Thread by @JimmyFalunGong

recently I read this book, the Plot to Seize the White House: The Shocking True Story of the Conspiracy to Overthrow FDR

Major General Smedley Butler fought in the Philippines, China, in Central America and the Caribbean during the Banana Wars, and France in World War I, received the Medal of Honor twice, tons of other military awards

he was an extremely popular leader because he showed strong concern for the welfare of his men, and was also a real champion and partisan of the Marine Corps against the Navy brass

fighting in the Banana Wars, Haiti, all these places, he absolutely did some heinous shit for the US, and he started to pay attention to the role US troops were playing in these conflicts, i.e. shaking countries down for Big Business

Butler was also involved with the American Foreign Legion, which is supposed to provide "life-changing assistance and guidance for veterans, military personnel, their families and communities"

in reality, the American Legion were used as strikebreakers and goons in labor struggles, and Butler wasn't particularly pleased with that fact

Butler spoke before the 'Bonus Army' marchers in 1932, supporting and encouraging their efforts to receive the value of their WWI compensation, which was stuck as bonds irredeemable until 1945, which didn't do them much at the nadir of the Great Depression

Hoover ordered them to clear out, and General MacArthur sent in the tanks; multiple people were killed

Butler was in nebulous territory, because he was critical of capitalism but was also a distinguished General. that's why he was approached by Gerald MacGuire on behalf of Grayson Murphy

Murphy fought with Butler in the Philippine–American War, and he was known back then as the rich kid. after the war, Murphy was an executive of Guaranty Trust Company. He was also Founder and Head of G.M.-P. Murphy & Co.

Murphy also served on the boards of directors of the Anaconda Copper Mining Company, Guaranty Trust Company, New York Trust Company, Bethlehem Steel, Goodyear Tire & Rubber, New York Railways, Fifth Avenue Coach Company, and Chicago Motor Coach Company

MacGuire and Murphy wanted Butler to lead a coup against FDR "in order to help him, as he wasn't in good health", so Butler could take the role of "Secretary of General Affairs", while FDR could remain a "figurehead"

Butler entertained the notion long enough to ascertain who the real money was behind MacGuire and Murphy.

you guys wanna know who was really behind the plot?

JP Morgan, lol

although supposedly other bankers were tactily involved, as well as other business magnates like Robert Sterling Clark, heir to the Singer Sewing machine company

the plotters told Butler that they were also in talks with General MacArthur, among others, to carry out what's now known as the Business Plot

the plotters had sent people over to Italy, Germany, France, to investigate other forms of government. for what it's worth, they didn't think National Socialism or Italian Fascism were right for the US;

no, they were looking to implement something closer to a Mouvement Synarchique or a Action Française, later somewhat implemented in Vichy France (although WWII hadn't happened yet)

anyway, Butler blew the whistle and testified before Congress in a closed session:

"MacGuire denied these allegations under oath, but your committee was able to verify all the pertinent statements made by General Butler"

as Chomsky says, the New York Times, our 'paper of record', put out an editorial characterizing the Business Plot as a "gigantic hoax", w/o any evidence to the contrary and despite the Congressional record

"Thomas W. Lamont of J.P. Morgan called it "perfect moonshine". Gen. MacArthur referred to it as "the best laugh story of the year." Time magazine and other publications also scoffed at the allegations."

"In July 2007, Scott Horton wrote an article in Harper's Magazine claiming that Prescott Bush, father of US President George H. W. Bush and grandfather of then-president George W. Bush, was involved in the 1934 Business Plot"

to this day, historians aren't sure what to make of the Business Plot. Arthur Schlesinger called it a 'cocktail putsch' and said "it can hardly be supposed that the Republic was in much danger"

FDR, for his part, was said to have dealt with the threat behind closed doors.

you be the judge: who's telling the truth, Smedley Butler or the NYT?

two years later, Smedley Butler gave a speech called "War is a Racket", which suggests that wars are primarily about Big Business

if you haven't read "War is a Racket", check it out.

probably skip "The Plot to Seize the White House" tho unless you were really, really interested, because it's mostly just pulling from Butler's autobiography and it's like, mostly just ok