Jonathan M. Katz, author of Gangsters of Capitalism: Smedley Butler, the Marines, and the Making and Remaking of America’s Empire and The Racket Substack, joins The Realignment to discuss the legacy of General Smedley Butler (the most decorated U.S. Marine in history) through the lens of his involvement in early 20th century interventions in Cuba, the Philippines, China, and Haiti, how we should reflect on America’s imperial legacy in the context of 21st century Chinese and Russian aggression, and how (or should) we evaluate present and future wars under his famous “War Is a Racket” speech/pamphlet.
