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The Offer To Lead A Coup
- Smedley Butler describes being approached in 1933 by wealthy businessmen who wanted him to lead a coup against FDR.
- He sat with the decision, imagining fascism and tyranny, and weighed his legacy and grandchildren before refusing.
Credibility From Frontline Leadership
- Butler's care for frontline troops during WWI helped build his reputation as someone who valued enlisted men.
- That reputation later made him a credible public figure who could challenge elites' narratives about interventions.
Prohibition Crackdown In Philadelphia
- As Philadelphia's director of public safety Butler shut down most saloons and raided posh hotels, angering powerful local elites.
- His crackdown briefly disrupted crime but drove vice further underground and cost him his post.