The 'Robber Barons' Who Tried to Save America w/ Stormy Waters - Complete

In 'War Is a Racket,' Smedley D. Butler offers a searing indictment of the true, profit-driven nature of warfare. Having seen the gruesome realities of combat firsthand, Butler unveils a shocking exposé on how wars are deliberately fomented to line the pockets of the elite. He challenges the noble façades often wrapped around military conflicts and invites readers to question the motives behind global battles. The book highlights how the business of war thrives on the sacrifices of soldiers and taxpayers, benefiting powerful industrialists and corporations. Butler also examines the intricate connections between government officials and major corporations that drive war policies for financial gain[1][3][4].

This book is a rich, panoramic story of four generations of the Morgan family and their secretive firms that transformed the modern financial world. It traces the trajectory of J.P. Morgan’s empire from its obscure beginnings in Victorian London to the financial crisis of 1987. Chernow explores the family’s private saga, their involvement in major infrastructure projects, their influence on foreign policy, and their relationships with prominent figures like Charles Lindbergh, Henry Ford, Franklin Roosevelt, Nancy Astor, and Winston Churchill. The book is a masterpiece of financial history, awarded the 1990 National Book Award for Nonfiction and selected by the Modern Library as one of the 100 Best Nonfiction Books of the Twentieth Century.