Description:
Brigadier General Smedley Darlington Butler's 1935 lecture "War is a Racket" presents several key arguments against war. Includes "Civil Disobedience" by Henry David Thoreau and "The Moral Equivalent of War" by William James.
Brief description: Smedley Darlington Butler (1881-1940) was a U.S. marine who served in numerous conflicts, including the Philippine-American War, the Boxer Rebellion, and World War I. He received two Medals of Honor, the Marine Corps Brevet Medal, and numerous other awards for his distinguished service. After retiring in 1931, Butler became a vocal critic of war and U.S. foreign policy, famously declaring that "war is a racket." He spent his later years as an anti-war activist, advocating against militarism and imperialism until his death.