses the Butler's own words to segue into explanation of how the actions of Butler has influenced the world today.The author doesn't use Smedley's words to disparage the man or his actions but to confirm Smedley's own opinion of how his life should be viewed.I enjoyed the book immensely. It was a joy to see how Smedley viewed his life of a highly decorated soldier as it happened. It was enlightening to see how US foreign policy was used to bolster US capitalism to determent of other countries.

I have not finished reading the book yet, but I find it easy to read and very interesting. In my opinion, every single person in the USA should read this book. This book contains lots of historical facts that are unknown to many Americans.Hat off to JM Katz for putting all these events together!

Jonathan M Katz has written an entertaining page turner of a book that re-examines the 1933 'Business Plot', an attempted coup d'etat to remove the newly elected F.D.R, involving some of the richest, most powerful bankers and industrialists in the USA, in events that should be far better known. Especially as the events of 1933 echo down the ages and the dark shadow of their rebirth is clearly visible within the many right wing groups that have latterly appeared, advocating violence and willing to abandon the democratic traditions that were thought sacrosanct, from the time of F.D.R until very recently.A word on the meaning and purpose of 'history'.A few of the reviews seem to have been created by people who totally missed the point of this book and, I'd guess, that other reviews were made by people who haven't read, or ever intend to read this book. The negative reviews were added simply because the faux reviewers believe it to be an anti-Trump book.One writer of a four star review wrote: "My only criticism is that the author shoehorns quite a few references to Donald Trump into the book which have little or no relevance to the story, and do nothing to enhance the content." I'd remind anyone intending to read this book that history is not simply the study of the past, it is an explanation of the present. The words and actions of Donald Trump are not only relevant to this book, they're the reason for this book existing.Yesterday, August 3rd, Fox News' Jesse Watters gleefully imagined the retribution that Donald Trump would unleash, should he be returned to power in 2024. By coincidence August 3rd was also the date when Hitler, in 1934, combined both the roles of German President and Chancellor into a single, all powerful position for himself, which he named 'Fuhrer'. This could only happen after up to 1,000 of Hitler's rivals and critics were purged in a three day orgy of violent bloodletting (June 30th to July 2nd, 1934) that is remembered as The Night of the Long Knives."Those who do not learn history are doomed to repeat it" has become a very prescient phrase for people, like myself, who see powerful parallels between current events and historic ones that resulted in catastrophic outcomes. Even more frightening is that so many people simply dismiss the lessons of history, as if they no longer apply. Reading reviewers dismissing Katz' observations without even trying to understand them feels a little similar to being cursed like Cassandra - to have the gift of prophesy, but to be condemned into no one believing them. Katz must feel like that when his very prescient observations are simply ignored as 'fake news'.The other negative reviews are not, in my opinion, meant in good faith. They're poor quality hatchet jobs, attacking everything about this book and its author (despite the reviewers clearly never read it) whilst shoehorning in fawning praise of Donald Trump. They lack the merit to deserve a response.Jonathan M Katz has provided a wonderfully written account of a man, his times and a few very relevant events that are almost forgotten by the majority of the public. It's worth reading to just know about what happened. But Katz has a more pressing mission, to remind people of what very nearly happened in the 1930's, to remind people of exactly what happened in 2020/21, AND to make them understand that this attack on American democracy is still very much in play. It is ongoing. It has not yet finished.The film AMSTERDAM, 2022, with Robert DeNiro as a fictionalised version of General Smedley Butler, fighting a group of overmighty industrialists and bankers in a barely disguised version of the 1933 Business Plot. I had hoped the movie may ignite a flame of interest in the actual history behind it. Maybe it did and this book will add to it?

AWESOME

This book reviews the period where the American empire spread beyond the North American mainland. It is a fascinating and grotesque tale of overthrowing governments and odd plots, all for the benefit of a few rich people. A period of history most people are unaware of, and as we view the new horrors in Haiti, one where the historical context given by the book is immensely valuable.I found the travels of the author which are interleaved with the events from the first part of the 20th century a little unnecessary, which is why this is four stars not five stars.

I loved it.