At least 21,000 new millionaires and billionaires were made in the United States during the World War. In the World War a mere handful garnered the profits of the conflict.

Out of war a few people make huge fortunes. It is conducted for the benefit of the very few, at the expense of the very many. Only a small 'inside' group knows what it is about. A racket is best described, I believe, as something that is not what it seems to the majority of the people.It is the only one in which the profits are reckoned in dollars and the losses in lives. It is the only one international in scope. It is possibly the oldest, easily the most profitable, surely the most vicious. Quoted in 'I Might Have Given Al Capone a Few Hints', The New York Times, September 10, 1987. The best he could do was to operate his racket in three city districts. Looking back on it, I feel I might have given Al Capone a few hints. I was rewarded with honors, medals, promotion. … During those years, I had, as the boys in the back room would say, a swell racket. I brought light to the Dominican Republic for American sugar interests in 1916. … I helped purify Nicaragua for the international banking house of Brown Brothers in 1909-12. I helped make Haiti and Cuba a decent place for the National City Bank boys to collect revenues in. … Thus I helped make Mexico and especially Tampico safe for American oil interests in 1914. In short, I was a racketeer for capitalism. And during that period I spent most of my time being a high-class muscle man for Big Business, for Wall Street and for the bankers. I served in all commissioned ranks from a second lieutenant to Major-General. I spent 33 years and 4 months In active service as a member of our country's most agile military force – the Marine Corps.A reporter (a Butler confidant) testified MacGuire said, 'We might go along with Roosevelt and then do with him what Mussolini did with the King of Italy.' Which was, made him a figure-head. 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.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.

My interest is, my one hobby is, maintaining a democracy.

War for any other reason is simply a racket. One is the defense of our homes and the other is the Bill of Rights. There are only two things we should fight for.

I wouldn't go to war again as I have done to protect some lousy investment of the bankers.

Then the flag follows the dollar and the soldiers follow the flag. 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. If a nation comes over here to fight, then we'll fight.

I believe in adequate defense at the coastline and nothing else.

It is conducted for the benefit of the very few at the expense of the masses. Only a small inside group knows what it is about. A racket is best described, I believe, as something that is not what it seems to the majority of people.

Smedley butler americas